Offensive Line Changes That Will Impact 2019 Fantasy Football

Offensive Line Changes That Will Impact 2019 Fantasy Football

Jacksonville Jaguars - Noah

  • 2018 : (pff ranked 22nd in 2018) were 15th in 2017
  • ranked 21st in adjusted line yards (13th in 2017), 19th in stuffed % (got tackled at or behind LOS (10th in 2017).  Ranked 27th in pass pro (per football outsiders) (9.3% adjusted sack rate) (5th in 2017, 4.4% sack rate)
  • Linder missed 7 games, Norwell missed 5, Parnell missed 3, Cam Robinson missed 13 (only AJ Cann played >13 games)
  • (2017 line is same as now except Parnell replaced with Jawaan Taylor)
  • (Norwell, Linder, Cann, Cam Robinson, Jawaan Taylor)

 

  • Norwell had 2nd highest pass blocking efficiency in 2017 and ranked as 10th best pass blocking guard in 2018. former all-pro, still young, will be ready for 2019
  • Linder 5th highest graded center (and #5 PB center), had knee surgery, will be ready for 2019
  • A.J. Cann graded out as "average" in all phases but allowed the 8th most hurries among guards (not good). Jags did resign him for 3 seasons $15 mil (maybe they see something in him)
  • Robsinson tore ACL in Sept, expected back to begin szn. Hasn't shown much (only played 17 games) but was highest ranked rookie tackle in 2017 preszn. Gave up most pressures in 2017 but didn't allow one in the full game he played in 2018. injury caused Ereck Flowers to step in--yuck.
  • Parnell no longer on team but invested 2nd round pick in Jawaan Taylor --- Jawaan Taylor only gave up 10 QB pressures in 2018 and was PFF's #2 ranked run blocker in SEC. traded up to grab him in round 2. was projected top 10 but slipped because of health concerns (knee)
  • Parnell was a very solid blocker for them in 2017, if Cam Rob improves and Taylor lives up to draft stock, should be a repeat of what we saw in 2017 in the trenches
  • Only one player with >20 carries avg over 4.0 YPC last season, Blake Bortles (58 rushes, 6.3 ypc)
  • Combo of bortles and kesseler sacked 52 times, would have ranked 3rd behind watson (61) and dak (56). jags 3rd most pressures allowed and hurries, 6th in qb hits
  • as line becomes healthy and have solid starters in each position with a few studs (linder norwell), should be improved rushing game.
  • yeldon gone, backup is Alfred Blue (no competition) but Armstead becomes a must stash/watch player because of strong D, great line, and high injury risk of Fournette
  • also should help Foles transition into new offense, they have solid weapons (dede, cole, chark, marqise lee, chris conley), one player could emerge from this group, Dede finished wr32 last szn

Carolina Panthers - Noah

  • (2018 lineup---chris clark, taylor moton, greg van roten, ryan kalil, trai turner)
  • CAR ranked 11th in adj line yards, 7th in stuffed pct
  • 10th in pass pro (already a solid line, now improve) projected line---- williams, moton, paradis, trai turner, greg little
  • daryl williams returns, 2017's highest graded RT and 3rd highest graded tackle. missed most f 2018 w/ knee injuries but still young and panthers paid him this offszn
  • Moton proved to be a nearly elite player as a rookie (16th best tackle, 12th best pblocker)
  • matt paradis replaced Kalil. Paradis #2 center, #2 run blocking center
  • turner graded out as 23rd and 24th best guard in 2017 and 2018, respectively
  • van roten was kinda ass but may move williams to LG and play Little at tackle
  • drafted greg little in rd2. will at least add depth the roster (only allowed 46 pressures over 3 years in SEC but was a much worse run blocker), they want him to be LT of future

 

  • were already a good line, upgrading at center, williams coming back, and new rookie could make them elite
  • could easily be one of the league's best lines in 2019 after being ranked #17 by PFF in 2018
  • should aid in keeping newton clean post surgery and limit wear on CMC getting 700 touches.

Arizona Cardinals - Noah

  • (ranked worst line in 2018, only one o-lineman started more than 11 games and he was a rookie)
  • only position on o-line where mutliple players didn't play 240+ snaps was center (no continuity) and even then he was a rookie
  • their center, Mason Cole, led the NFL is hurries (26), 2nd in hits, 2nd in pressures
  • 2019 projected line--- pugh, sweezy, humphries, gilbert, shipley

 

  • justin pugh played just 7 games, was one of better guards in 2017, allowed 39 pressures over 3 year span (2015-2017). allowed 1 sack in 7 games last season
  • Iupati gone (terrible in pass blocking, good run blocker), replaced with J.R. Sweezy (downgrade, allowed 4 sacks
  • dj humphries started just 9 games, ranked as above average tackle, 9th best runblocker
  • added marcus gilbert, graded out above average, 25th best pass block, has played just 12 games past 2 szn, allowed 2 sacks over that span and 3 sacks in 13 games in 2016
  • shipley missed all of 2018, was 13th best pblocking center in 2017 and 6th overall center in 2016. allowed just 7 sacks over that 2 year span

it's hard to say if the cardinals will have an elite, or even above average line, but it will be better than last season. they suffered from a ton of injuries before and during the season that impacted the continuity in the offense. not to mention Mike McCoy was calling plays for a while and josh rosen was thrown into the fire early.

