Cole Holcomb

Cole Holcomb

28-Year-Old LinebackerLB
Pittsburgh Steelers
PUP-R
Injury Knee
Est. Return 10/6/2024
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Holcomb was a dominant defender over his four years in Washington, and he signed a three-year contract with the Steelers ahead of the 2023 campaign. He had a productive start to the year, but he sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 9. It's not yet clear when Holcomb will be able to return, but the Steelers have been optimistic that he isn't dealing with a career-ending injury. If Holcomb can return to health at some point in 2024, he should have plenty of chances to rack up tackles alongside T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, but Holcomb's return timetable is unclear. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#626
ADP
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
$Signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Steelers in March of 2023.
Starting season on PUP list
LBPittsburgh Steelers
Knee
August 28, 2024
Holcomb (knee) was placed on the reserve/PUP list Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
Holcomb is still working his way back from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 9 of the 2023 season and he'll be forced to sit out at least the first four weeks of 2024. Once healthy, the 28-year-old is expected to operate as Pittsburgh's third option at interior linebacker behind Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts.
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Pittsburgh SteelersSteelers 2024 LB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

215100%
19792%
11353%
9645%
9142%
8540%
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2024 Cole Holcomb Split Stats
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Cole Holcomb See More
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IDP Analysis Week 10: Week 10 Review
327 days ago
Alohi Gilman tops Dan Marcus' IDP players who are on the rise, as in Week 10, he played 100 percent of defensive snaps and tallied seven tackles against Detroit.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
After a huge season for Washington in 2021, Holcomb played only seven games last year due to a foot injury, but he still racked up 69 tackles. The injury cost him money in free agency, but he still landed a three-year contract from the Steelers in March, a deal the team can get out of easily if he can't regain his old form. The 2019 fifth-round pick makes up for a lack of top-tier instincts with plus pursuit speed, so the caution is understandable. If he's 100 percent though, Holcomb should be a strong fit in the middle of the Pittsburgh defense.
If Holcomb plays a lot, he will post tackle numbers among the league leaders, it’s that simple. Through three years Holcomb averages about 143 tackles per 1,000 snaps, and in 2021 he played a team-leading 980 snaps at inside linebacker. Even if 2021 first-round pick Jamin Davis sees more snaps in his second season, those snaps would occur at the expense of Jon Bostic rather than Holcomb.
Holcomb has less brand recognition than some IDP linebackers, though perhaps for not much longer. Washington likely selected first-round linebacker Jamin Davis to replace Jon Bostic rather than Holcomb, so Holcomb is a good bet to secure a three-down role and ascend to LB1 viability as an IDP. He produced 72 tackles and 2.5 sacks on 555 snaps last year, and before the NFL he was a productive three-year starter at North Carolina. With an elite front four keeping blockers off him, Holcomb should push for 130 tackles in 2021.
A fifth-round pick last year, Holcomb ended up starting 15 of 16 games, with his 105 tackles tying Jon Bostic for second most among Washington players. It isn't clear Holcomb will have a similar role in his second pro season, as the team signed Thomas Davis in March and hopes to have Rueben Foster back healthy from last year's ACL tear. Even if he retains a starting job, Holcomb won't necessarily handle a three-down role, after struggling in coverage during his rookie campaign.
More Fantasy News
Starts camp on PUP list
LBPittsburgh Steelers
Knee
July 24, 2024
The Steelers placed Holcomb (knee) on the active/PUP list Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
ANALYSIS
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On track for training camp
LBPittsburgh Steelers
Knee
June 12, 2024
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday that Holcomb (knee) is on track to be ready for training camp, Nick Farabaugh of SteelersNow.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Future status still in question
LBPittsburgh Steelers
Knee
April 22, 2024
Holcomb (knee) still doesn't have a timeline for when he may be able to return to the field, Adam Borst of SteelersNow.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Could be done
LBPittsburgh Steelers
Knee
March 12, 2024
Holcomb's knee injury suffered last season could be career-threatening, Chris Mueller of 93.7 The Fan reports.
ANALYSIS
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Heads to IR
LBPittsburgh Steelers
Knee
November 6, 2023
Pittsburgh placed Holcomb (knee) on injured reserve Monday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Could be done in Pittsburgh
LBPittsburgh Steelers
April 29, 2024
Holcomb could be released with an injury settlement to create cap space after the Steelers drafted Payton Wilson in the third round of the 2024 Draft and signed Patrick Queen as a free agent, former ESPN radio host David Todd reports.
ANALYSIS
Holcomb signed a three-year deal with Pittsburgh last March after a productive if injury-marred stint in Washington, but the health issues followed him to the AFC North, and he played only eight games for the Steelers before suffering a season-ending knee injury. There's no guarantee the 27-year-old will be recovered in time for Week 1, and given the additions the team has made to the linebacker room, the Steelers could be planning to move on. Releasing Holcomb could create $4 million in cap space.
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