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

Fantasy Football Matchups to Target, Avoid (Week 17) - Offensive Line Champs and Chumps

Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy football offenses to target and avoid for Week 17 for the 2024 NFL season. Dan's best and worst NFL offensive lines for fantasy football production heading into Week 17.

For many, Week 17 signals the end of the fantasy season. There is no better way to sweat out a fantasy championship with all 32 teams active and playing games over five of the next seven days. Football fans will be treated to two games on Christmas, a Thursday Night Football matchup, three games on Saturday, nine games on Sunday, and one game on Monday.

If you’re in the fantasy championship, it is time to pull out all of the stops to secure a fantasy championship. Plenty of players suffered injuries in Week 16, meaning there might be one last trip to the waiver wire to fortify your fantasy lineup. Attacking matchup advantages in the trenches could be key to optimizing your previous lineup of the season.

Check out the offensive line matchups to target and avoid in Week 17 below to finish your fantasy season with a championship.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Champ of the Week

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons offensive line continues to hit new heights now that the group is healthy. Atlanta’s offensive line provided solid protection in Michael Penix Jr.’s first career start against the Giants. More importantly, it was able to clear massive rushing lanes for Bijan Robinson.

Atlanta’s offensive line was credited with just five pressures against New York in Week 16, with three of them coming from left guard Matthew Bergeron (40.6 PFF grade). All five of Atlanta’s offensive linemen finished the week with a PFF run-blocking grade above 70.0 and an overall PFF grade above 73.0.

The Falcons unit identifies more as impressive run defenders, but the team has given up just 22 pressures since center Drew Dalman’s return in Week 13. Atlanta still has a chance to earn a playoff spot thanks to the strong play of its offensive line during the most important part of the season.

 

Chump of the Week

New Orleans Saints

The Saints weren’t the lowest-scoring PFF grade among offensive lines this week, but they put together a brutal showing against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.

New Orleans’ five offensive linemen averaged a pass-blocking grade of 43.2, a run-blocking grade of 69.9, and an overall PFF grade of 55.8. The team gave up two sacks and 25 pressures with rookie Spencer Rattler under center. Tackles Taliese Fuaga (six pressures) and Trevor Penning (one sack and 11 pressures) were especially bad.

More importantly, the Saints once again lost center Erik McCoy to an elbow injury. There’s no reason to believe this will be a long-term issue, but McCoy has proved to be essential to how well New Orleans’ offensive line plays this season.

 

Week 17 Matchups to Target

Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals

Like Atlanta, a healthy offensive line has been the catalyst for the Rams’ push to the postseason. The Rams offensive line allowed just three pressures against the Jets in Week 16. All five of their offensive linemen combined to average a pass-blocking, run-blocking, and PFF grade above 71.0 in the win.

The Rams need to continue to win games to secure a spot in the playoffs. Luckily, their offensive line gets an excellent matchup against the Cardinals in Week 17. Arizona has just two players (L.J. Collier and Zaven Collins) with more than 19 pressures this season.

The Cardinals have had success generating sacks in 2024 (42 on 234 pressures) despite having just one defensive lineman with over 200 snaps played and a pass-rush grade above 64.0.

Los Angeles should once again be able to control the trenches to give Matthew Stafford time to find Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp down the field.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers

Tampa Bay’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys during Week 16 makes Week 17 a must-win game for the Buccaneers. Thankfully, they will have a clear advantage in the trenches against the Carolina Panthers.

The Buccaneers currently have the third-highest PFF pass-blocking grade of all offensive lines in 2024 (68.8). They also have a top-12 average PFF grade this season (64.5). The tackle tandem of Tristan Wirfs (85.3 PFF grade) and Luke Goedeke (73.9) has been stellar again this season while Cody Mauch (75.1) has acclimated well to the NFL in his second season.

Carolina has one of the least talented defenses in the NFL this season. This problem is even more obvious in the trenches. The Panthers have just three players with more than 16 pressures and three sacks this season. The Panthers are also allowing the third-most yards before contact in the run game this season (2.4 yards).

Expect the Buccaneers to be able to attack on the ground and through the air this week to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

The Chargers were able to beat the Denver Broncos in Week 16 despite subpar performances among their offensive linemen. The tackle tandem of Rashawn Slater (73.5 PFF grade) and Joe Alt (68.6 PFF grade) held up well, but the interior offensive line was a mess.

The Chargers interior offensive linemen all finished with a sub-50.0 PFF grade in Week 16. They combined to allow 15 of the team’s 21 pressures.

Thankfully, the New England Patriots defensive line is far less talented in Week 17. That should give the Chargers a distinct advantage in the trenches. Keion White (43 pressures and six sacks) has been excellent this year, but few other players on this defense have stood out.

The Chargers aren’t as good as we hoped as an offensive line, but they should have no problem imposing their will to keep their playoff hopes alive in Week 17.

 

Week 17 Matchups to Avoid

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

The Cowboys offensive line has struggled to gel this season thanks to rookies at left tackle and center and injuries across the unit. Dallas beat the Buccaneers in Week 16, but it wasn’t thanks to the offensive line (57.4 average PFF grade).

Now, Dallas will face off against an Eagles defense that has been one of the best groups in the NFL this season.

Six different Eagles have at least 20 pressures this season. Two (Jalen Carter and Josh Sweat) have over 50 pressures. Philadelphia has four different linemen with five or more sacks and another two with three sacks.

The Cowboys offensive line will have its hands full. It is hard to imagine another strong game from Cooper Rush against this defense in Week 17.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos

The Bengals offensive line continues to function as a middle-of-the-road group this season. All five of their projected starters have a PFF grade between 52.0 and 62.0. Only one (center Ted Karras) has a pass protection grade above 61.0.

This group has collectively allowed 18 sacks and 164 pressures. That doesn’t even include injured left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (three sacks and 13 pressures).

Cincinnati’s offensive line will have its hands full against the Denver Broncos defense in Week 17. Denver has four players with over 40 pressures, led by Zach Allen (67 pressures). It also has five players with at least 6.0 sacks. This is a unit that has no problem generating pressure on the inside or off the edge this season.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

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

Logan Webb23 mins ago

Works Six Scoreless Innings In Giants' Win
Christopher Morel35 mins ago

Mashes Second Homer Of The Season
Tyler Herro42 mins ago

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell56 mins ago

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero1 hour ago

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown1 hour ago

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green1 hour ago

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski1 hour ago

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III1 hour ago

Set For MRI Thursday
Chandler Simpson2 hours ago

Extends Hitting Streak To Four Games
Jacob Melton2 hours ago

Quiet Since Returning From Injured List
Lazaro Montes2 hours ago

Hits Home Run No. 5
Joel Díaz2 hours ago

Joel Diaz Continues Strong Start To High-A Season
Ryan Clifford2 hours ago

Goes Deep On Wednesday
Jaison Chourio2 hours ago

Hits First Home Run Of High-A Regular Season
Brady Singer7 hours ago

Earns Fourth Win In Quality Start
Corbin Carroll7 hours ago

Keeps Raking With Two More Homers
Carlos Rodón7 hours ago

Carlos Rodon Strong Again In Win Over Cleveland
Luke Keaschall7 hours ago

Shows Off Speed With Two Swipes
J.P. Crawford8 hours ago

Finally Hits First Home Run Of The Season
Teoscar Hernández8 hours ago

Teoscar Hernandez Busts Out Of Slump Wednesday
Andrew Heaney8 hours ago

Tosses Six Shutout Innings
Triston Casas8 hours ago

Launches Three-Run Homer
Jordan Lawlar8 hours ago

Records Another Multi-Hit Performance
Pete Crow-Armstrong8 hours ago

Homers, Steals Two Bases
Yanquiel Fernandez8 hours ago

With Another Multi-Homer Game
Reese Olson8 hours ago

Strikes Out Seven In Win
Jake Mangum9 hours ago

Exits Game With Groin Tightness
George Kittle9 hours ago

Wants To Be Highest-Paid Tight End
Tyler Lockett9 hours ago

Joining The Titans
9 hours ago

Will Shedeur Sanders' Game Translate To The NFL?
Las Vegas Raiders9 hours ago

Raiders Could Go With Offensive Lineman At No. 6 Overall
NFL10 hours ago

Jaguars, Raiders Looking To Trade Up In First Round
New Orleans Saints10 hours ago

Saints Won't Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Trevor Penning
Nick Chubb10 hours ago

Not Interested In Retirement
George Pickens10 hours ago

Drawing Trade Interest
Rashee Rice10 hours ago

Taking Part In Offseason Program
10 hours ago

Concerns About Tetairoa McMillan's Lack Of Effort
Jahan Dotson10 hours ago

Eagles Decline Fifth-Year Option On Jahan Dotson
Brandin Podziemski12 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis13 hours ago

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.13 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Minnesota Vikings13 hours ago

Vikings Waive NaJee Thompson, Trevor Reid
Adam Svensson13 hours ago

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Jake Fromm13 hours ago

Lions Release Jake Fromm
Seattle Seahawks13 hours ago

Cameron Young Let Go By Seattle
Detroit Lions14 hours ago

Detroit Makes Kerby Joseph The Highest-Paid Safety In League History
Davion Mitchell14 hours ago

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski14 hours ago

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford14 hours ago

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.14 hours ago

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum15 hours ago

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart15 hours ago

May Miss Another Game Thursday
NYI15 hours ago

Cal Clutterbuck Announces Retirement
Pavel Zacha15 hours ago

Recovering From Small Procedure
Nikolaj Ehlers15 hours ago

To Miss At Least Two More Games
Miro Heiskanen15 hours ago

Still Out On Wednesday
John Klingberg16 hours ago

Enters Oilers Lineup For Game 2
Evander Kane16 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Wednesday Night
Gabriel Landeskog16 hours ago

Likely To Play In Game 3
Denver Broncos17 hours ago

Broncos Not Expected To Trade Up In Round 1
Houston Texans17 hours ago

Texans Trying To Move Up In Round 1 Of NFL Draft
Atlanta Falcons17 hours ago

James Pearce Jr., Mike Green Potential Top Targets For Falcons
Dallas Cowboys17 hours ago

Cowboys Could Add Wide Receiver Help With No. 12 Pick
New Orleans Saints18 hours ago

Saints Likely To Address Defense With No. 9 Pick?
18 hours ago

Rams Eyeing Trade Up For Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland?
Jaren Jackson Jr.23 hours ago

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander23 hours ago

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman23 hours ago

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam23 hours ago

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Giannis Antetokounmpo23 hours ago

Posts Big Double-Double In Game 2 Loss
Lee Hodges23 hours ago

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA23 hours ago

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Julius Randle23 hours ago

Leads Timberwolves In Scoring In Game 2
Gary Woodland24 hours ago

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Luka Dončić24 hours ago

Luka Doncic Nets 31 Points In Lakers Win
Max McGreevy24 hours ago

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard24 hours ago

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens24 hours ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard24 hours ago

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
John Tavares1 day ago

Collects Two Points In Overtime Win
Christiaan Bezuidenhout1 day ago

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Frederik Andersen1 day ago

Posts 40th Postseason Win
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young1 day ago

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Kirill Kaprizov1 day ago

Leads Wild To Valuable Road Win
Matthew Tkachuk1 day ago

Returns With Three-Point Performance
Erik Van Rooyen1 day ago

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Anthony Cirelli1 day ago

Suffers Undisclosed Injury Tuesday
Gabriel Vilardi1 day ago

May Return To Jets Lineup Thursday
John Klingberg1 day ago

Ready To Return To Action
Evander Kane1 day ago

Could Be An Option For Game 2
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore1 day ago

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa2 days ago

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry2 days ago

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
Derek Forbort2 days ago

Recovering From Surgery
Martin Fehérváry2 days ago

Martin Fehervary To Miss Postseason Following Knee Surgery
Luke Glendening2 days ago

Available For Start Of Playoffs
Mitchell Chaffee2 days ago

Available Tuesday
Cody Glass2 days ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Brenden Dillon2 days ago

Won't Play In Game 2
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF