RADIO
Week 10 is one of the more important weeks of the season, as it marks the start of the playoff push. Many fantasy owners are still trying to get their roster in shape for playoff success. More importantly to our article today, we now have strong evidence of the ability of the offensive lines and the impact they are having on the effectiveness of their offenses. However, many fantasy owners completely overlook the importance of identifying the reasons behind a player's struggles. Is he being handicapped by the protection ahead of him and actually performing as well as possible given the situation, or is he struggling despite effective play from his offensive line?
Using PFF's player grading tool, each week I will identify an offensive line that has been trending up and one trending down. More importantly, I will analyze how those trends might be affecting, or might be about to affect your fantasy roster over the next few weeks.
Please Note: When determining individual player ranks I will only be looking at players that have played over 300 snaps, as well as those on IR. If you want to look at the raw data and my applied method, feel free to message me on Twitter @RichKingFF. I'm happy to share!
Offensive Line to Watch - San Fransisco 49ers
Pass Blocking
Jimmy Garoppolo currently leads the only undefeated team in the league, due in part to the offensive line's ability to protect him.
As with the other effective offensive lines we have seen this season, the ability of a team's line starts at the edge. That is also the case with the 49ers, who have two of the top tackles in the league. I've included Joe Staley in at tackle, as he is expected back for the 49ers' next game.
Joe Staley ranks third out of all tackles in pass blocking, and Daniel Brunskill ranks just outside of the top 10 at 12th overall (at least that is where they would rank if they played the 300 snap threshold). Having top tackle talent, especially in pass blocking, helps keep edge rushers from getting to the quarterback. This is evidenced by the team only allowing 12 sacks to Garoppolo so far this season.
The team is also able to rely on the center for protection. Weston Richburg ranks 14th in pass blocking, around the middle of the league.
If there is an area of weakness that can be exploited, it would be the guard position. While Laken Tomlinson ranks 15th in pass protection this season, his teammate Mike Person ranks just 48th.
However, for pass blocking in particular, getting the tackle and center positions set allows the team to get the ball moving through the air. The center can stave off some of the interior pressure, while the tackles keep the pocket intact. As long as the guards are able to play at an average level, the team is able to keep the quarterback upright. It also allows the team to have George Kittle running routes as one of their leading receivers, rather than forcing him to stay in for pass protection.
Run Blocking
Arguably more important for the team is the ability of their line to block for their running backs. The 49ers lead the league in rush attempts, despite having gone through their bye week already.
Run blocking is a slightly different animal from pass blocking in terms of the keys to success. The tackle position is important in setting the edge of the pocket, allowing for larger plays (which tend to make the highlight reels). The interior blocking is far more important in determining the running back's yards per carry, which is what moves the chains.
That is where the 49ers are able to excel. Their interior guards are both ranked in the top 20 in the league, with Person and Tomlinson ranking at 12th and 19th respectively. While their center Richburg ranks in the lower half of the league at 24th, the trio is an effective unit. That effectiveness allows their running backs to spend time behind the line of scrimmage before choosing the gap they want to run through. The lead running back duo of Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida both rank toward the top of the league according to next-gen stats for time behind the line of scrimmage.
The tackle play, as mentioned above, still plays a role in run blocking. The team again has their two tackles in the top 40 in the league, but they are lower ranked, with Brunskill (30) just about beating Staley (36) in the rankings. While that doesn't leap out as elite protection, it is enough to allow the running back the ability to get to the edge if required to break a long run. It also allows the interior of the line to focus on their own assignments.
Fantasy Impact
Trust: Everyone not named Dante Pettis
This is the second time I've included essentially everyone on offense, and I don't do it lightly. The San Francisco running backs have a great line to block defenders and allow consistency of production. The team is also able to rely upon the ability of their line to block rushing defenders on passing plays, which should allow the likes of Emmanuel Sanders and George Kittle to get downfield.
Cause for Concern: Dante Pettis
Pettis is primarily a route runner who has success in the short game, but with the protection that the team has that outlet isn't required. Garoppolo has been an accurate passer downfield, and with the blocking he enjoys, he has the time to choose the best option before letting the ball go downfield. If there is a need to release the ball on a shorter route, then the pass-catching running backs on the team are an effective outlet.
Offensive Line to Avoid - Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks offensive line has long been a point of discussion. Historically they are an effective run-blocking unit but struggle at pass blocking.
Pass Blocking
Duane Brown is an effective tackle, and as the blindside tackle for quarterback Russell Wilson, that's important. Brown ranks 18th in the league at pass blocking, and that ability to keep defenders at bay allows Wilson to see the defenders that are rushing from the right tackle position. Germain Ifedi ranks just inside the top 50 tackles in the league, coming in at 49th. That inability at right tackle means that the only type of quarterback that can operate on this team would be a mobile quarterback like Wilson.
The mismatching of the offensive line continues at their guard positions, with the weaker of their pair of guards (Mike Iupati) operating inside of tackle Brown. That inability to block is surprising, given Brown's ability as a pass blocker. Having a top-tier tackle should allow an interior guard to focus on interior rushers only, as the edge has been set securely. However, it is worth considering that the team has faced a number of tough interior rushers this season, including Aaron Donald. D.J. Fluker ranks 29th in the league, which is average, but in the context of the struggles of the line, that is an impressive ranking. The inability of Ifedi at right tackle should mean that Fluker is caught between helping to set the edge while also dealing with his own assignment.
Their starting center Justin Britt has recently been placed on injured reserve, and their replacement center Joey Hunt hasn't played a significant number of snaps. However, he would rank 19th in the league if he continues the early promise he has shown.
Run Blocking
The tackles are average in blocking ability, with both ranked just inside the top 30 at the position. But as outlined above with the 49ers, the tackles aren't as important when it comes to determining the effectiveness of the running game.
The Seahawks are able to rely on the interior of their line to have an impact on the game, with both of their guards ranking just inside the top 30 in the league. Again, the center being on limited snaps can't really allow for much analysis, but new starter Joey Hunt would currently rank as one of the worst starters in the league. The previous starter Justin Britt was ranked 10th, so the line was having success before his injury. With the team having to rely on Hunt going forward, I would expect to see a negative impact in the run game.
Fantasy Impact
Trust: Tyler Lockett
Lockett had a great season last year and has had a number of similar games this season. The reason for his inclusion is that the inability of the offensive line forces Wilson to have to improvise on passing plays, and that leads to a reliance on familiarity and a shorter distance on his pass attempts. Lockett is now the seasoned veteran in the receiving corps, and certainly has the trust of Wilson. Lockett has developed into his first read on a number of plays.
Cause for Concern: Chris Carson and Tight Ends
Carson is included as more of a 'reader-beware' because the injury to Seattle's starting center shouldn't be overlooked. While the Seahawks will rely on the running game to form a major part of their offense, the ability of the line to create openings and allow Carson time to find a gap will be limited moving forward. If you are able to trade Carson for a similar running back and pick up something extra I would certainly entertain the idea.
The tight end is included as more of a default position on a team that struggles with protection. Typically, when a team is struggling in protection, the tight end isn't allowed to get upfield and instead he is forced to try to shore up the line. Will Dissly had touchdown upside, with his speed and big body making him an attractive target, but since his injury, there isn't a player of equal ability that is able to fill that role.
Top Five Offensive Lines
1) Philadelphia Eagles
2) Dallas Cowboys
3) Indianapolis Colts
4) New Orleans Saints
5) Baltimore Ravens
Bottom Five Offensive Lines
32) Miami Dolphins
31) Seattle Seahawks
30) Los Angeles Rams
29) Los Angeles Chargers
28) Jacksonville Jaguars
