RADIO
Thankfully for fantasy managers, offenses bounced back in Week 2 and gave us some high-scoring games. There is still plenty of room for growth for many teams in the NFL, but at least we saw something more after a very underwhelming Week 1.
We also saw some very good and very bad offensive line performances in Week 2. Unfortunately, plenty of teams found themselves trying to navigate a new wave of injuries that can impact the passing and running game going forward. The Packers, already without David Bakhtiari, lost left guard Elgton Jenkins to a knee injury. The Lions also lost their highest-rated Week 1 offensive lineman (right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai) to a knee injury that will cost him several weeks.
Time will tell if these teams can withstand these injuries, but the NFL pushes forward and that means we need to adjust. Check out the matchups to target and fade in Week 3 below.
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Champ of the Week
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts offensive line struggled last season after being widely considered one of the most dominating offensive lines in the NFL. For at least one game this season, they found their old form and thoroughly beat the Houston Texans up and down the field.
Indianapolis was able to survive the loss of Anthony Richardson (concussion) thanks to a stellar performance from their offensive line. Four of their five starters finished with run blocking grades above 73.0 and overall blocking grades above 74.0. As a combined unit, the offensive line allowed just one hurry and two pressures against a Texans defensive line that was coming off a solid Week 1 performance.
There are still concerns with this unit, namely the continued struggles of left guard Quenton Nelson and the concussion suffered by center Ryan Kelly. But for at least one week, those things didn’t matter as the Colts got the job done in the trenches.
Chump of the Week
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh secured an important divisional win in a sloppy game against the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. Thankfully for the Steelers, their defense got the job done because their offensive line was not up to the task against a strong Browns defense.
Only one of the five starting offensive linemen (left guard Isaac Seumalo) finished with an overall PFF grade above 50.0 in the team’s win. All five starters struggled at times, but the combination of left tackle Dan Moore Jr. (3.5 pass-blocking grade; 21.8 overall grade) and right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (40.4 pass-blocking grade; 37.6 overall grade) had no answers for Cleveland’s experienced pass rushers.
Collectively, this offensive line allowed eight hurries and four pressures against Cleveland in Week 2, although none of the unit was charged with a sack. Moore Jr.’s continued struggles have had him on a short leash with 2023 first-round rookie Broderick Jones waiting in the wings. Unfortunately, one player won’t fix the mess that the Steelers’ O-line was in Week 2.
Week 3 Matchups to Target
Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings
The Los Angeles Chargers are working uphill after a surprising 0-2 start, but it isn’t due to their offensive line. The collective starters from the Chargers currently have the 10th-best average overall grade according to PFF (65.2) despite allowing five sacks and 18 pressures in two games.
Those numbers are pretty impressive considering the team faced a full-strength Dolphins defensive line in Week 1 before facing off against a stout Titans defensive line in Week 2. Thankfully for the Chargers, they will have their easiest matchup of the season in Week 3 against Minnesota’s underwhelming defensive line.
No player outside of Danielle Hunter (nine pressures and 4.0 sacks) has more than four pressures or one sack on the season. Hunter, off-ball linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., and safety Camryn Bynum are the only three players on the Vikings with pass rush grades above 60.0. Additionally, Harrison Phillips is the only defensive lineman with a run defense grade above 60.0.
This is a weak unit that struggles to stop the run (Philadelphia’s running backs averaged 5.7 yards per carry) and struggles to rush the passer. The Chargers are poised for a big bounceback in Week 3.
Washington Commanders vs. Buffalo Bills
One of the most surprising units in the NFL to start the season has been the Washington Commanders’ offensive line. The Commanders have earned an average pass-blocking grade in the top 12 and are top 6 in both run-blocking and overall grades. While the unit hasn’t seen any big tests so far against the Cardinals and Broncos, their success is still noteworthy considering how inexperienced they were entering the season.
On the surface, Buffalo’s defense looks like a daunting opponent, but the statistics don’t seem to back that up through two weeks. The Bills defensive line rotation has generated just 28 pressures and four sacks in two games against underwhelming offensive lines in the New York Jets and the Las Vegas Raiders. Only interior offensive lineman Ed Oliver has more than six pressures to start the year.
