1.09 or LBs? Need some wisdom.

[Dyno_7]

What's the most anyone should pay for a top LB in draft pick(s)? Mid-late 2nd rounders?

In the right kind of league, I would pay a future 2nd for an Ogletree, Kuechly, Mosley. That's about it.

Cool. A guy in my league offered me Wagner for my 1.07. Told him the most I'd pay is my 3.01, and even then that made me nervous.. lol!

[bruiser]

What's the most anyone should pay for a top LB in draft pick(s)? Mid-late 2nd rounders?

In the right kind of league, I would pay a future 2nd for an Ogletree, Kuechly, Mosley. That's about it.

Good call lukky

[Oslo Oildrillers]

Hmm...depending on how I like the offensive players in the draft, and depending on how strong the elite dynasty LBs are in a given year, I could go as far as a mid 1st for the top player like Kuechly in his prime before his concussions. If a player is super elite both in real life football and super elite through his production I'd go that high. But right now I don't see a super elite LB.

For the top LBs right now I could see myself giving a late 1st for an elite LB. If I have a championship team where I'm stacked at offensive positions but in need of strengthening my LBs, and the scoring is relatively balanced, it would make more sense for me to trade for a high end LB rather than pick up an RB, TE or WR who will likely need some time to crack my starting lineup.

I haven't done any startups this year so I don't know when the top LBs are coming off the board. In good years they start going in the third, but now it's probably in the fourth? That would suggest that a mid/late 1st for a top LB is a reasonable price. I think most posters in this forum would probably give less than the average owner, since I'm assuming most who use this forum have relatively stacked defensive rosters and feel confident in finding IDPs at less cost - either through the draft or just by identifying them before the price hits the ceiling.

[lukkynumber13]

Hmm...depending on how I like the offensive players in the draft, and depending on how strong the elite dynasty LBs are in a given year, I could go as far as a mid 1st for the top player like Kuechly in his prime before his concussions. If a player is super elite both in real life football and super elite through his production I'd go that high. But right now I don't see a super elite LB.

For the top LBs right now I could see myself giving a late 1st for an elite LB. If I have a championship team where I'm stacked at offensive positions but in need of strengthening my LBs, and the scoring is relatively balanced, it would make more sense for me to trade for a high end LB rather than pick up an RB, TE or WR who will likely need some time to crack my starting lineup.

I haven't done any startups this year so I don't know when the top LBs are coming off the board. In good years they start going in the third, but now it's probably in the fourth? That would suggest that a mid/late 1st for a top LB is a reasonable price. I think most posters in this forum would probably give less than the average owner, since I'm assuming most who use this forum have relatively stacked defensive rosters and feel confident in finding IDPs at less cost - either through the draft or just by identifying them before the price hits the ceiling.

Exactly, and that's just it. I don't know of any LB in the league right now who

A) Is elite (and young) enough in real life for me to trust they'll hold down a starting gig for the next 6-8 years

AND

B) Is elite in fantasy, I mean truly ELITE.

Mosley looked like that his rookie year, and I know he's still a stud in real life, but tackles are getting schemed away from him. Same with L. David.

Kuechly is fast becoming a LB version of Jordan Reed.

Bowman, I hate to say it, might be entering DQwell/Tulloch territory as soon as 2017.

Sean Lee & Wagner have as high of weekly ceilings as anyone, but they historically don't stay healthy.

Most of the top-drafted LBs recently haven't played up to par, for myriad reasons (S. Anthony, Shaq T, M. Jack, Jaylon Smith, D. Lee) so the young blood hasn't made much of an impact on who's a stud.

Deion Jones, Kirksey, & Kwon have potential to be this type of LB, but I wanna see it for more than 1 year.

[Oslo Oildrillers]

I agree with all of this, and additionally the stat crews affect things. JAX awards few tackles in total. Rams and Bucs doesn't chart assisted tackles. Seattle only charts assisted tackles. Ravens had the lowest tackle percentage in the league last season. If an elite real life LB played for BUF, WAS or NYG, we might be valuing our elite LBs differently.

