Sanborn recorded one tackle in the Bears' 24-22 win over the Packers on Sunday. Sanborn had posted 64 and 65 tackles during his first two seasons in the league. In 2024, the veteran ended the season with 35 stops and 1.5 sacks in 17 games. The biggest issue was that the Bears followed a trend in the league in which teams often use two linebackers on the field, instead of the traditional three or four. The defensive scheme resulted in Sanborn playing just 22 percent of the snaps. He'll be a restricted free agent this offseason.
Sanborn posted two tackles and a sack in the Bears' 19-13 loss to the Texans on Sunday. With the Bears often playing with two linebackers on the field, Sanborn is often the odd-man out. In this game, he played just 18 percent of the snaps, and Sanborn now has just two tackles on the season. The lack of playing time makes him difficult to count on in IDP leagues.
Sanborn is listed at the starting outside linebacker ahead of Noah Sewell. After last year's Week 13 bye, Sanborn played fewer than 20 percent of the snaps in each contest. Prior to that time, the linebacker had a number of games in which he played elevated snaps when Chicago dealt with linebacker injuries. Since 2022, when Sanborn has been called upon to start, he has compiled high tackle totals, making him an excellent IDP in those cases. If the veteran can hold off Sewell for the starting role, Sanborn could be a sneaky IDP option.