As we head into week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, three offensive line/defensive line matchups caught my eye that may have a big fantasy football impact in Week 1.
Something to remember when reading the below analysis is that we are going off last year’s data and what we have seen in the preseason. As the season goes on, we will be able to tell who’s the real deal and which lines have major weaknesses.
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Fantasy Football Week 1 OL & DL Matchups
Eagles DL vs. Cowboys OL
This may seem super obvious, but it needs to be mentioned. In what used to be their strength, the Cowboys were known for their offensive line, but it could be a major concern in the 2025 season. Zack Martin is no longer there and will have to rely on a very inexperienced line.
Second-year tackle Tyler Guyton struggled in his rookie year, posting a 53.8 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, while rookie center Cooper Beebe posted a 65.4 PFF grade, which was in line with the league average.
The Cowboys did the right thing and drafted Tyler Booker to replace Martin. These youngsters will be tested right away as they face one of the best defensive lines in football.
Last year, the Eagles’ defensive line was ranked as PFF’s number one overall defense and had 10 linemen who logged enough qualifying snaps, with eight of them ranking in the upper half of their positional grades and nine exceeding a PFF score of 64.
Led by stud defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the Eagles ranked second in PFF’s pass-rushing grade (88), trailing only T.J. Watt and the Steelers.
Giants DL vs. Commanders OL
Despite a miserable 2024, the Giants’ defensive line was one of the best units in the NFL, and it could get even better after drafting Abdul Carter. They will have pressure coming in from all angles with Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns coming from the outside, while Dexter Lawrence will cause havoc on the inside.
Lawrence was a menace when he was healthy. Despite missing parts of 2024, he posted an elite 89.9 PFF overall grade, ranking second among all defensive tackles, trailing only future Hall of Famer Chris Jones.
The Commanders’ offensive line did a great job protecting rookie Jayden Daniels, coming in as PFF’s eighth-best unit. They allowed just 18 sacks, the second-fewest amount, while also boosting the league’s second-best rushing offense.
Rams DL vs. Texans OL
After some skepticism about how the Rams’ defensive line would perform after Aaron Donald’s retirement, they made a statement and became one of the better pass-rushing units in the league. They were led by stud rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske
Verse’s 89.3 PFF grade was the seventh-best among EDGE defenders, while Fiske generated pressure on 13% of plays last season, which ranked fifth at his position. Let’s not forget the play of Kobie Turner and Byron Young, who also finished with double-digit sacks.
This Texans offensive line is a mess, which is why it’s no surprise PFF has them as their worst unit in the league heading into the 2025 season. They ranked 19th in pass-block grade (66.8) and 27th in run-block grade (56.9) last season, both in the bottom half of the league. The only positive coming from this unit was Laremy Tunsil, who they traded to Washington this offseason.
C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times, the second-most behind Caleb Williams, and they allowed a league-high 40.4% pressure rate. If Houston wants to compete for a championship this season, it needs to keep Stroud on his feet. Week 1 will be a good test as they go against a defense that ranked 13th in pressure rate in 2024.
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