“What is an NFL IDP Sleeper? He is a player who showed a quality that is in the snap dominators of years past. A player who might be getting a better opportunity this year due to specific situations. Those could be injuries, new competition, new coaches, and a new team.”
Linebacker Sleepers for the 2026 NFL Preseason
LB – Dee Winters – Dallas Cowboys
Winters was originally a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers out of TCU. He played his first three years with the 49ers, gaining more playing time each year at linebacker. In 2025, Winters played 14 games with more than 90% of the defensive snaps and 11 with 100%. 2025 saw Winters post career highs in every scoring category. He posted 101 tackles (67 solo), 8 tackles for a loss, 3 QB hits, 5 passes defensed, and 1 interception for a 74-yard touchdown. The 49ers were bringing Dre Greenlaw back, so that made Winters expendable.
The Cowboys made a draft-day trade to acquire Winters for a 2026 fifth-round pick. They had the worst defense in the NFL by statistical measure last year. Help was needed in a big way. Last year’s linebacker snaps were divided among seven players. Kenneth Murray led the group with 873 defensive snaps while starting 16 games. He produced an incredibly bad 81 tackles (38 solo), 4 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 passes defended. Next was Shemar James, who played in 14 games and totaled 91 tackles. Winters will fit in right away as a starter with this rebuilt unit, which has a new Defensive Coordinator in Christian Parker, who was in on bringing Winters to the Cowboys.
Winters is ranked the #52 LB on IDPPlus.com and #65 on FantasyPros.com
LB – Omar Speights – Los Angeles Rams
Speights was an undrafted college free agent out of LSU in 2024. He has increased his defensive snaps in each of his first two years. Last year, Speights played 60% or more of the defensive snaps in 13 of the 16 games he played. He played 504 defensive snaps as a rookie and increased it to 826 last year. The Rams brought no one of significance into that linebacker room for 2026. He increased his defensive snaps by 61% from his rookie season to his 2nd season. If he increases his snaps another 40%, he will play roughly 1,150 defensive snaps in 2026.
2026 could be the breakout year for Speights if the defensive snaps do happen. In the 1,330 snaps he has played in his career, Speights has produced a combined 152 tackles. The Rams have always had a highly successful and efficient defense. Nate Landman and Speights will dominate defensive snaps and stats for the 2026 season.
Speights is ranked the #95 LB on IDPPlus.com and is not ranked on FantasyPros.com
LB – Eric Wilson – Minnesota Vikings
Wilson was an undrafted college free agent out of Cincinnati in 2017, signed by the Vikings. He got better in each of his first four years with the Vikings, culminating in his career-best season in 2020. He produced 122 tackles (62 solo), 8 tackles for a loss, 9 QB hits, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 8 passes defensed, and 3 interceptions. Wilson then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, who waived him after seven games, and the Houston Texans claimed him in 2021. In 2022, the New Orleans Saints signed him to their practice squad. In October of 2022, the Green Bay Packers signed Wilson to their active roster. He stayed with the Packers through the 2024 season. His best season with all those other teams was 72 tackles.
2025 was the year that Wilson came back home to his original team and got the start in Week 2 because of the Blake Cashman injury. He returned to form and played 82% or more of the defensive snaps in 16 games. 11 of those games were 92% or more. When Cashman returned in Week 7, Ivan Pace, who started Weeks 1-6, went to the bench. Wilson produced 115 tackles (60 solo), 17 tackles for a loss, 10 QB hits, 6.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles. Because of this outstanding year, the Vikings signed the soon-to-be 32-year-old Wilson to a three-year extension. The Vikings did draft Jake Golday in the 2nd round of this past NFL Draft. He should not be a factor this year unless an injury hits one of the starters.
Wilson is ranked the #78 LB on IDPPlus.com and the #42 LB on FantasyPros.com
***Honorable Mention – LB – Danny Stutsman – New Orleans Saints
Stutsman is ranked the #107 LB on IDPPlus.com and the #55 LB on FantasyPros.com
Thank you for checking out my NFL IDP 2026 Preseason Sleepers article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP+ author page. Be sure to follow me on X at @OldMan_FF and @IDP_Plus (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber.
