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Offensive Line Rankings: Top 10

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Starting lineups are projections and will be updated throughout OTAs and training camp.

Offensive Line Rankings
32-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

10. Los Angeles Rams

Pos. Starter
LT Andrew Whitworth
LG Joseph Noteboom
C Brian Allen
RG Austin Blythe
RT Rob Havenstein

Depth: Bobby Evans (R), David Edwards (R), Aaron Neary, Jeremiah Kolone, Jamil Demby

  • The Rams' offensive line has been a big reason for the swift turnaround under head coach Sean McVay. Remember when Todd Gurley was fighting through crowds of defenders two years ago? Neither do we. The team made it a priority to revamp the line when McVay arrived, which facilitated the transition to the new system and catapulted the Rams into being one of the most dangerous attacks in the NFL. However, changes are coming after Roger Saffold and Jonathan Sullivan were allowed to depart.
  • Whitworth and Havenstein finished in the top seven of Pro Football Focus' tackle grades for 2018, with Blythe coming in 12th among guards. Blythe could find himself at center with Allen or Evans to his right. Either way, the Rams are going to need some of their young talent to step up on the interior or they risk sliding toward their pre-McVay form.
  • Until we get a definitive report about the health of his knee, the biggest story concerning the Rams will continue to be Gurley's status. He's still capable of delivering a low-end RB1 fantasy campaign even if his touches are reduced, assuming the line holds up their end. His new backfield buddy Darrell Henderson ran behind one of the best offensive lines in the country at Memphis, and a quick watch of his college tape reveals massive holes for him to capitalize on. If the offensive line struggles in any way, Henderson's big-play ability could be mitigated similar to how Gurley's was in 2016.

9. Green Bay Packers

Pos. Starter
LT David Bakhtiari
LG Elgton Jenkins (R)
C Corey Linsley
RG Billy Turner
RT Bryan Bulaga

Depth: Jason Spriggs, Lane Taylor, Justin McCray, Cole Madison, Alex Light

  • In addition to his part-time job as a beer-chugger at Milwaukee Bucks games, Bakhtiari graded out as the No. 1 tackle in Pro Football Focus' 2018 evaluations, with Bulaga rounding out the top 20. Linsley has developed into one of the better centers in the league, but the Packers guard play hasn't met the same standards.
  • Taylor saw first-team reps at left guard during OTAs, though Jenkins' second-round draft capital should earn him a real shot at unseating the veteran. It's unclear why Green Bay spent up to get Turner in free agency since he's yet to prove worthy of a starting role. But the Packers must see him as their answer at right guard with the money they spent on his deal.
  • Aaron Rodgers and the entire offense will get a fresh start under new coach Matt LaFleur. For all the Packers' head-scratching offensive decisions under Mike McCarthy, the line was rarely the problem - aside from a couple of stretches when injuries occurred - and it doesn't project to be an issue under the new regime. Translation: draft Packers at will.

8. Chicago Bears

Pos. Starter
LT Charles Leno Jr.
LG Cody Whitehair
C James Daniels
RG Kyle Long
RT Bobby Massie

Depth: Bradley Sowell, Ted Larsen, T.J. Clemmings, Rashaad Coward, Cornelius Lucas

  • The Bears return all five starters from a 2018 group that coalesced into a unified front. The only change in the offseason will be a swap between Daniels and Whitehair, with both players settling back into their natural positions. Whitehair earned Pro Bowl honors as a center and should once again compete for a spot at the NFL's all-star game. Daniels is extremely athletic and will now be able to pull along the line or move to the second level to help break big plays in the running game.
  • This is great news for the backfield, which features David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, and Mike Davis. Montgomery has the best chance at emerging as a full-time fantasy weapon. Last year's PPR star Tarik Cohen could see his volume infringed upon with Montgomery and Davis able to contribute as pass-catchers. Davis said he's happy with the role the team has planned for him but it's hard to see him as more than a handcuff or bench stash in fantasy.
  • Trubisky made great strides in his first season under Matt Nagy, and the offensive line facilitated his evolution by allowing the fewest pressures in the league while ranking seventh in Football Outsiders' adjusted sack rate. The QB is being given every chance to succeed in this system and behind this line, so now it's on him to make the leap in his third campaign.

7. Atlanta Falcons

Pos. Starter
LT Jake Matthews
LG James Carpenter
C Alex Mack
RG Chris Lindstrom (R)
RT Kaleb McGary (R)

Depth: Ty Sambrailo, Jamon Brown, Wes Schweitzer, Sean Harlow, Brandon Fusco

  • Sometimes, teams make it obvious what they're planning. Take the Falcons, who used their first pick on Lindstrom and then proceeded to trade back into the opening round to select McGary. That's one way to solve the weakness on the right side of your line. Atlanta also extended Sambrailo and inked Brown in free agency. With Matthews, Mack, and Carpenter already in place, we're talking about one of the highest-upside lines in football if the rookies come through right away.
  • Devonta Freeman has dealt with injuries the last two seasons, but with Tevin Coleman gone, he has an opportunity to restore his value. Freeman's only competition for touches will be Ito Smith, Brian Hill, and Qadree Ollison, so the veteran is set up for his highest workload in years if he can stay healthy. With a talented front clearing his path, Freeman could sneak into the RB1 ranks in fantasy.
  • The Falcons' line made strides in pass protection, as it finished with the fifth-best pass-blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus. The arrival of Lindstrom and McGary will help them maintain that level and put Matt Ryan in position for another top-10 fantasy campaign.

6. New Orleans Saints

Pos. Starter
LT Terron Armstead
LG Andrus Peat
C Erik McCoy (R)
RG Larry Warford
RT Ryan Ramczyk

Depth: Nick Easton, Michael Ola, Marshall Newhouse, Ryan Groy, Nate Wozniak, Will Clapp

  • Even with Armstead missing half the year, the Saints' line never faltered. Unfortunately, his absences have become a common occurrence, as the veteran tackle has played in 10 or fewer outings in each of the last three seasons. That's a concern, but New Orleans has thus far been able to manage when he's out of the lineup.
  • Max Unger's retirement was quickly addressed with the signing of Easton and the drafting of McCoy. The pair will vie for the right to replace the former All-Pro, a task that will be made easier given the wealth of talent around them. Alongside Armstead, Peat and Warford have Pro Bowls on their resume and Ramczyk is becoming one of the more reliable right tackles in the game.
  • Owning a piece of the Saints' offense is always a good idea, but one player going under the radar is Latavius Murray, who will be asked to step in as the new Mark Ingram. Despite Alvin Kamara's outrageous fantasy numbers, Ingram was able to put up top-25 value by serving as a fourth-quarter finisher and short-yardage hammer. Murray is more athletic than Ingram and will excel in a similar role.

5. New England Patriots

Pos. Starter
LT Isaiah Wynn
LG Joe Thuney
C David Andrews
RG Shaq Mason
RT Marcus Cannon

Depth: Yodny Cajuste (R), Brian Schwenke, Hjalte Froholdt (R), James Ferentz, Ted Karras, Dan Skipper

  • The Patriots deserve praise for their ability to find the right mix of players for their front five, as does the work of offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. After a couple of years away from the game, Scarnecchia has returned and built one of the most impressive blocking units in the NFL over the course of the last few seasons.
  • The loss of tackle Trent Brown is mitigated by the presence of Wynn, who was forced to redshirt as a rookie due to a torn ACL he suffered in August. Wynn will be helped along by Scarnecchia's tutelage and the four established starters to his right.
  • New England ranked third in Football Oustiders' adjusted line yards for 2018, an important fact since the team is leaning more toward the rushing game as Tom Brady's career winds down. Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, and Damien Harris will power this offense more than many casual fans expect. Brady's protection has been solid, but this team will no longer consistently win over the course of a 16-game season on his arm alone.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pos. Starter
LT Alejandro Villanueva
LG Ramon Foster
C Maurkice Pouncey
RG David DeCastro
RT Matt Feiler

Depth: Chukwuma Okorafor, Jerald Hawkins, B.J. Finney, Patrick Morris, Derwin Gray (R), Zach Banner

  • Similar to the Patriots, the Steelers have one major alteration to their blocking crew in 2019, but it's at the opposite end of the line. Feiler has the pole position, with Okorafor closing in. This unit is one of the most consistent across the entire league and is responsible for a big portion of Pittsburgh's offensive success. Whether Feiler or Okorafor wins the job, this group won't miss a beat.
  • The Steelers' line was asked to pass block the second most of any NFL squad last year, and yet Ben Roethlisberger was still among the least pressured quarterbacks. If Big Ben can overcome the loss of Antonio Brown - which will be more difficult than many are making it seem - he'll have his offensive line to thank for keeping him relatively unbothered in the face of the AFC's top pass-rushers.
  • James Conner is the favorite to once again lead the backfield, but Jaylen Samuels and even rookie Benny Snell Jr. will be given an equal opportunity to earn snaps, according to the coaching staff. The Steelers' lead back has been a productive fantasy player no matter who's occupied the top of the depth chart, and the line has had a hand in their success. Le'Veon Bell is a talented rusher, but we'll see if his patient running style pays off as frequently behind the Jets' blockers.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Pos. Starter
LT Tyron Smith
LG Connor Williams
C Travis Frederick
RG Zack Martin
RT La'el Collins

Depth: Connor McGovern (R), Xavier Su'a-Filo, Cameron Fleming, Joe Looney, Cody Wichmann

  • Injuries are threatening to derail the Cowboys' offensive line. Smith hasn't played a full season since 2015, Frederick sat out the entire 2018 campaign after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and Martin missed the end of the year with a knee ailment before returning for the playoffs. The expectation is that Dallas' elite trio will be in the lineup come Week 1, but it's far from a guarantee. That uncertainty drops them out of contention for the top spot on this list.
  • The decision to move Williams inside was somewhat of a failure in 2018. Heading into his sophomore campaign, the former second-rounder bulked up in hopes of matching the size and strength of the defensive tackles he's squaring off with. As it stands, he's the lone weak spot in this group.
  • Dallas' line has been in the top 10 for adjusted line yards for six consecutive seasons. That lowers the degree of difficulty for Ezekiel Elliott and helps make him a legitimate contender for the first overall pick in fantasy drafts.

2. Indianapolis Colts

Pos. Starter
LT Anthony Castonzo
LG Quenton Nelson
C Ryan Kelly
RG Mark Glowinski
RT Braden Smith

Depth: Le'Raven Clark, Joe Haeg, Evan Boehm, J'Marcus Webb, Javon Patterson (R), Jackson Barton (R)

  • If you're looking for the updated version of the Cowboys' offensive line, it currently resides in Indianapolis, where the Colts have grown a fierce set of blockers primarily through the draft. Castonzo, Nelson, and Kelly were former first-rounders, while Smith was chosen early in the second. Glowinski is the only outsider, as he started his career in Seattle. They've brought out the best in each other, with the lowest PFF grade among them going to Smith at 29th out of 80 tackles.
  • Marlon Mack doesn't have Elliott's abilities, but with this quintet leading the way, he posted top-10 fantasy stats over his final 11 games last season. A line like this removes the risk for a running back, making Mack well worth his third-round ADP.
  • Though you shouldn't pay up for fantasy quarterbacks, Andrew Luck is insulated against everything except an injury. However, even that is less likely with a solid line in front of him. Luck's pass-catchers have been upgraded with Devin Funchess and Parris Campbell joining T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron. His backfield is also deeper after the team signed veteran Spencer Ware. The only worry for Luck is that Indy will run fewer pass plays as they roll over teams every Sunday, something we've seen happen to Drew Brees in recent years.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Pos. Starter
LT Jason Peters
LG Isaac Seumalo
C Jason Kelce
RG Brandon Brooks
RT Lane Johnson

Depth: Andre Dillard (R), Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Stefen Wisniewski, Matt Pryor, Anthony Fabiano

  • The Eagles are one of the most well-run franchises in the NFL and, because of that, the front office is able to spend luxury picks on the next wave of offensive line talent. Philly used its first-rounder in April to draft the eventual replacement for 37-year-old left tackle Peters. For now, Dillard will be an overqualified backup, something the team already has in Vaitai and Wisniewski.
  • That depth could come into play if Brooks isn't ready for Week 1. The star guard suffered a torn Achilles during the divisional round, putting his early-season availability in doubt. With elite veterans like Peters, Kelce, and Johnson, the Eagles don't need to rush Brooks back.
  • Luck's situation in Indy is great for his fantasy outlook, but Wentz might have it even better. The Eagles' line has a long history of success and Wentz has more top-end talent at the skill positions with Alshon Jeffery, Zach Ertz, DeSean Jackson, Dallas Goedert, Nelson Agholor, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Miles Sanders, and Jordan Howard. As long as Wentz is healthy, he remains my favorite target in 2019 fantasy drafts.

* - Suspended to start the season
INJ - Injury that may affect Week 1 availability

R - Rookie

Offensive Line Rankings
32-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

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