We often talk about a player’s talent level and sometimes we’ll reference their coach and offensive scheme, but when talking about running backs, why don’t we talk about their offensive line more often? While there are things more important, offensive line play has a direct impact on the type of success a running back will have.
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For instance, many fantasy football players know that Todd Gurley is now on the Falcons, but most can’t tell you Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda retired from the Ravens this offseason. It’s not just running backs, either, as quarterbacks are impacted quite a bit by offensive line play, too.
Some teams have added significant talent through free agency, while others have added through the draft. Some teams have lost players and haven’t done much to replace them, which will impact their grade. But it’s also important to note that a team will get a bump in the rankings for returning linemen, as continuity absolutely matters. Are there players you should move up or down in your rankings because of this? Absolutely, and we’re going to do our best to let you know why.
1. Dallas Cowboys
It seemed the Cowboys got their offensive line back on track last year after getting Travis Fredrick back and figuring out where to play Connor Williams. Unfortunately, Fredrick decided to retire this offseason, creating the same issue they dealt with in 2018 when Dak Prescott was sacked 56 times. The Cowboys did get a steal with Tyler Biadasz in the fourth round after the Eagles (yes, their divisional rival) traded them the pick to get Fredrick’s replacement. While I don’t expect him to come in and be as dominant as Fredrick, he’s the only question mark on the offensive line. They’re a great unit.
2. Indianapolis Colts
You can argue about this unit and that unit, but you won’t hear anyone say the Colts aren’t a top-five offensive line. Even better? They won’t be losing any starters heading into 2020, which brings the continuity you want to a football team. Philip Rivers has never played behind a line like this, and the best part is that they’re still young (and getting better). The lone weak link is Mark Glowinski at right guard, though they may open up competition with fifth-round pick Danny Pinter. This unit is a reason to bump one player over another if torn when on the fantasy clock.
3. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens likely had the best offensive line in the league in 2020. They allowed just 28 sacks and created a massive 1.94 yards before contact for their running backs. Both of those marks were top-five in the league. The issue is the sudden retirement of Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda, who’d been a staple on their offensive line since back in 2007. They drafted two guards in the third and fourth rounds of the draft to try and replace him, though the unit takes a slight step back without his presence.
4. New Orleans Saints
Part of the reason Drew Brees is able to complete such a high percentage of his passes is due to the time his offensive line allows him. They allowed just 25 sacks all of last year, the third-best mark in the league. They even used their lone pick in the first two rounds on center Cesar Ruiz. While I wasn’t particularly high on him in the draft process, they still have Eric McCoy on the roster, who might still be under center come Week 1. This unit has continuity, and now depth. They didn’t run block as well as they had in previous years, but overall, this is a top-tier unit.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
We can’t pretend their offensive line didn’t take a blow when guard Brandon Brooks tore his Achilles this offseason. While they did just re-sign Jason Peters, moving on from him at left tackle might be tougher than anyone has let on. The Eagles may have been high on Andre Dillard but replacing a Hall of Fame talent isn’t easy. Peters is expected to move to guard to fill Brooks’ spot, though there are some question marks about the move. It’s very possible we see this unit ranked outside the top-10 in 2021, though having Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce as long-time contributors helps them remain a solid unit in 2020.
6. Green Bay Packers
With David Bakhtiari holding down left tackle, this unit will look good most of the time. It seems that Elgton Jenkins has made the transition to guard quite well, so the left side of the line is one of the best in the league. However, losing Bryan Bulaga at right tackle and replacing him with Rick Wagner is going to be a downgrade for sure. Maybe that’s why they invested a third-round pick on a fullback? There are strengths, but overall, I’m expecting this line to regress a bit in 2020.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers offensive line play seemed to dip a bit in 2019, though there were a lot of interchanging bodies under center, as well as those being handed off the ball. They had left guard Ramon Foster retire, which might be a positive, because they signed Stefen Wisniewski in free agency to replace him. He was rated one of the better pass-blocking guards in 2019. They also added guard Kevin Dotson in the fourth round of the draft for depth. I won’t let one less-than-stellar season impact my opinion on this offensive line.
8. Detroit Lions
This is an offensive line that’s been rebuilding for a while, but they may have finally reached their destination. Frank Ragnow was rock-solid at center last year, while Taylor Decker and Tyrell Crosby should be considered young and sturdy tackles. Then you add in both Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg in the third- and fourth-round to deepen your depth at guard, and you suddenly have an above average unit. If one of Jackson or Stenberg can start right away and be simply average, this is a top-10 unit in the league. The loss of Rick Wagner in free agency should be considered a plus, while guard Graham Glasgow did hurt a bit.
9. San Francisco 49ers
Fortunately for the 49ers, they have their two best players at the two most important positions. After Joe Staley retired, the 49ers traded for Trent Williams, so they won’t skip a beat at left tackle. Meanwhile, Mike McGlinchey has been a stud at right tackle. The issues they have are at guard, as Laken Tomlinson isn’t very good, and they then replaced a weak Mike Person at right guard with another weak guard in Tom Compton, who struggled with the Jets last year and has been passed from team-to-team over the last six years. They should be considered a slightly above average unit with the top-tier talent, but they could use help on the interior.
10. New York Giants
Has it finally happened? Have the Giants fixed their offensive line? There are a lot of moving parts, but they have a lot of talent. After selecting Andrew Thomas with the No. 4 overall pick, you have to wonder if Nate Solder‘s days at left tackle are over. They may start Thomas at right tackle to begin, but they also drafted tackle Matt Peart in the third round and snagged Cameron Fleming in free agency. It’s safe to say Will Hernandez hasn’t played up to his draft stock on the interior but adding someone like Thomas to play next to him should only help him get back on track. This really could be one of the most talented groups in the league. The question remains: Will they come together and play like it?
11. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons offensive line was a lot like the Steelers last year and didn’t live up to the talent level we’ve come to expect. With Jake Matthews, Alex Mack, and Chris Lindstrom, I’m not particularly worried about this being an ongoing problem. The Falcons also added Matt Hennessy in the third round to likely replace James Carpenter at left guard, who’s been their weakest link. With some names still available in free agency, they should also be looking into upgrading right tackle Kaleb McGary, who was horrendous in 2019. There’s a good core here and if Hennessy turns out to be a solid starter, they have one of the better units in the league.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs knew they wanted to upgrade the offensive line with Tom Brady under center, so they invested a first-round pick in Tristan Wirfs, who’ll come in and start at right tackle. I still don’t believe Donovan Smith is a good enough left tackle to protect someone like Brady, who’s about as immobile as they come. It does help that Ali Marpet and Ryan Jensen make for a great duo up the heart of the line, so if Wirfs plays up to his draft stock, this offensive line should be one that’s above average, though having what might be your biggest weakness at left tackle seems less than ideal.
13. Denver Broncos
I remember when the Broncos signed Ron Leary after he was with the Cowboys, thinking he’d be the difference maker. Now, the Broncos are looking forward to replacing him with Graham Glasgow at right guard. It should be considered an upgrade, and it seems that many have high hopes for third-round rookie Lloyd Cushenberry, who’ll be replacing Connor McGovern at center. The biggest weakness for them is at right tackle, as they need Ja’Waun James to step up and be a better run blocker. Overall, this unit feels at least average with high potential.
14. Las Vegas Raiders
If only the Raiders would replace Kolton Miller at left tackle, this could be an elite unit. Of the 66 offensive tackles who played at least 500 snaps in 2019, PFF had Miller ranked 41st in pass blocking and 47th in run blocking. He was a first-round pick, so he’s getting plenty of chances, but he’s the weakest link. Other than him, everyone will be returning in 2020, which does help continuity. They also added guard John Simpson in the fourth round of the draft, which should provide depth behind the aging Richie Incognito. Miller holds them back as the most important player on the line, but they’re still an above average unit.
15. Kansas City Chiefs
They were obviously a good enough unit to win a Super Bowl, and knowing they allowed just 25 sacks all year accentuates that. They don’t have the biggest names in the NFL, but they continually get the job done. They decided to add some depth at tackle in the offseason, snagging Mike Remmers in free agency, then drafting Lucas Niang in the third round. They did lose Stefen Wisniewski as depth on the interior, but I’m guessing they’ll ask Remmers and/or Niang to slide inside to help fill that void.
16. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings know that running the ball was their bread and butter last year, so despite not losing anyone of significance, they decided to add some depth, drafting three offensive linemen, including one in the second round. Will Ezra Cleveland move inside to replace Pat Elflein or Dakota Dozier? Last year’s first-round pick Garrett Bradbury wasn’t great in 2019, but he should continue to grow. With Riley Reiff and Brian O’Neill occupying the tackle positions, this line is competent at the very least.
