2024 Offensive Line Rankings: 21-11

Jun 24, 2024

Tina MacIntyre-Yee /Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA T

As I’m sure you have hypothesized in the past, the play of a team’s offensive line impacts the fantasy points that each NFL team can produce, and now we have statistical proof. By using the knowledge of good and bad units, we can better attack (or avoid) skill position players on a given team; another edge we can use against our league mates. With that caveat understood, it’s time to figure out exactly where a team’s offensive line compares to the rest of the league.

More Offensive Line Rankings: 32-22 | 10-1

Below, I’ll be counting down the middle-11 offensive lines heading into the 2024 season, with an accompanying “key stat” from last year’s unit, plus new faces coming to the team. The offseason movement will denote either the most recent team that player played for or the draft round they were selected. Additions and subtractions will be relegated to players believed to be immediately starting or at the least an immediate backup, and/or players selected in the first four rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft. Let’s dig in.

21. Baltimore Ravens

Key 2023 Stat: 8.2% Adjusted Sack Rate (25th)

Offseason Movement

Additions: Josh Jones (Texans), Will Clapp (Chargers), Roger Rosengarten (second round)

Subtractions: Sam Mustipher (Broncos), John Simpson (Jets), Kevin Zeitler (Lions), Morgan Moses (Jets)

Only two starters are remaining in Baltimore after a whirlwind of movement this offseason. One of those pieces —left tackle Ronnie Stanley— is coming off of yet another injury-hampered year in which he was rotated out with Morgan Moses and Patrick Mekari to maintain the veteran into the playoffs. The plan mostly worked, but Moses is out of town, and the team would likely prefer not to use three members of the roster on only one position.

Next to Stanley, it looks as though the team is planning to slot their 2023 seventh-round selection, Andrew Vorhess, into their left guard slot. Vorhees missed the entirety of his rookie season while rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered at the NFL Scouting Combine and helped to accelerate his drop down draft boards. Vorhees was a five-year starter and will be a huge bargain if he is indeed the starter by the time the season kicks off. His injury history points toward that being an issue. Before the torn ACL, the former USC Trojan also had a left foot injury, a meniscus tear, and a concussion that kept him out of 15 games between 2019-2022.

The other guard spot seems to still be up in the air after Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson found new homes in free agency. Former third-round pick Ben Cleveland was believed to be next in line, but beat writers aren’t too certain that it’s his job to lose.

20. Las Vegas Raiders

Key 2023 Stat: 1.42 RB Yards Before Contact (19th)

Offseason Movement

Additions: Cody Whitehair (Bears), Andrus Peat (Saints), Jackson Powers-Johnson (second round), DJ Glaze (third round)

Subtractions: Jermaine Eluemunor (Giants)

The Raiders defense is locked in and ready to terrorize the AFC West. The offense, not so much. A solid, if unspectacular, offensive line unit will be blocking for some amalgamation of Aidan O’Connell, Gardner Minshew, and Zamir White. The latter of whom projects for a huge increase in workload with Josh Jacobs out of town. Arguably, the most important piece of the puzzle for the OL will be the development of second-round selection Jackson Powers-Johnson, who looks to be locked into the left guard slot beside Kolton Miller.

Powers-Johnson was the second interior lineman (behind Graham Barton) to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and was Dane Brugler’s No. 2 center heading into the event. Per his write-up from The Beast,

“Overall, Powers-Johnson’s inexperience is reflected in his technique, but he offers a fantastic combination of size, athleticism, and toughness, with the skill set that translates to both center and guard. His game reminds me of Ryan Kelly, who won the Rimington Award at Alabama before becoming a first-round pick in 2016.”

#Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson

Fun player to study over the past two weeks. Physical! Excellent run blocking center that can also make plays out in space. pic.twitter.com/VrkrRiaoS5

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) October 30, 2023

The other side of the line is a little more flimsy, with newly-added Andrus Peat manning a swing tackle/backup right tackle role. Peat hasn’t lined up on the right side since his rookie season of 2015 and has looked like a replacement-level talent over the last few seasons in New Orleans. Fellow free agent addition Cody Whitehair gives the team interior depth and could fill in if Powers-Johnson has any issues getting up to speed ahead of Week 1.