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

Smashmouth - Offensive Lines Impacting Fantasy Football For Week 14

Steve Halupka ranks the best & worst offensive lines in the NFL heading into Week 14 of the 2017 NFL season. This could impact fantasy football value at RB.

It’s finally here, the fantasy football playoffs. All of the countless hours avoiding our “real” jobs researching who to pick up on the waiver wire, wondering if that potential trade really makes your team better and if you should cut that rookie third string running back for a quarterback streaming option come down to this week.

It’s very important to realize that even though fantasy owners are playing for a potential fantasy championship in a few weeks, not all NFL teams will share that thought process. Some teams will be benching veterans for younger players to see if they deserve more prominent roles for next season, which could make a big difference in the outcome of a fantasy playoff matchup. This can not only impact skill position players, but also offensive lines as well, which can lead into a host of communication issues and timing issues up front.

This week’s Smashmouth is going to focus on two teams’ offensive lines going in opposite directions, the Dallas Cowboy and the Washington Redskins. For Dallas, it looked like rinse and repeat from earlier in the season with Ezekiel Elliott, while Washington was concerned with having enough healthy bodies to field a full five-man line.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Offensive Line to Watch - Dallas Cowboys

It took an entire quarter against Washington, but the Dallas Cowboys finally started to resemble the Cowboys offense from earlier this season.  They were able to establish an early lead thanks to numerous Washington turnovers and after establishing the lead, pounding Washington into submission with their running game. Left tackle Tyron Smith was particularly impressive throughout this game in pass protection and in the run game. He essentially neutralized the Washington pass rush throughout the game from the left side. He did have one holding penalty after Dak Prescott scrambled to his left, but was nearly flawless besides that penalty.

Smith is having a “down season” compared to his All-Pro reputation in 2017, grading out at and 81 according to Pro Football Focus (his lowest grade in six seasons), but appears to be as healthy as he can possibly be heading into the stretch run. He was looking athletic in the pass and run game like in this clip from the second quarter. The Cowboys are running a zone run to the right side and Smith is able to stay on his track and cut off the backside linebacker. This gives Alfred Morris a clear running lane into the second and third levels of the Washington defense and pick up a first down. Being able to reach and cut off that linebacker who is lined up inside of Smith prior to the snap is no easy feat, and Smith is able to with relative ease.

Earlier that drive, the Cowboys established the zone run to the right behind right guard Zack Martin and right tackle La’el Collins. Martin has been amazing once again this season, grading out at the number two guard in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus with a grade of 89.3. Again on this zone run Martin is able to occupy the down lineman and Tyron Smith and left guard Jonathan Cooper are able to get to the second level and create a good lane for Morris to run through.

One of the biggest reasons for the success of Alfred Morris and the running game last week was how the combination of La’el Collins and tight end Jason Witten were able to slow down Washington’s star outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan did not record a sack on the day and was only able to add in three total tackles. In this example in particular, Collins is able to take a pass set and force Kerrigan slightly upfield. Collins positions himself to wall off Kerrigan allowing Morris to cut back and exploit a massive hole after Zack Martin is able to pick up a blitzing safety. Morris does a great job cutting this run back. Holes like these allowed for Morris to compile 127 yards and 27 carries.

 

Fantasy Impact

Stock Up: Alfred Morris

In positive game scripts like the one that is projected coming against the Giants, Alfred Morris can be viewed as a high-end RB2 or low end RB1 in non-PPR formats. He is the clear rushing downs back and the player the Cowboys trust to run out the clock when they are leading. When the Cowboys offensive line is in a matchup where it gets to wear down the opposing defensive line, they can prove to be a dominant force. Fantasy owners should expect to see some of that this week against the New York Giants.

 

Offensive Line to Watch - Washington Redskins

As one offensive line is getting healthy and looking like a potentially dominating unit, the Washington Redskins are going in the opposite direction. This line is certainly patchwork at this point of the season with their first two centers, Spencer Long and Chase Roullier sidelined, leading to Tony Bergstrom attempting to fill in. Left guard Shawn Lauvao hasn’t played since Week 11, leading to Arie Kouandjio seeing increased reps at left guard. In addition to Lauvao being out, right tackle Morgan Moses went down the middle of the game against the Cowboys. Ty Nsekhe who was starting for Lauvao at left guard was moved to right tackle and struggled mightily. Nsekhe has earned a grade of 48.6 so far in the 2017 season and should continue to play inside versus outside at tackle. Early in the third quarter Nsekhe is simply too slow out of his stance and does not move his feet to try and keep up with DeMarcus Lawrence. Nsekhe does not kick/slide back to meet the defender and try to stay square and get to Lawrence who just runs around Nsekhe. This poor effort was characteristic of the entire day for Nsekhe in both the pass and running game, allowing consistent pressure on Kirk Cousins.

Even in the instances that Nsekhe was in position to hold down the fort against the Dallas pass rush, he runs into unfortunate circumstances. He is able to get his hands on the defender and adjust back as his slides back until running back Samaje Perine knocks Nsekhe off the block allowing a sack and forcing a fumble.

There is a hope that Morgan Moses can return next week and that would certainly boost for this group. While Moses is not an elite pass blocker like left tackle Trent Williams (80.2 pass blocking grade according to PFF for Williams versus 67.3 of Moses), he is certainly more competent at the position than Nsekhe. In this clip Moses and right guard Branden Scherff are able to pick up the Cowboys twist with ease allowing a clean throwing lane for Kirk Cousins.

Health will continue to be an issue for this team throughout the season with missing pieces especially in the middle of the offensive line with their center and left guard positions still in flux. This weakness in the middle of the line will not only impact the running game, but also the passing game as pressure will be in the face of Kirk Cousins consistently.

 

Fantasy Impact

Stock Down: Kirk Cousins

Run Kirk, run for your life. That was exactly what Cousins was doing this past week against the Cowboys and now he faces the dynamic pass rushing duo of Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa of the Chargers. In all likelihood Cousins and the Redskins will be trailing in this game (Washington is a near touchdown underdog at the time of this writing) which will lead to plenty of pass rushing opportunities for the Chargers duo. Things will look especially bleak if right tackle Morgan Moses cannot play this weekend. Cousins can be benched this week in most formats.

Stock Up: Jamison Crowder

Fantasy owners have seen the best and worst of times for Jamison Crowder over the past few weeks. Crowder dominated the Giants for 141 yards and a touchdown and then came back down to earth against the Cowboys, catching five passes for 67 yards with a fumble. Cousins will have to continue to throw the ball quickly with his reduced time to work the ball down the field from the lack of pass protection. This should allow Crowder to continue to see around nine targets per game (he’s seen 36 in his past four games), and provide a safe floor as a WR3 or flex option for the fantasy playoffs.

 

Top Five Offensive Lines

1) New Orleans Saints
2) Philadelphia Eagles
3) Pittsburgh Steelers
4) Minnesota Vikings
5) Dallas Cowboys

 

Bottom Five Offensive Lines

32) Miami Dolphins
31) San Francisco 49ers
30) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29) Cleveland Browns
28) New York Giants

 

For any questions about offensive line play in the NFL, feel free to contact me @TheRealHalupka on Twitter.

 

More Week 14 Lineup Prep




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

KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Brad Keselowski

Likely to Brush Past Chicago Street Course to Focus on Daytona
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek One of the Best Underdog Options After Strong Runs at Mexico City and Last Year
Cole Custer

Strong Mexico City Run and Xfinity Series Chicago Win Make Him a Solid DFS Option
Erik Jones

Likely Not Good Enough on Road Courses for DFS Consideration Despite Poor Qualifying Result
Noah Gragson

May Be Better Than Other Cheap DFS Options
Riley Herbst

Despite Decent Mexico City Run, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Chicago
Cody Ware

Is a Road Course Veteran, but It's Rarely Helped Him in NASCAR
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Is The Heavy Favorite to Win at Chicago Street Course
Christopher Bell

Should Be Strong Despite Practice Struggles at Chicago Street Course
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF