Today, we are going to talk about the DAWGS. Or HAWGS. Or HORSES. Maybe BEASTS. Whatever your animal reference is, use it! That’s right – we’re going O-LINE today, baby! The offensive line is a position that often goes disregarded in fantasy circles. Hard, physical contact on EVERY SNAP is the goal for these warriors – and you’ve got to love it. Only the most die-hard leagues draft and score them (yes, I’ve seen it, and I’m quite intrigued by it), and these unsung heroes are often the difference makers both in physical football and in fantasy. In this article, I rank my top 10 offensive lines for the 2024 season, considering talent, scheme, chemistry, and depth.
Standouts – Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow, Taylor Decker, Kevin Zeitler
The gold standard of offensive lines for 2024, the Lions boast four (FOUR!) linemen graded out at the top 10 at their positions, per PFF – Penei Sewell (1st/81), Frank Ragnow (9th/36), Graham Glasgow (8th/79), and Taylor Decker (9th/81). The starting five would all be top 10 if free-agent acquisition Kevin Zeitler (15th/79) wasn’t such a slacker. The numbers are staggering – Sewell and Ragnow allowed only two sacks and 38 pressures combined. They did lose Jonah Jackson to free agency (more on this in a bit), but so what? They signed Zeitler to replace him (improvement) and e-signed Glasgow. Every one of these starters checks boxes – run protection, pass protection, athleticism, versatility, etc.
Depth is a concern, but I love the veteran presence and coaching to bring the other guys along. Goff and company will be well-protected this season, spelling all sorts of fantasy goodness for both the running and passing game. Draft the studs – Gibbs, Montgomery, St. Brown, LaPorta – with extreme confidence. Detroit will be right there in January, and their offensive line will be to thank for it. Just as long as they report tackle-eligible (too soon, I know, but I had to – my obligation as a Bears fan).
Standouts – Quenton Nelson, Braden Smith, Bernhard Raimann
Another group with consistency from a season ago (starting five also logged at least 14 games apiece), they were also incredibly productive (allowed just ten sacks as a unit). Quenton Nelson has been my favorite offensive lineman ever since he set foot on an NFL field. Though he has slowed down a bit over recent years, the guy has been a wall in pass protection and road-grading run-blocker his entire time in the league (he’s also a better pass protector – 80.3 PFF – now than he is a run blocker – 63.4). Nelson is surrounded by three of PFF’s top 10 at their positions – OT’s Braden Smith (6th) and Bernhard Raimann (7th) to go along with center Ryan Kelly (8th).
Raimann is a highlight here, as he followed up a solid 2022 rookie campaign with an even better 2023. Of concern here are the pressures allowed – something this unit will need to clean up to give Anthony Richardson and crew a fighting chance. They also addressed the depth of this room in the draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if either of the rookies beat out Will Fries (who is middle of the pack in terms of grading) for a starting gig.
Standouts – Chris Lindstrom, Drew Dalman, Kaleb McGary
If the Lions’ O-LINE wasn’t so damn good, Atlanta may have had a shot at the title. A durable bunch (all five starters played at least 14 games last season), they allowed only 20 sacks and 121 pressures as a unit. The Falcons are another unit with multiple top 10 grades along the front (Chris Lindstrom – 1st/79, Drew Dalman – 3rd/36), though the others are no slouches. Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary are solid tackles, and Matthew Bergeron (a rookie in 2023) isn’t shabby himself. Yes, all five starters are returning, and if they play to form, they could be a top unit in the league once again.
They have not, however, added depth so far this offseason – which is a gamble. And possibly a big one. Expectations around Atlanta’s skill positions are plenty high with the arrival of Kirkers and new OC Zac Robinson. Count me as a believer that the entire offense takes a HUGE leap forward this year if the offensive line holds up. Bijan, Drake, and Kyle are going to have big seasons if this O-line stays intact.
