You've likely seen our official Footballguys Offensive Line rankings. A ton of research goes into them, and I stand by them. The model used to create those rankings has been around for several years. It is solid.
At the same time, just as with fantasy rankings at other positions, some lines could be better or worse or all over the place.
RELATED: See Overrated Offensive Lines here >>>
RELATED: See Underrated Offensive Lines here >>>
Let's look at three offensive lines that are tough to predict.
Boom-or-Bust OL: NY Jets
| Pos | Starter | Current Rankings |
|---|---|---|
| LT | Tyron Smith | 10th overall |
| LG | John Simpson | 10th in run blocking |
| C | Joe Tippmann | 6th in pass blocking |
| RG | Alijah Vera-Tucker | |
| RT | Morgan Moses |
There's a scenario where everyone plays all seventeen games, and the Jets' offensive line is actually top-5 for most of the year. There's also the scenario where RG Alijah Vera-Tucker isn't the same player after two season-ending injuries, and the veteran tackles of Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses break down over the course of the season. The depth beyond Olu Fashanu, the Round 1 rookie out of Penn State, isn't great. It could go either way for this group.
Boom-or-Bust OL: Baltimore
| Pos | Starter | Current Rankings |
|---|---|---|
| LT | Ronnie Stanley | 15th overall |
| LG | Andrew Vorhees | 7th in run blocking |
| C | Tyler Linderbaum | 15th in pass blocking |
| RG | Daniel Faalele | |
| RT | Roger Rosengarten |
This has been a very tough week for the Ravens' organization. Line coach Joe D'Alessandris took medical leave for an acute situation and then passed away in the hospital. This group will have at least two new starters in LG Andrew Vorhees and RG Daniel Faalele. There's a battle at RT between Roger Rosengarten, the Round 2 rookie out of Washington, and Patrick Mekari. And this all happens without their legendary positional coach. This event has the potential to galvanize morale, but it's a huge blow to the brain trust. Either way, some things are more important than football. Hug your loved ones. And RIP Coach Joe D.
Boom-or-Bust OL: LA Chargers
| Pos | Starter | Current Rankings |
|---|---|---|
| LT | Rashawn Slater | 16th overall |
| LG | Zion Johnson | 19th in run blocking |
| C | Bradley Bozeman | 8th in pass blocking |
| RG | Trey Pipkins | |
| RT | Joe Alt |
This is another boom or bust situation. Pros: New RT Joe Alt looks like a beast in run blocking, and the new coaching staff has emphasized this attacking mindset. Cons: Alt is a natural left tackle and has struggled in right-footed pass protection. Also, Corey Linsley retired in the offseason, and his replacement, Bradley Bozeman (from Carolina), has been injured this preseason. If Alt adjusts and the center situation stabilizes, the model could be underrating the Chargers' overall grade, particularly their run-blocking ranking.