The Bills are certainly biding their time while Von Miller returns from his 2022 ACL tear, but this is a unit that isn’t playing great through two games. Washington should have a distinct advantage on the ground as their sixth-ranked run-blocking unit (68.9) takes on Buffalo’s 24th-ranked run defense (59.7).
The Bills are more talented and should win, but don’t be surprised if Washington keeps this game close as long as Sam Howell protects the football.
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals
The Cowboys offensive line has yet to dominate in 2023 despite the team’s 2-0 record. The Cowboys collectively have just the 16th-best average offensive line grade according to PFF (62.3). Everybody outside of veteran stalwarts left guard Tyron Smith (74.4 PFF grade) and right guard Zack Martin (81.0 PFF grade) has struggled with consistency.
However, the team should get starting left guard Tyler Smith back into the lineup after he was forced to miss the first two games of the 2023 season due to an elbow injury. Smith had a strong rookie year, and while it may take him time to knock off some rust after missing time from the preseason, he will provide an instant upgrade to the unit.
The Cardinals have exceeded expectations in their first two games, but this is still a collectively bad unit. It is hard to believe that Victor Dimuekeje (seven pressures and 2.0 sacks), Dennis Gardeck (four pressures and 3.0 sacks) and Jonathan Ledbetter (four pressures and 1.0 sacks) will find the same success against this veteran unit as they did against the Commanders and Giants in Weeks 1 and 2. If the Cowboys offensive line is going to truly assert themselves as a force this season, Week 3 seems like the likely place it starts.
Week 3 Matchups to Avoid
Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs
The Bears offensive as a whole is a mess and a lot of the issues start up front. The Bears were missing both starting guards against the Buccaneers in Week 2 and the reserves just didn’t get the job done. As a whole, Chicago allowed three sacks and 12 pressures against a strong Buccaneers defensive line.
The Bears will be without Teven Jenkins once again due to his IR trip but may get starting right guard Nate Davis back after he left due to a death in the family. They will need all the help they can get against a Chiefs defense that was galvanized by the return of Chris Jones in Week 2. Jones wasted no time making an impact after missing the team’s first game, generating six pressures and 2.0 sacks in 33 snaps.
His addition allows young edge rushers George Karlaftis (eight pressures and 2.0 sacks) and rookie Felix Anudke-Uzomah (four pressures and 1.0 sacks) advantageous matchups off the edge. The Bears will be forced to pass to keep up with Kansas City’s offense, but haven’t shown the ability to protect Fields long enough to achieve that goal. This one could get rough.
Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns
The Titans are coming into this matchup as the second-best defense against the run in 2023 and are getting a stretch of good luck facing a Cleveland Browns offense without Nick Chubb.
Tennessee isn’t stellar on the back end of their defense, but they feature a trio of strong pass rushers along their defensive line to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Arden Key (nine pressures and 2.0 sacks), Jeffery Simmons (nine pressures and 2.0 sacks), and Denico Autry (eight pressures and 3.0 sacks) are as good as any defensive line group in the league and will cause problems for a struggling Deshaun Watson.
Cleveland has plenty of talent along the offensive line, but the Titans may just have too much talent on the defensive line in this one.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Raiders have been one of the most surprising offensive lines to start the 2023 season. Their starting offensive line combination hasn’t given up a sack yet this season and has surrendered just five pressures. PFF has the collective unit rated as the second-best pass-blocking offensive line through two weeks (74.1 grade).
We will see how real the Raiders offensive line is this year in a matchup against one of the most formidable defensive fronts in the NFL. The combination of T.J. Watt (seven pressures and 1.0 sacks with a defensive touchdown) and Alex Highsmith (six pressures, 1.0 sacks, one interception, and a defensive touchdown) are emerging as one of the best edge duos in the league.
The Raiders have been good, but few teams can test their offensive line like the Steelers can with the combination of Watt and Highsmith and interior pressure from Larry Ogunjobi. This game will tell us how real the Raiders offensive line improvements are this year.
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