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Dan Fornek evaluates the best and worst offensive lines in the NFL to provide insight to fantasy football managers ahead of Week 13 of the 2021 season.
After several weeks of defenses dominating offenses in the NFL, Week 12 provided a bit of a course correction. Nine teams were able to score at least 30 points last week, leading to elevated fantasy points among those squads. While there were some blowout victories (Buffalo, Cincinnati, and Miami), several games produced a shootout environment that was entertaining. Las Vegas and Dallas, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis, Green Bay and the Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco and Minnesota all produced games where both teams scored at least 25 points and produced a winning margin under a touchdown.
Unfortunately, as the season goes on more and more, teams are being impacted by injuries. 22 teams were missing at least one of their starting offensive linemen from the beginning of the season in Week 12. In addition, eight teams suffered an injury to an offensive lineman during the course of their game. The most significant injury occurred in Cleveland, with Jack Conklin going down with a potential patellar tendon tear. This injury would not only knock him out for this season but potentially cause him to miss time in 2022. With Cleveland scuffling, they will need Blake Hance to step up and provide more than he has in limited playing time this season.
There are four teams on bye Week 13, which puts fantasy managers pushing for the playoffs in a bind. Fantasy teams will be without players from the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, and Carolina Panthers heading into pivotal matchups. Use this article to look at the best and worst performances last week and potential matchups this week to maximize your roster to get a higher seed or make that final playoff push in your fantasy leagues.
Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.
Champ of the Week
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles' offense was shut down by the Giants in a disappointing 13-7 loss. Philadelphia continued their run-heavy approach as they push for a playoff spot, racking up 208 rushing yards on 33 carries (6.3 yards per attempt). Ultimately, the Eagles were undone by their turnovers, especially from Jalen Hurts (three interceptions). However, the Eagles were able to move the ball against the Giants’ defense thanks to a dominating performance by their offensive line.
The combination of left tackle Jordan Mailata and right tackle Lane Johnson had an absolute day against the Giants edge players. Both players scored a pass-blocking grade above 77 and a run blocking and overall grade above 85. The interior of the offensive line struggled in the passing game (only center Jason Kelce and backup guard/center Nate Herbig scored above 53), allowing six hurries and seven pressures on the day. However, the combination of Kelce, Herbig, left guard Landon Dickerson, and right guard Jack Driscoll all finished with run blocking grades above 65 and overall grades above 60. Both Kelce and Driscoll suffered injuries during the game and will need to be monitored heading into Philadelphia’s Week 13 matchup against the Jets. Regardless, Philly’s offensive line dominated in Week 12.
Chump of the Week
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers' offensive line was absolutely abysmal in a must-win game against Miami in Week 12. As a group, Miami came into the game as a bottom-10 unit as pass rushers, according to PFF. However, they were able to generate 28 pressures, six sacks, six quarterback hits, and 16 hurries against Carolina. The offensive line accounted for two of the sacks, four hits, nine hurries, and 15 pressures.
Things somehow got worse. Only one starting offensive lineman finished the game with a pass-blocking grade above 25, according to PFF. Carolina’s average overall blocking grade across the unit was 38.3, which is easily the worst of any team in any game this season. Carolina’s offense tallied just 10 completions on 31 attempts for 134 yards and three interceptions on the day. Additionally, they gained only 64 yards on 18 carries and lost Christian McCaffrey for the season due to an ankle injury. This was an all-time bad performance and certainly complicates Carolina’s ability to compete for a wild card spot this season.
Matchups to Target
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
The 49ers' offensive line continues to grind opponents down in the run game, which is opening up a super-efficient passing attack for Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco finished the game with 17 completions for 215 passing yards and a touchdown while adding 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground in a dominating victory over the Vikings in Week 12.
San Francisco finished the week with an average pass-blocking grade, according to PFF (59.08 average across the five linemen) but absolutely dominated as run blockers (74.84). The 49ers were without Mike McGlinchey again, but Tom Compton filled his role well. Compton finished the game with a 71.2 pass-blocking grade, an 82.8 run-blocking grade, and finished second on the team with an 81 overall blocking grade. Trent Williams continued his stellar play on the other side of the line (89.8 overall blocking grade). Their Week 13 opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, just allowed 219 passing yards and 152 rushing yards to Washington on Monday night. Jimmy Garoppolo, Elijah Mitchell, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle will be great plays this week (assuming Deebo Samuel is held out with his groin injury).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
The Buccaneers' offense continues to utilize numerous weapons to roll their opponents. The combination of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin had a quiet game against the Colts in Week 12, combining for seven receptions and 40 yards on 10 targets. However, Tampa Bay was able to ride big days from Rob Gronkowski (seven receptions on 10 targets for 123 yards) and Leonard Fournette (17 carries for 100 yards and three scores with seven receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown) to a big win against a surging Colts team. That performance was sparked by a huge day from the offensive line.