Standouts – Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson
Jason Kelce is gone, and that’s significant. A physical and emotional force on this line for years, his absence is the primary reason I’ve bumped this squad down to third in these rankings. They still boast plenty of talent, though, anchored by Jordan Mailata (quite possibly the best OT in the NFL). Mailata (85.9 grading, per PFF) was the only OT in the league to earn at least an 83.0 grade in both run and pass blocking. Lane Johnson returns, and the supporting cast isn’t too shabby either – current projections have Cam Jurgens moving over to center (love it), with Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen holding down the guard positions.
They drafted a couple of interior linemen in the latter rounds this past April and have decent depth (free agent addition Mekhi Becton, primarily). This unit is a continued strength for the Eagles and will still get the job done. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the $200 million dollar receivers (Smith and Brown) have a fantastic bunch of bodyguards out there.
Standouts – Kevin Dotson, Rob Havenstein
Expectations were very low for this group when the Rams lost Andrew Whitworth after their Super Bowl run. That, along with several injuries, contributed to bottom-5 production in 2022. Subsequently, 2023 wasn’t looking too good. Then they played the games, and hot damn if they didn’t bounce back. Top 5 in run blocking and middle of the pack in terms of pass protection – both exceeding expectations. This was credited in large part to transitioning to a gap-blocking run scheme that allowed Kyren Williams to thrive y’all. This crew also surrendered only 11 sacks the entire year. The Rams will return four of their five starters from a season ago and look just as capable. Kevin Dotson (2nd/79) and Rob Havenstein (14th/81) both ranked inside the top 20 at their positions. T
hey also added Jonah Jackson (Detroit) in free agency. Jackson has an injury history but is a solid veteran addition. They did lose Coleman Shelton (to my beloved Bears), which basically means they’ll be shifting Steve Avila over from guard to handle the snaps. There is decent depth here as well. There is no reason that I can see to not trust this unit to clear the way for Williams and Blake Corum and to keep Stafford (and maybe Garoppolo) upright.
Standouts – Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic
The Cleveland Browns are stacked with talent along the offensive line and truly boast one of the deeper units in the league. It’s that depth that sustained them when studs Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin were out with injuries. The interior of that line – anchored by the high-level play of Joel Bitonio (also one of the best beards in the league), Ethan Pocic, and Wyatt Teller – was the glue that held the group together. Those three were crazy efficient (97.1, 98.3, and 97.5, respectively) and allowed only nine sacks and 76 pressures combined. Dawand Jones (2023 R4) and James Hudson III also filled in admirably at tackle, and provide solid versatility and depth heading into 2024.
The team also drafted Zak Zinter in the third round this year, and despite a leg injury in 2023, he has decent upside. If Wills Jr. and Conklin bounce back and play a full complement of snaps, I’d jump this group up three to four spots in these rankings. Additionally, if this front five delivers on potential, the offense is full of skill position players who stand to benefit – Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and quite possibly the biggest beneficiary – David Njoku.
Standouts – Kolton Miller, Andre James
This may seem a little rogue – maybe even surprising to some – but the Raiders O-line was pretty fantastic in 2023. Las Vegas struggled a bit in pass protection in 2023 (24 sacks) but finished as PFF’s third-rated run-blocking unit. Four of the five from last season are back, including standouts Andre James (center – 9th/36) and Kolton Miller (tackle – 11th/81). Miller was slowed by injuries but played a very solid first half (Miller was the third-highest-graded offensive tackle in the NFL over the first eight weeks of the season before injuries took a toll on his campaign, per PFF). Greg Van Roten and Jermaine Eluemunor departed via free agency. Still, the Raiders did a nice job of addressing depth via free agency (Cody Whitehair) and the draft (Jackson Powers-Johnson). Powers-Johnson was viewed as a R1 talent and is coming off a season in which he won the Rimington Award (best collegiate center).
I fully expect JPJ to be in the starting five right away, and I actually think he improves this unit. This is a terrific run-blocking unit, so I expect opportunity for backs like Alexander Mattison and Zamir White. If this group takes a step forward in pass protection, we may see pass catchers Davante Adams and Brock Bowers produce (despite their complete lack of QB presence.)
Standouts – Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, Olu Fashanu
Injuries didn’t just zap the Jets of their prima donna signal caller (A-A-ron) – the offensive line was decimated as well (and were subsequently a mess). Eleven different players played 150 snaps or more, and none of them played exceedingly well. The bright spot of this disaster was Alijah Vera-Tucker, and he wasn’t special. So what gives? How did they jump this high in my rankings? Because the Jets won free agency as it pertains to offensive linemen. They added Tyron Smith (83.7 PFF grade, 4th/81) and John Simpson (56.3, 49th/79) and traded for Morgan Moses (80.4, 10th/81). They also snagged tackle Olu Fashanu in the 2024 draft – an athletic lineman (for his size) who did not allow a single sack in his two years as a starter at PSU. My guess is Fautanu will have the opportunity to start right away (presumably on the interior).
So, to summarize my points here – HUGE upgrades across the board. This is one ranking where I will not use the phrase “returns X number of starters from last season” as a positive. This was an overhaul, y’all, and a fantastic one. Injuries do concern me here, specifically with Smith and Moses. If they’re healthy, they could be top three. For real. Rodgers would love that, as would Garrett Wilson, as would Breece Hall. That’s a big if, however.
Standouts – Trent Williams, Jon Feliciano
I struggled with this one, because I feel there are so many teams that could have been top 10. Miami, Buffalo, Green Bay, Kansas City, and the Chargers, to name a few. I went with this unit because, well, Trent Williams. Despite his age (and what history has shown us with aging linemen), he continues to dominate. Four straight seasons with PFF run-blocking grades over 91.0 and pass-blocking grades over 82.0. Elite-elite. The 49ers also return four other players as projected starters – Aaron Banks and Jon Feliciano at guard, Jake Brendel at center, and (likely starter) Colton McKivitz. This unit was the top-ranked run-blocking group from 2023, grading out at 82.9 (PFF) – five full points higher than #2 (Detroit). Case in point, Christian McCaffrey gained 886 yards beforecontact, and all runners had a 90% positive gain metric – that’s incredible. Acknowledged they can run block.
The issue for this group is pass blocking (PFF ranked the 49ers 26th in pass block efficiency) despite relatively good numbers last season (only 33 sacks allowed, a 7% sack rate, and a 22% pressure rate). I’m not sure I expect this unit to improve (looking at you, Colton), but I don’t expect them to get worse this season. The good news here is that what they did worked for our skill guys – CMC, Kittle, Aiyuk, Samuel, etc. I’d love to rank them higher, but the pass protection needs to come along, and we need to see it consistently from McKivitz.
Standouts – Isaac Seumalo, Troy Fautanu
Pittsburgh wasn’t fantastic in 2023. Let’s be honest. Ranked 13th/31st in run/pass block grade by PFF, there was a lot left to be desired. The fact is, this unit struggled early but finished the season quite nicely. Let’s start with the good from 2023. Once the team shifted to rookie Broderick Jones, the unit stabilized a bit. LG Isaac Seumalo finished with an overall PFF grade of 73.9, good for 12th/79. He also didn’t give up a sack on 631 pass plays. You read that correctly. Russ is going to enjoy that. And while the other combination of starters didn’t exactly set the world on fire, they shaped up as a run-blocking unit. And while the line had issues last season, just like the Jets, I like what this team has done to address them. Specifically, the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Steelers selected Troy Fautanu in the first round and Zach Frazier in the second. Fautanu, a tackle at Washington, is a versatile, athletic lineman who can play all five positions. And at center, Frazier (most likely due to his time as a wrestler) has tremendous core strength and body control. My guess is that they both will have the opportunity to start right away and contribute. The combination of veterans and young bucks should help accelerate the gelling of this unit, and the skill positions could reap the benefits as soon as this fall. Lots of positives coming out of Steelers camp regarding Russell Wilson, and if this line does it’s job, that will translate when it counts.
