1 day ago
Injuries: Alex Forsyth (ankle), Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), Matt Peart (knee)
Out for Season: Nick Gargiulo (ACL)
Depth Quality: (T): Good
Fantasy Impact: After a successful rookie campaign from QB Bo Nix, Denver felt correctly motivated to upgrade what was already a high-end protective front in 2024. LT Garrett Bolles and RT Mike McGlinchey remain this O-line's pillars, but the unit has been better in pass protection than run blocking under head coach Sean Payton. The return of LG Ben Powers frorm IR is notable, putting Denver in the mix as potentially the best pass-blocking unit in the league, and the even without veteran J.K. Dobbins still in the backfield mix, second-rounder RJ Harvey has only improved throughout the early stretches of the season. It will nonetheless be a tough task for this O-line to propel Jarrett Stidham to a Super Bowl in the wake of Nix suffering a season-ending ankle injury near the end of Denver's divisional-round win over Buffalo.
Trending: Steady
Injuries:
Out for Season: Ozzy Trapilo (knee), Kiran Amegadjie (elbow)
Depth Quality: Excellent
Fantasy Impact: It took until the stretch run of the regular season, but Chicago's offensive line is finally performing to its upper talent level, providing the unit top-5 upside. Running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai have been the primary beneficiaries of that improved blocking in coach Ben Johnson's offense, though QB Caleb Williams has also parlayed those developments into an inarguable Year 2 leap. Offseason moves to transform this O-line's interior -- upgrades like LG Joe Thuney, who in Kansas City was one of the league's better guards, and RG Johan Jackson who, prior to an injury-plagued 2024 with the Rams, had been a steadfast option with Johnson in Detroit, and Drew Dalman at C -- have paid off tremendously thus far, even if it's disappointing to see Braxton Jones be benched at LT. The development of Darnell Wright into a solid option at RT is at least another a piece of positive news for Chicago, and second-rounder Ozzy Trapilo also proved a solid replacement for Jones. This O-line will remain the foundation of a Chicago offense seemingly ready to take the next step in 2026.
Trending: Steady
Injuries: Bernhard Raimann (elbow), Braden Smith (concussion)
Out for Season: Blake Freeland (leg), Jack Wilson (undisclosed)
Depth Quality Good
Fantasy Impact: One of the best pieces of offseason news Indianapolis has received is Braden Smith's willingness to rework his contract and return for another season. He'll anchor the RT position as long as the personal issues that held him out to end the 2024 campaign are resolved, though being placed on IR due to a concussion may now result in his being sidelined until the playoffs. Quenton Nelson remains another pillar at LG, while Bernhard Raimann has stepped up as a similarly elite option. There's an argument to be made for Indianapolis as boasting the best O-line in the league, a situation which star running back Jonathan Taylor boasts all the necessary tools to take full advantage of. The loss of QB Daniel Jones to an Achilles injury, however, not only interrupts a resurgent season for the signal-caller, but casts serious doubt on the upside of Indianapolis' entire roster -- even if this O-line is steady enough to keep aged veteran Philip Rivers upright.
Trending: Down
Injuries: Rob Havenstein (ankle)
Out for Season:
Depth Quality Fair
Fantasy Impact: The Rams have spent 2024 enduring a second straight season of disastrous injury luck to the O-line, but after rough sledding early, the unit finally got healthier in time to sneak into the playoffs. The same applied to star wide receivers Puka Nakua and Cooper Kupp, though the latter has since moved on into free agency. Matthew Stafford continues to play at an MVP-worthy level, though at his age, there's no guarantee the 37-year-old will be able to keep up that momentum if protection around him fails. The good news is that Los Angeles' O-line is one of the league's best, though a lingering concern about poor depth remains. As long as the Rams stay healthy up front, however, this offense will boast one of the best balances in the NFL of pass-protection and run blocking. Things will only improve when Rob Havenstein (ankle) comes off IR down the stretch of the playoffs.
Trending: Steady
