X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Offensive Line Rankings Analysis: Week 6

Richard King ranks the best & worst offensive lines in the NFL heading into Week 6 of the 2019 NFL season. This could impact fantasy football value at QB, RB, WR, and TE.

Week 5 brought us the first game to be played in London for the 2019 season, a game that I was in attendance for! The atmosphere was incredible, and the game was full of twists and turns. If you are thinking about going to one of the London games- do it and I'll get you a beer. Aside from that game, we also saw Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones run all over the Dallas Cowboys and essentially win you a week if you had him in your lineup.

Good offensive line play gives a team the best chance to be effective. However, a lot of fantasy owners completely overlook its importance to identify if it is a player that's struggling, or if he's being handicapped by the protection ahead of him and actually performing as well as they can.

Using PFF's player grading tool, each week I will identify an offensive line that has been trending up, and one trending down and more importantly, how that will affect your fantasy roster over the next few weeks. If you want to look at the raw data and my applied method, feel free to message me on Twitter @RichKingFF - I'm happy to share!

Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.

 

Offensive Line to Watch - Oakland Raiders

Watching the game in London, I found myself looking at the performance of the Raiders offensive line against the Chicago Bears and thought it would be worthy of consideration for my article this week. Then looking at the rankings, I saw they have one of the better units in the league and my decision was made. The potent Bears Defense failed to record a single sack in the game, and while the job was easier to block Khalil Mack with Akiem Hicks missing the majority of the game, the Raiders did an incredible job against the Bears' fearsome front seven.

Pass Blocking

Quarterback Derek Carr has been inconsistent for fantasy with his performances this season, but that isn't really due to the protection that he has been given.

The Raiders added Trent Brown in the offseason, and he will need to continue to put in top performances with the struggles the team has at the right guard position. Denzelle Good is one of the worst players in the league at pass protection in the guard position with a grading of just 39.4; to put that into context there are 86 players that have a higher grading than him. If Good were to raise his protection to even close to an average starter caliber guard, the Raiders line would rise up the ranks.

Carr has been sacked eight times this season, with seven of those coming in two games (three against the Kansas City Chiefs and four against the Minnesota Vikings) but he hasn't utilized his receiving options downfield. The Raiders quarterback has been relying on his short-field options to break a tackle and make a play, shown in his average depth of target at just 5.9 yards.

All of this points to the value of tight end Darren Waller being solidified as a big target for Carr to use just beyond the line of scrimmage.

Run Blocking

The Raiders are the fifth-best line at run-blocking in the league, and it really showed in the game.

Rookie running back Josh Jacobs put in one of the stronger running back performances for the Raiders. Jacobs finished the game with 26 carries that he took for 123 yards and two touchdowns, as well as hauling in three passes for 20 yards. In doing so, he became the first running back to finish a game against the Bears with over 140 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns.

 

Fantasy Impact

Trust: Darren Waller/ Josh Jacobs

I couldn't really separate the two players as winners for the offensive line. Waller has been benefitting from the Raiders usage of the shorter targets that Carr has been taking. Given its success moving the chains, it's unlikely that it will change too much for the rest of the season. Jacobs is a clear winner behind one of the better blocking units in the league. The Raiders have committed to establishing the run this season, and have entrusted Jacobs with the responsibility in the backfield. With the blocking ahead of him being as effective as it is, the only way that Jacobs is likely to fail will be if he suffers an injury.

Cause for Concern: Tyrell Williams

I could have selected any number of the other Raiders receivers but opted for the only one that has clear fantasy value on a weekly basis. The Raiders offense doesn't seem to match Williams's talents, with the team not fully allowing downfield plays to develop. Williams will have some boom games, but shouldn't really be looked upon as a reliable option for your fantasy lineup.

 

Offensive Line to Avoid - Chicago Bears

As good as the Raiders offensive line looked, that was equaled by the inability of the Chicago Bears to protect their quarterback and running back, something that they have struggled with all season. The Chicago Bears offense last season seemed to be constantly evolving and combined with their defense made them a handful for teams last year. However, until they are able to fix some of the problems they have on their offensive lines, they might fail to meet the expectations fantasy owners have of them.

Pass Blocking

The team has already had to move to their second-string quarterback, with starter Mitch Trubisky currently injured with a torn labrum and a dislocated left shoulder. Trubisky has been constantly threatened by the opposition pass rush all season, with eight sacks in four games.

The Bears offensive line hasn't improved much since they changed quarterback. Backup Chase Daniel has been sacked five times since he took the reigns of the offense. For those of you keeping track that is a combined 13 sacks in the opening five weeks. That really doesn't afford them much time to make their read before passing the ball, and really limits the value of any of the pass catchers in the offense.

Run Blocking

Unfortunately, the ability of the offensive line isn't limited to pass blocking.

The Bears offensive line is also one of the worst in the league, shown by the struggles of the running backs to make an impact on the ground. Rookie David Montgomery came into the league with a lot of fanfare in the offseason but has struggled to live up to the hype. Montgomery has rushed the ball 69 times for 225 yards and two touchdowns in his five games this season, far below the mark set by Josh Jacobs in the Raiders offense mentioned above. Even the veteran of the backfield Tarik Cohen has been limited on the ground. In previous seasons he had the ability to break long runs, but this season has only rushed for 37 yards on 17 attempts.

 

Fantasy Impact

Trust: Allen Robinson

Robinson is really the only offensive piece that I think I can fully trust in my lineup on a weekly basis. The Bears' lead receiver attracts a healthy target share in the offense, with 42 targets so far this season. After struggling in the early weeks of the season, Robinson had an impressive performance against the Raiders, where he caught his first two touchdowns of the season. The offense will need to rely on its surrounding talent to make plays, especially when Tarik Cohen, the only other truly explosive player on offense, takes up a valuable running back slot.

Cause for Concern: Trey Burton

Burton has struggled to make the impact that was expected of him when he was signed for the Bears last season. The familiarity of the offense being run was a unique selling point, but he has struggled to make a consistent impact for fantasy owners. The struggles of the offensive line mean that Burton is more likely to be used in blocking formations, limiting the ability of the tight end to catch passes and, more importantly, convert red zone opportunities for touchdowns.

 

Top Five Offensive Lines

1) Baltimore Ravens
2) Philadelphia Eagles
3) Dallas Cowboys
4) Detroit Lions
5) Indianapolis Colts

 

Bottom Five Offensive Lines

32) Miami Dolphins
31) Los Angeles Rams
30) Cincinnati Bengals
29) Jacksonville Jaguars
28) New York Jets

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF