RADIO
Congratulations to those that have either advanced in the playoffs or made the playoffs due to their performance in Week 14. Now as teams push even closer to a fantasy championship, they need to be sure of who they are starting week in and week out.
Those owners need to not only determine the best player vs. player matchups at the quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end positions, but also determine which offensive lines could potentially succeed, vaulting their offenses to fantasy viability. Will the Eagles still be a top fantasy offense even without Carson Wentz (they should be this week at the Giants)?
As fantasy owners made the final decisions for the lineups on Sunday morning, it can be valuable to examine the progress some offensive line units have made throughout the season. The Jacksonville Jaguars have started to play much better as a unit, leading to a Blake Bortles revival and the San Francisco 49ers are riding high after Jimmy Garoppolo has taken over as their starting quarterback. This week both the Jaguars and 49ers offensive lines go under the microscope to see how they could potentially impact fantasy teams in the playoffs.
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Offensive Line to Watch - Jacksonville Jaguars
The entire NFL has been waiting for the Jaguars to finally collapse and return to mediocrity, but that simply won’t be the case this season. Their defense is one of the best units in the league and Jags offense has been consistent enough to put points on the board in big spots. This past week they faced one of their stiffest tests against the Seahawks. Even with a variety of injuries on defense, the Seahawks have one of the best front sevens in the NFL. The Jaguars offense was able to consistently make play after play on their way to a 30-24 victory, including a few big plays downfield. This was one such play in the third quarter where the Jaguars offensive line was able to give Blake Bortles a clean pocket. Both tackles, rookie Cam Robinson and Jermey Parnell, are able to kick/slide and mirror their defenders so Bortles can set up and deliver a strike to Keelan Cole for a massive touchdown.
The most impressive member of this offensive line has been center Brandon Linder. Linder is the number seven center according to Pro Football Focus on the season grading out at a 78.2. He was impressive in both the run and passing game, especially in the running game repeatedly able to lock onto linebackers and make lanes for Leonard Fournette. In this first quarter clip, Linder is able to turn the shoulders of the down lineman so guard AJ Cann can attempt to get to his block. Linder then locks onto linebacker Bobby Wagner allowing Fournette to get to the second level.
This run could have been much more if AJ Cann was able to keep his feet on the combination block. Cann struggled in this game mightily as he has throughout the entire season. Cann is the number 44 ranked guard according to Pro Football Focus and struggles to keep his balance in the run game consistently. Even in the clip above Cann loses his footing and balance leading to him falling off the block. He’s currently grading out at a 40.2 in the run game according to PFF and has been a detriment to this offensive line as a whole. Early in the first quarter Cann did not show the necessary awareness and got in the way of a screen pass. If that pass was completed it would have went for at least a first down, if not more. The Jaguars do go back to the screen game later in the third quarter and it’s executed quite nicely. Linder and left guard Patrick Omameh get out cleanly and lead the way for Fournette as they lock onto defenders, allowing an alley for Fournette to turn up the field.
While this offensive line has struggled in spots throughout the season, especially at right guard, it has been quite the improvement over 2016. Jermey Parnell and Cam Robinson at the tackle position have allowed Blake Bortles to have time in the pocket to make plays down the field and rely on the play-action passing game due to their commitment to the run.
Fantasy Impact
Stock Up: Dede Westbrook
One of the best skill players in the preseason, Dede Westbrook has translated a lot of what people saw in August to the field in November and December. Westbrook has seen at least six targets in each game since his return to the lineup and caught at least five passes in each of his last three games. He should be able to continue to stretch the field as the offensive line provides enough protection for Blake Bortles to deliver. He should be an every-week flex play going forward for the fantasy playoffs and a dynasty asset for years to come.
Stock Up: Blake Bortles
After running for his life in 2016, Blake Bortles has been more upright in 2017 thanks to the improved play of his team upfront. The Jaguars running game has been dominant at times, alleviating a lot of the pressure that has been put on Bortles in the past few seasons to win games on his right arm alone. Bortles is delivering his second best season as a pro, grading out at an 80 according to PFF and should be considered a safe streaming option this week for the fantasy playoffs.
Offensive Line to Watch - San Francisco 49ers
Another much maligned group throughout the season, San Francisco has been able to look more like a professional offense after starting goldenboy Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo has graded out at an 81.2 so far according to PFF, no easy feat with the lack of talent at the skill positions. He is a tough passer that is extremely accurate on all middle of the field throw as well as other throws under 20 yards downfield. Garoppolo has the ability to stand in the face of pressure like this clip below. He takes a deep drop and the offensive line holds up well. The issue comes when running back Carlos Hyde is unable to pick up a blitzing linebacker, who ends up nearly face to face with Garoppolo, but Garoppolo never waivers. He sits in the pocket and delivers a strike to the right side for a first down.
While there have been breakdowns across the offensive line, allowing pressure on Garoppolo, the running game finally started to come to life in Week 14. Carlos Hyde was the beneficiary of some great schemes early and often. The 49ers used a zone run scheme in the first clip, and the backside of the offensive line, right guard Brandon Fusco and right tackle Zane Beadles do a good job sealing the backside defenders. Beadles has struggled this season, grading out at just a 30.9 according to PFF, but this is one of his better blocks of the day. The 49ers also use the motioning Kyle Juszczyk to wall off Jadeveon Clowney off the right edge. Hyde is able to get up to the second level for a great gain.
The 49ers do have at least one consistent force on their offensive line that has been their left tackle for a decade in Joe Staley. Staley is once again performing at a high level, grading out an 82.3 according to PFF. He’s been nearly as good run blocking (80.3 grade) as he does pass blocking grade (81.9) good for the number 10 offensive tackle the league. Getting back right tackle Trent Brown, who is a top-20 PFF graded tackle in his own right, would be a huge help to trying to solidify this group. If Brown is able to return prior to next week, I would expect to see some great performances in the running and passing game.
Fantasy Impact
Stock Up: Marquise Goodwin
Goodwin has been the main beneficiary of the move to Jimmy Garoppolo. Goodwin has obvious track star speed, but is now turning into a craftier NFL receiver. He is able to run many of the routes in the route tree and also seen at least eight targets in the two games Garoppolo has started. Goodwin should continue to see some deep shots as Garoppolo has a quick release to get the ball down the field and the offensive line, particularly Staley and Brown, protect Garoppolo. Goodwin is an every week WR2 in all formats and should be trusted in this round of the fantasy playoffs.
Top Five Offensive Lines
1) Philadelphia Eagles
2) Pittsburgh Steelers
3) Dallas Cowboys
4) Minnesota Vikings
5) New Orleans Saints
Bottom Five Offensive Lines
32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
31) New York Giants
30) Houston Texans
29) San Francisco 49ers
28) Seattle Seahawks
For any questions about offensive line play in the NFL, feel free to contact me @TheRealHalupka on Twitter.