17. Buffalo Bills
The Bills made one of the better free agent signings when they snagged Daryl Williams, as he offers the ability to play multiple positions, whether it be at tackle or guard. I thought Cody Ford would’ve made a better guard than tackle in the NFL, so maybe they move him inside after struggling a bit as a rookie? Either way, it’s a good move on the Bills’ part. For a team that wants to run the ball, Williams should help in some way as someone who was part of a unit that created 2.26 yards before contact in Carolina last year. If Ford takes a step forward in 2020, we could see this unit move into the top 10 next year.
18. Cleveland Browns
Kudos to the Browns, who decided their offensive line was not even close to good enough. Not only did they snag tackle Jack Conklin early in free agency, but they also drafted tackle Jedrick Wills at No. 10 overall, then took center Nick Harris in the fifth round. When you add them in with Joel Bitonio and J.C. Tretter, this line has talent. My biggest question is where the tackles will play, as Conklin has been a right tackle his entire career, while Wills was projected to be a right tackle after playing there for Alabama. It’s important to mention that we haven’t seen them mesh just yet, but that should come in time. All the moving parts lowers their grade, but they should continue to climb in the coming years.
19. Houston Texans
The acquisition of Laremy Tunsil at left tackle was big for this team. Then, when you add in the competent play of Tytus Howard at right tackle, you have a solid foundation. The guard play between Max Scharping and Zach Fulton has been abysmal, though, and the Texans haven’t done anything about it. They drafted Charlie Heck in the fourth round, and though he’s been a tackle, a move to the inside may suit him well. All in all, this offensive line is headed in the right direction, but upgrades on the interior would’ve been nice.
20. Tennessee Titans
Did you know that there’s been just one team whose running backs have averaged less than 1.0 yards before contact in each of the last two years? The running backs averaged just 0.79 yards before contact in 2018 (32nd in the NFL) and then 0.92 yards before contact in 2019 (29th). Fortunately, they have Derrick Henry who walks through would be tacklers. Not just that, but they allowed 56 sacks in 2019. Then, to cap it all off, they lost right tackle Jack Conklin in free agency. They drafted the ultra-long Isaiah Wilson to replace him, and while he comes with high upside, he’s no lock to upgrade the line. Having Taylor Lewan at left tackle improves their overall score, but this line isn’t as good as some believe.
21. New England Patriots
The Patriots have always been a “next man up” offensive line, but the retirement of Dante Scarnecchia as the offensive line coach could be very problematic. They’ll get David Andrews back under center to replace Ted Karras, which is a good thing, though he may have lingering health issues. This offensive line isn’t littered with talent, as Isaiah Wynn had trouble staying healthy, and then wasn’t exactly elite as the left tackle, while Marcus Cannon is mediocre on the right side. I’m not sure their offensive line will be above average without Scarnecchia, who’d been with the team for 34 years.
22. Arizona Cardinals
The spread offense certainly made the numbers look better for the running backs, as Cardinals running backs averaged a robust 2.11 yards before contact last year, which ranked second-best in the NFL. Do they have the most talent? Absolutely not. They allowed 50 sacks on their mobile quarterback. They did snag Josh Jones in the third round of the draft, someone who was expected to go at the end of the first round. They haven’t upgraded the interior of the line like I’d hoped, but again, the scheme creates room for the run game. Jones should help provide better protection for Kyler Murray, but this is still a below average offensive line.
23. Chicago Bears
After being touted as one of the top-10 offensive lines for multiple seasons, the wheels fell off the Bears offensive line in 2019. It started with Kyle Long continually getting injured and ultimately retiring, which then led to both tackles (Charles Leno and Bobby Massie) playing horrifically. Even worse, the Bears didn’t address the interior problems in the draft until the seventh round. Sure, they signed Germain Ifedi in free agency, but he’s continually been a disappointment. The only sure things on the line are Cody Whitehair and James Daniels, who can only make so much of an impact at left guard and center. They’re trending in the wrong direction.
24. New York Jets
I remember saying last year that the Jets could’ve replaced every single player on the offensive line, and that it would’ve been a good thing. Well, here we are, one year later, and it appears the Jets have taken that to heart. They drafted massive tackle Mekhi Becton in the first round, tackle Cameron Clark in the fourth round, and then acquired Greg Van Roten, George Fant, and Connor McGovern in free agency. When you’re swapping out this many bodies, it’s going to take time to develop, but the talent in their room went up quite a bit. There’s hope for this line in 2020.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Between Brandon Linder, Andrew Norwell, Cam Robinson, and Jawaan Taylor, the Jaguars should have a good offensive line, but they don’t. They created just 0.95 yards before contact for the running backs last year, which is among the worst numbers in the league (average is 1.32 yards). They did invest a fourth-round pick in tackle Ben Bartch, but it seems likely they’ll move him to right guard to replace A.J. Cann, if able. The Jaguars have invested capital on their line like they were supposed to, but it hasn’t panned out and there’s little reason to expect that to change with it remaining somewhat status quo.