Tampa Bay was missing their starting left guard (Ali Marpet), and their backup Aaron Stinnie got injured just 10 snaps into the game. Despite that, Tampa Bay allowed one sack, one hit, five hurries, and seven pressures against Indianapolis in Week 12. According to PFF, the four original starting offensive linemen for the Buccaneers scored above a 61 pass-blocking grade and overall blocking grade. Three linemen had at least a 71 run-blocking grade. Tampa Bay will have a much easier matchup against an Atlanta defense that ranks last in the NFL in pass-rushing grades (56.9) and 20th in run defense (49.7), according to PFF. Tom Brady, Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rob Gronkowski are all must-starts.
Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears
The Cardinals offense is coming off a bye week and will hopefully get both Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins back off injury. However, they put together a fantastic game against the Seahawks in Week 11 before the bye. Colt McCoy passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns and their backfield combined for 95 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. Arizona’s offensive line has had some up and down performances this season but will walk into a great matchup against an ailing Bears defensive front.
Chicago was able to grind out a victory against a bad Detroit team on Thanksgiving, but have an array of injuries along the defensive line and in the linebacking corps. Chicago is already without Khalil Mack this season, but also may be missing Akiem Hicks, Mario Edwards Jr., and Roquan Smith due to injuries. Meanwhile, Arizona’s offensive line should be getting back Justin Pugh, bringing their offensive line back to full strength. Pugh has arguably been Arizona’s best offensive lineman this season, which would be a big re-acquisition for them. Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins would be great starters if they are healthy. Even if they aren’t, James Conner, Christian Kirk, and Zach Ertz would be locked in starters against a bad Chicago defense. Rondale Moore remains a boom-or-bust wide receiver play.
Matchups to Avoid
Las Vegas Raiders vs Washington Football Team
The Raiders' offensive line had a good game on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys, but they still cannot be trusted. Through 12 weeks, the Raiders are the 22nd-ranked pass blocking offensive line, the 28th-ranked run-blocking offensive line, and the 27th overall blocking offensive line, according to PFF. The Raiders had four offensive linemen grade above 70 as pass blockers against Dallas, their best performance of the season. Four of their linemen finished with a 60 overall blocking grade in the Raiders’ overtime victory against the Cowboys. Las Vegas' offensive line was able to provide Derek Carr with a strong pocket, giving him the time he needed to engineer a huge win for the Raiders in Week 12.
Washington’s defense has had a resurgence in recent weeks despite missing their top two pass rushers (Chase Young and Montez Sweat). The Football Team has been able to maintain consistent interior pressure, and that was on display against Seattle on Monday night. Washington had 21 pressures, two sacks, seven hits, and 12 hurries against the Seahawks in their win. The combination of Daron Paye, Matt Ioannidis, and Jonathan Allen generated 12 pressures, four hits, and eight hurries from the inside. The interior linemen for Las Vegas have been an Achilles heel all season, which could make for a long day for Derek Carr, especially if Darren Waller misses the week with an injury.
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers' defense struggled to get consistent pressure against the Vikings in Week 12, generating just six pressures, one sack, two hits, and three hurries in their 34-26 win. However, they will have an excellent chance to rebound against the aforementioned train wreck that is currently Seattle’s offense. Seattle hasn’t scored more than 15 points in a game since Russell Wilson returned from his finger injury. Wilson had a solid game against Washington in Week 12 (247 yards and two touchdowns), but most of that production came on the game’s final drive. Seattle had just 170 passing yards before that drive. They finished the game with just 34 rushing yards on 12 attempts. Most of the issues stemmed from a poor showing from the offensive line.
San Francisco comes into this game with the ninth-rated run defense, according to PFF (63.0 grade). While San Francisco has struggled to generate a consistent pass rush, the combination of Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead has been effective. That duo has combined for 71 pressures, 13 sacks, 14 hurries, and 44 pressures on the season. It is hard to trust any player on Seattle’s offense at the moment and this week shouldn’t be any different.
New York Giants vs Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins' defensive front has been far more effective their last two weeks, which has led to better performances in the secondary and more wins for Miami. In their last two games against Carolina and the Jets, Miami has generated 52 pressures, eight sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 32 hurries. During that stretch, Miami has allowed just 27 points combined in their last two weeks while generating three interceptions. The Giants rank 12th as a unit in average pass-blocking grade, according to PFF, but are still 30th in overall blocking grades (PFF). The Giants' offense has struggled to move the ball this season. New York is at their best using the run to establish the pass this year, but Miami’s run defense is graded as a top-five unit in 2021. Saquon Barkley has looked rough coming off his ankle injury, but he is the only player in the Giants’ offense that can confidently be started in Week 13.
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