had the worst pass blocking line in 2018, bound to improve, plus murrays ability to buy time in the pocket and kingsbury offense should allow for fantasy options.

o line ranked as 12th best runblocking, DJ will benefit from kylers ability to run, spread offense should unload box on D

Oakland Raiders - Noah

2018 pff ranked line 28th....13th in adj line yards, 10th in stuffed rank (good)...25th in adj sack rate

projected line - Kolton miller, incognito, hudson, gabe jackson, t brown

weak link is LT but was rookie last year. was forner top 15 pick and has one szn under belt. allwed 65 pressures 16 sacks (pffs worst graded tackle)

lost osemele to jets but he had down year, brought in incognito who was elite last time played. allowed 3 pressures over last 9 games w/ bills, no sacks. even beginning of szn, PFF gave him "all-pro" title for LGs over first 4 weeks

Hudson #1 pblck C, #4 ovr C

Gabe Jackson graded out as above average, 15th best G

sign trent brown to replace rookie RT (brown graded out as above average) got 4 yrs 66 mil

 

interesting stat.....

5th in adj line yds running up middle/behind guards, ranked 17th or worse anywhere else (and 24th off right end and 17th off RT)

upgrade to RT should help this and diversify runs

had rookies playing both tackle positions last yr

 

Atlanta Falcons - Nick

  • Were considered elite just a couple of years ago. A couple of losses in FA + injuries, have them middle of the pack.
  • Brandon Fusco released, Andy Levitre retires,
  • Drafted Chris Lindstrom, 14th overall from Boston College. Traded back into the 1st round to grab Kaleb McGary. Both very good in the pass-blocking game (Lindstrom allowed 0 sacks last year and just 3 hurries). Good in run-blocking but not where they excel persay.
  • Also signed two interior linemen in FA, James Carpenter for $21M and Jamon Brown for $18 - so clearly, we see what they wanted to do this offseason. Neither are great signings in my opinion, but Carpenter has had some really good years as a pass-blocker, Brown will be depth.
  • Koetter comes in, going to be extremely pass-heavy, makes sense given all the pass-blocking lineman being added. Wheels up for Matt Ryan, wheels up for Julio Jones, wheels up for Calvin Ridley. Still not wheels up for Austin Hooper.

Cincinnati Bengals - Nick

  • Have been bad for quite some time. 26th in RBing per PFF in 2018, 28th in 2017, 22nd per FO's in 2018, 24th in 2017...
  • But I see a little Rams rebuild taking place. Zac Taylor, new HC, coming over from LAR under McVay. First thing McVay did? Signed Andrew Whitworth. First thing Taylor did? Drafted OT Jonah Williams with the 11th overall pick.
  • Williams started every game of his three-year Alabama career (29 starts at left tackle, 15 at right tackle) and went pro after earning unanimous first-team All-American. PFF's No. 1 run-blocking grade in the country last season and allowed zero sacks with only three QB pressures.
  • Williams will take the place of Cordy Glenn immediately at LT, Glenn ranked as the 6th worst tackle in run blocking last year of 80 tackles. Glenn is going to move inside, we'll see how that works, but it's better than having him at the most important position on the line.
  • They also signed John Miller to a 3-year, $16.5M contract from Buffalo. He's average as a lineman, but that's an upgrade when you're one of the worst lines in the NFL.
  • Their 1st round pick from 2018, Center Billy Price was a big disappointment last year but hopefully coming into his second year we'll see some improvement and see some of what made him a 1st round pick.
  • I still have no idea why they drafted TE Drew Sample from U of Washington in the 2nd round when they have 92 TEs already, he's an excellent run-blocker for the position, so that's good obviously.
  • Quietly like the moves made by CIN for this offensive line and I'm getting higher on Mixon by the day.

Buffalo Bills - Nick

  • Ranked 31st in RBing and 21st in PBing in 2018.
  • They added 3 offensive tackles and 3 interior linemen this offseason.
  • 5 of them were through free agency, but they took Cody Ford out of Oklahoma 38th overall. He has some injury/athleticism concerns but has a lot of upside and can play G or T and will likely immediately start at RT for them.
  • They signed former Chiefs 2nd round pick Mitch Morse to a 4-year, $44.5M contract. He's another one that's dealt with a lot of injuries and just underwent core muscle surgery in May but ti shouldn't impact his summer involvement. He was PFF's #6 graded Center last year.
  • They signed former Jets guard Spencer Long to a $13M deal, Ty Nsehke whose been filling in for Trent Williams on the Skins for the L2 years to a $14.5M deal. Jon Feliciano, LaAdrian Waddle, all signed this offseason. 
  • A lot of mediocre players but you like to see them address it first and foremost. Ford and Mitch Morse, they stay healthy can have a big impact here.
  • Along with the offseason pieces that they added -- Devin Singletary, T.J. Yeldon, John Brown, Cole Beasley, Dawson Knox -- could mean a little bit more stability from Josh Allen in the passing game.
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