The Top 9 Rookie Linebackers To Target in 2026 IDP Fantasy Football Leagues

We're entering the heart of Rookie Draft Season for Dynasty leagues, and the offensive side of the ball is leaving a lot to be desired. The talent falls off a cliff quickly, which makes some rookie IDPs a lot more appealing in Rounds 2 and 3 compared to most seasons. It also happens to be a loaded linebacker class.

Like the running backs on offense, linebackers are often overlooked because it's not hard to find replacement-level talent at the position, and snaps/opportunities often matter as much as talent does. This year's class blends both. There are a few spots where rookies have landed with teams that have a clear need at the position, and some are a bit under the radar.

More IDP Rookies: Defensive Backs | Defensive Linemen

Tier 1

Sonny Styles - Washington Commanders

The landing spot couldn't be more ideal for Sonny Styles. Washington selected Styles with the seventh overall pick, and the green dot should be his from the jump. Bobby Wagner wasn't re-signed, and while Frankie Luvu remains on the roster, he's essentially an edge rusher in this defense and no threat to Styles' spot in the middle of this defense. The Commanders also signed former Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal this offseason, but he'll also likely be used unconventionally, with Quinn turning him loose, similarly to Luvu. Either way, neither player should stop you from drafting Styles with confidence.

The former Ohio State safety only played linebacker full-time for two seasons. This past season, he earned an FBS-best 92.2 PFF tackling grade and posted a career-high 87.4 coverage grade, numbers that hold up across positions. For IDP purposes, this is as clean a situation as you'll find in this rookie class. General Manager Adam Peters was clear about how they plan to use him: on the ball, off the ball, mugging the line, blitzing. All of the things that lead to splash plays and fantasy points. His safety background gives him a true three-down skillset, and those coverage skills will be a massive addition to the Commanders' defense. My first run of projections has Styles with 100+ combined tackles, and he's a high-end LB2, hovering in the LB13-17 range depending on your scoring format.

CJ Allen - Indianapolis Colts

CJ Allen wasn't my LB2 in this class heading into draft weekend, but landing spots matter, and this one changes the calculus in a meaningful way. The Colts lost Zaire Franklin to Green Bay in March, and that's a massive void to fill, both in snap share and IDP production. Franklin had a down year in 2025, but he topped 100 tackles in each of the last four seasons and ranked among the league leaders with 167, 179, and 173 from 2022-24. Indianapolis will now hand the keys to a 21-year-old who just spent three years wearing the green dot for Kirby Smart at Georgia.

Allen's SEC production, especially at such a young age, makes him easy to trust moving forward. Allen's PFF run defense grade of 88.6 in 2025 ranked ninth among Power 4 linebackers, and he was fifth in 2024 at 89.8. He totaled 205 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks across 41 career starts at Georgia, and the Colts landed him at 53rd overall despite him being the 35th prospect on the consensus big board, with rumors of his sliding up after his late athletic testing performance at Georgia's Pro Day. He's just inside my top 20 overall linebackers, with a clear path to 100+ combined tackles given the likelihood that he's a plug-and-play 90%+ snap share player from Day 1. I grabbed him at 75/1 for Defensive Rookie of the Year and shared it with 4for4Bets subscribers immediately after the pick came in, and he's down to 20/1 in most spots.

You're Missing Out!

Get access to this article and all our tools and rankings:

• All Premium Content
• The most Accurate Rankings Since 2010
• Expert Draft Picks w/DraftHero
• Highest Scoring Lineup + Top Available Players w/LeagueSync
• ...and much much more

UPGRADE

Already a member? Log in?