2026 IDP Dynasty Values at Linebacker
Welcome to my 2026 IDP Dynasty Values at Linebacker article!
With the rapid-fire moves from NFL Free Agency having cooled down, the NFL Draft is coming up. Now is a great time to look for values in Dynasty IDP leagues.
For this article, I’m going to concentrate on Linebackers that I’m looking to acquire, either off the waiver wire or by trade, depending on the size of your league. Some of these players will cost more than others; they are not all equal to me, but there are some players I can see having increased value this season and, hopefully, in the future.
I broke these players down according to PFF scoring in the Balanced IDP Scoring System. Other stats and Data provided by Fantasy Pros Data Suite and Dynasty League Football.
The Linebacker Tandem of Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean
Quay Walker Age: 25
DLF SuperFlex Rank LB13 (March ADP): 33.33
2026 Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: LB25 PPG: 13.14
Players Overview
Devin White was second among LBs in scoring last season. He put up 272.8 points on the season, averaging 16.04 points per game. With a new staff coming in, White wasn’t re-signed. Also gone is Elandon Roberts, who had 61 solo tackles (91 total) and finished as LB50 with 129.5 points.
That throws the door wide open for LB production in Las Vegas. Both players are getting fresh starts.
Raiders signing LB Quay Walker. (via @TomPelissero, @Rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/eOtPon38tc
— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2026
Walker’s time in Green Bay seemed destined to come to an end. The former first-round pick wasn’t offered a second contract with the Packers. Now he heads to the Raiders with a chance to take over as the defensive leader of this team.
Walker had 90 solo tackles (118 total) in 14 games last season. He added 12 pressures and three sacks. In four seasons with the Packers, he totaled 469 tackles (264 solo) in 58 games.
Walker’s PFF grade slipped last season. He had an overall grade of 48.5, which ranked 74th out of 88. While that seems bad, he is replacing White, who had a PFF grade of 40.7, the 82nd-highest among 88. Despite the terrible grade, White led the league in solo tackles with 133.
Dean only played 10 games last season, finishing with 43 solo tackles (53 total) with four sacks and 10 pressures on just 30 pass rush snaps.
Dean will likely be the higher scorer of the two in big-play scoring because of his rushing upside.
Dean had a breakout 2024 campaign with a career-high 93 solo tackles (122 total) with three sacks and 14 pressures. His PFF grade was 75.3, 12th among 83 LBs.
The biggest downside is that Dean has only had one healthy season in four years in the league. There are going to be owners who are done with the injuries and are ready to move on from him. There is some obvious risk, but there is a tremendous upside. If he can do anything close to his 2024 season in Las Vegas, he could lead the league in tackles.
Projected Path To Success
Both players should be able to come close to equaling last year’s output, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they both improved on their numbers. The Raiders play in a tough AFC West with many offensive weapons.
They are also expected to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top overall pick in the draft. The offensive line was awful last year, making it hard to keep drives alive.
This Raiders defense is going to be on the field a lot this season. After the botched trade of Maxx Crosby to the Ravens, it looks like their top defensive player will return to the Black and Silver, at least for now.
Devin Bush
Team: Chicago Bears
Age: 27
DLF SuperFlex Rank LB33 (March ADP): 88.33
Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: LB17 PPG: 11.55
Player Overview
Devin Bush is joining his fourth NFL team. After a productive rookie season with the Steelers, injuries slowed him over the next couple years. Bush spent 2023 with the Seahawks before playing for the Browns in 2024 and 2025.
No beating around the Bush, Devin's a baller 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VGOkF2FAIN
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 13, 2026
Last year was a nice comeback season for Bush. He had 81 solo tackles (120 total) as the team’s LB2 next to rookie Carson Schwesinger. Bush graded out as the fourth-best LB in PFF scoring (87.6). He finished the season with 196.3 total fantasy points with a points-per-game average of 11.55.
It was his best statistical season since he was a rookie in 2019, where he had 84 solo tackles (106 total) with a sack and forced fumble and a PFF grade of 62.9.
Projected Path To Success
Chicago moved on from Tremaine Edmunds, giving Bush the starting LB job next to T.J. Edwards. Even as a projected LB2 on his own team, Bush should have the opportunity to make plenty of tackles.
In some scoring formats Bush was a top 10 scoring LB last season, and actually outscored Schwesinger, who was the AFC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Bush is still only 27 years old and is a former first-round pick. If he has once again found his groove this could be a fantastic signing for the Bears. He is also a player I want to try to add to my fantasy teams.
Few managers realize just how good Bush was last year. He should have a good opportunity to match last season’s output or better it. He could be worth trading a rookie pick to someone looking to get younger, while you add a win-now piece to your defense.
Junior Colson
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 23
DLF SuperFlex Rank LB44 (March ADP): 120.23
Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: PPG: 0
Player Overview
Colson was my favorite IDP player in the 2024 NFL Draft Class. After leading Michigan to a National Championship, it seemed as if Colson landed in the perfect spot in the NFL, joining his former college coach Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles.
Colson was a third-round pick by the Chargers and was primed to start as a rookie, but he missed most of training camp after suffering from appendicitis. By the time he returned, he was extremely behind and continued to get nicked up.
The #Chargers have placed LB Junior Colson on injured reserve, ending his 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/4oa6eR5ivf
— ًBoltUpYo (@BoltUpYo) August 26, 2025
Colson ended his rookie season playing in only 11 games with one start. He totaled only 29 tackles (15 solo) in limited action.
Fast forward to 2025. Colson struggled in the preseason, injuring his shoulder a couple of times. Eventually the Chargers opted to put him on season-ending injured reserve.
Projected Path To Success
So why would I be telling you to go buy a guy who has 29 career tackles in two seasons, and has yet to be healthy in his NFL career? Because he is still only 23 years old and the Chargers still need young talent at the linebacker position.
Colson’s head coach knows what type of player he can be when healthy, and that helps Colson’s outlook. Going into his third season in the league, this becomes a big year for Colson to prove himself.
Colson should be cheap. There is a decent chance he is sitting on someone’s IR or is on the waiver wire. Obviously, we have never seen Colson perform well at the NFL level, but the guy was a beast in college and the captain of a National Championship team.
I haven’t lost total faith in him and I’m willing to invest in the chance that Colson stays healthy this season and wins the LB2 job next to Daiyan Henley.
Colson will be competing with 33-year-old veteran Denzel Perryman for the other LB spot. Perryman was very average last season, but was re-signed by the Chargers this offseason, likely as insurance in case Colson can’t find his way onto the field.
Perryman struggled to stay healthy last season as well. He only played in 10 games, finishing with 38 solo tackles (49 total) and 77.8 fantasy points.
Colson is obviously a huge question mark who could definitely burn you in the long run. But if he does make his way onto the field and into the starting lineup, you have yourself a 23-year-old LB who could possibly play for the next decade and be a centerpiece of your defense. To me, it’s worth the risk.