26. Seattle Seahawks
The addition of Duane Brown to the Seahawks offensive line a few years back changed the perception on how good/bad their offensive line was. It’s still bad, though he helps make it look that much better. Outside of him, I’m not sure they have a definitively above average player on it. They snagged a few free agents this offseason in Brandon Shell, B.J. Finney, and Chance Warmack, as well as drafting Damien Lewis in the third round, but we’ve just come to expect this unit to be “ehh.” Until Russell Wilson‘s efficiency goes down, they really don’t feel the need to change. It’s not the offensive line – he’s just that good.
27. Los Angeles Chargers
After trading away Russell Okung to the Panthers, you expected the Chargers to make some sort of move for a left tackle to replace him, but they didn’t do that. It seems we’ll see Trey Pipkins protect Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert‘s blind side, which isn’t ideal. They did go out and snag Bryan Bulaga from the Packers in free agency, and he’ll be a great replacement for Sam Tevi at right tackle. They received guard Trai Turner in the Okung trade, and he’ll start at right guard, so this offensive line should be able to run the ball. It’s when they drop back to pass where you’ll see the leaks.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
This was likely the worst offensive line in football last year, though it didn’t help that they lost first-round pick Jonah Williams for the year before the season even started. They created just 0.90 yards before contact before their running backs and allowed 48 sacks. Getting Williams back to replace the oft-injured Cordy Glenn should help, as should losing John Miller on the interior. Can Xavier Su’a-Filo be an upgrade? He’s coming off what may have been his best season with the Cowboys, but he was surrounded be great talent. This team needs Williams to live up to his first-round cost because there’s not much here.
29. Carolina Panthers
Losing some of your best players isn’t going to help your cause, as Daryl Williams, Trai Turner, and Greg Van Roten are all in new places. Sure, they received Russell Okung in exchange for Turner, but this offensive line created a massive league-leading 2.26 yards before contact for their running backs. Granted, they allowed an NFL-high 58 sacks, but a lot of that can be attributed to their quarterback play. They signed guards John Miller and Michael Schofield in free agency, though both of them are players I’d consider below average. Okung is also turning 33 this year, so if he starts to decline, this line is in big trouble.
30. Los Angeles Rams
When you see that Jared Goff was sacked a league-low 22 times in 2019, you think, “Hmm, I guess this line wasn’t so bad.” That’s not true. He should probably learn to take a few more sacks if he wants to improve his efficiency. The line created just 0.94 yards before contact for the running backs, which was massively down from 2018 when that mark was at 1.73 yards. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is on the brink of retirement and isn’t as good as he once was, which is a problem considering he’s the only top-tier talent on the line. Making matters worse, they didn’t draft a single offensive lineman until the seventh round. This line won’t magically get better.
31. Washington Redskins
Missing Trent Williams to a holdout last year didn’t do them any favors, as they allowed 50 sacks and created just 1.18 yards before contact for their running backs. Now he’s gone for good after they traded him to the 49ers, which means they’re currently slated to have Geron Christian start at left tackle. Yikes. Maybe they decide to go with fourth-round rookie Saahdiq Charles? Adding Wes Schweitzer in free agency may have done more harm than good, as he’d been below average on the Falcons offensive line for some time. Outside of Brandon Scherff, it’s hard saying they have any above average talent, and he’s a guard.
32. Miami Dolphins
I always love watching teams acknowledge a weakness and attacking it head on. The Dolphins went out and added guard Ereck Flowers and center Ted Karras in free agency, then drafted three other offensive linemen (Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Solomon Kindley) inside the top four rounds. Let me be clear – this was necessary by all accounts. However, I don’t think any of the players they added are “can’t miss” players, so nothing is guaranteed. There’s not a single player on this line who I can assure you is above average, which is not something I can say about any other team in the league. I’ll admit to being wrong on the Dolphins offensive line if it all comes together, but if I had a chance to choose any offensive line in football, they’d be last on my list.
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