[Oddball456]

Lukky - you don't think Jamie Collins fits the bill? Or will him lining up at OLB on some downs limit him?

[Oslo Oildrillers]

Lukky - you don't think Jamie Collins fits the bill? Or will him lining up at OLB on some downs limit him?

For me to put someone in that territory they need to have a crystal clear track record and the negativity surrounding his exit from the Patriots and his production as a borderline LB1/LB2 would stop me from paying a 1st for him. But if he comes flying out of the gate this fall in Williams' new scheme then I'm open to reassess mid season. LBs have typically been productive in Williams' defenses. But by next season he's going to be 28 years old so I don't know...I'd might rather spend a couple mid/late 2nd rounders to grab the top two rookie LBs, hoping one or both of them turn out to be LB1s.

[lukkynumber13]

Lukky - you don't think Jamie Collins fits the bill? Or will him lining up at OLB on some downs limit him?

For me to put someone in that territory they need to have a crystal clear track record and the negativity surrounding his exit from the Patriots and his production as a borderline LB1/LB2 would stop me from paying a 1st for him. But if he comes flying out of the gate this fall in Williams' new scheme then I'm open to reassess mid season. LBs have typically been productive in Williams' defenses. But by next season he's going to be 28 years old so I don't know...I'd might rather spend a couple mid/late 2nd rounders to grab the top two rookie LBs, hoping one or both of them turn out to be LB1s.

I'll cosign to this.

Also, Collins has had a rough injury past with little nicks constantly making him miss time. Not ACLs and stuff, but a game here, 2 games there.

[bruiser]

If you want to get real shrewd, save those rookie picks for offensive players and mine the IDP gems. Every year there are two or three LB1s sitting on waivers - even in deep bleep leagues - waiting to be scooped up and started Week 1. Last year this was Zach Brown, Craig Robertson, and the likes of Jonathan Casillas, etc.

If you are familiar with the zero-RB strategy, then let me introduce you to zero-LB. If you have to start 4 LBs, then you want to roster 10-12 of these cheap IDP gems. Save rookie picks for the most expensive position groups. I don't waste rookie picks on CBs, by the way. Teez Tabor and Kevin King are sitting on waivers in all my leagues. Looks like I just found two starters without wasting a pick that could be spent on a Tyreek-like lotto ticket.

If you treat your LBs as dispensable as RBs you'll be smiling when you see your leaguemates drafting Myles Jacks and Reggie Raglands in the 1st round every year. That's how guys like Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs fall to me in the 3rd-4th, and I print money.

[ckrumm24]

My league has LBs scoring more points than yours. That being said, I gave up the 1.11 last year for V. Burrfict in a contract league (favorable). In hindsight I still would have done the trade because that draft class was so putrid. In your league, I'm only giving up 2nd rounders I think. There are a couple guys I might consider with late 1sts, Burrfict wouldn't have been one of them.

[ckrumm24]

If you want to get real shrewd, save those rookie picks for offensive players and mine the IDP gems. Every year there are two or three LB1s sitting on waivers - even in deep bleep leagues - waiting to be scooped up and started Week 1. Last year this was Zach Brown, Craig Robertson, and the likes of Jonathan Casillas, etc.

If you are familiar with the zero-RB strategy, then let me introduce you to zero-LB. If you have to start 4 LBs, then you want to roster 10-12 of these cheap IDP gems. Save rookie picks for the most expensive position groups. I don't waste rookie picks on CBs, by the way. Teez Tabor and Kevin King are sitting on waivers in all my leagues. Looks like I just found two starters without wasting a pick that could be spent on a Tyreek-like lotto ticket.

If you treat your LBs as dispensable as RBs you'll be smiling when you see your leaguemates drafting Myles Jacks and Reggie Raglands in the 1st round every year. That's how guys like Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs fall to me in the 3rd-4th, and I print money.

After grabbing a ton of cheap LBs in my free agent draft last season (Whitehead, Barron, and Orr ++) I am starting to move towards this philosophy as well. Good tip. The exception might be when you hate the options available when OTC (see above post).

[Space Cowboy]

If you want to get real shrewd, save those rookie picks for offensive players and mine the IDP gems. Every year there are two or three LB1s sitting on waivers - even in deep bleep leagues - waiting to be scooped up and started Week 1. Last year this was Zach Brown, Craig Robertson, and the likes of Jonathan Casillas, etc.

If you are familiar with the zero-RB strategy, then let me introduce you to zero-LB. If you have to start 4 LBs, then you want to roster 10-12 of these cheap IDP gems. Save rookie picks for the most expensive position groups. I don't waste rookie picks on CBs, by the way. Teez Tabor and Kevin King are sitting on waivers in all my leagues. Looks like I just found two starters without wasting a pick that could be spent on a Tyreek-like lotto ticket.

If you treat your LBs as dispensable as RBs you'll be smiling when you see your leaguemates drafting Myles Jacks and Reggie Raglands in the 1st round every year. That's how guys like Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs fall to me in the 3rd-4th, and I print money.

Good post and I couldn't agree more. LBs perform for 2/3 years then usually tail off, get replaced or change teams and don't have anywhere near the same success.

I couldn't be happier with drafting Marquel Lee in the 7th and getting Blair Brown as an UDFA. There will always, always, be 3-8 LBs on the WW who end up having big years with 100+ tackles, whether they're good or not.

[Space Cowboy]

What's the most anyone should pay for a top LB in draft pick(s)? Mid-late 2nd rounders?

In the right kind of league, I would pay a future 2nd for an Ogletree, Kuechly, Mosley. That's about it.

Same. I'm after Mosley, Perryman and J Brown but even a second rounder is a bit much. Trying to combine Maclin or Noah Spence with a 3rd/4th for one of those guys.

[Oslo Oildrillers]

If you want to get real shrewd, save those rookie picks for offensive players and mine the IDP gems. Every year there are two or three LB1s sitting on waivers - even in deep bleep leagues - waiting to be scooped up and started Week 1. Last year this was Zach Brown, Craig Robertson, and the likes of Jonathan Casillas, etc.

If you are familiar with the zero-RB strategy, then let me introduce you to zero-LB. If you have to start 4 LBs, then you want to roster 10-12 of these cheap IDP gems. Save rookie picks for the most expensive position groups. I don't waste rookie picks on CBs, by the way. Teez Tabor and Kevin King are sitting on waivers in all my leagues. Looks like I just found two starters without wasting a pick that could be spent on a Tyreek-like lotto ticket.

If you treat your LBs as dispensable as RBs you'll be smiling when you see your leaguemates drafting Myles Jacks and Reggie Raglands in the 1st round every year. That's how guys like Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs fall to me in the 3rd-4th, and I print money.

I play both strategies. It depends on league and situation. Wyremski started up Backyard Brawl IDP last year (which is with balanced scoring) where I punted LBs. My thinking was that since it is start 2-4 LBs I could go offense, use DBs in my flex spots and get by with a platoon/waiver approach to LB. I took my first LB in the 12th round and I ended up with this group:

12th - Levy
13th - Poz
22nd - Alonso
25th - Keenan Robinson
35th - Te'o
37th - Cushing
45th - Minter
46th - Weatherspoon

Not the sexiest group, to say the least, but overall I ended up with the 4th best LB scoring out of 14 teams and I ended up winning the league (mostly driven by an offense that included Aaron Rodgers, Le'Veon, Crowell, AJ Green, Jordy Nelson, Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Marshall, D-Jax, Marqise Lee and Delanie Walker). I picked up Ellerbee, Riley and Casillas off waivers for some spot starts and played the matchups.

But...that doesn't mean that it is a desirable situation to continue streaming LBs. It's a last resort and a resource allocation strategy, but for a contender I find that you're often better served in the short term by strengthening IDPs and consolidating that part of the roster - if you don't already have established trusted starters at the position. If I can get Jarrad Davis at 2.14 I think that's going to do a lot more for my team in the short run than to take the top RB/WR at that spot. But of course...it all depends on the size and depth of the league and the overall roster tendency of the league.

I've probably mentioned it before in these forums but I'm a huge fan of punting IDP in the startup draft since I find that most owners value IDPs higher in startups than what they do in rookie drafts.