UPGRADES
Philadelphia up 2 slots
Left tackle Jason Peters returned to practice this week and all signs point to his return prior to hosting the New England Patriots this weekend. Rookie Andre Dillard returns to the bench. While Peters is not quite the player he used to be, the team missed him in the lineup. Here is an interesting stat: Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was sacked 10 times during the first six games of the season, and another 10 times during Jason Peters' 3 game rehab period. In other news, right guard Brandon Brooks received a contract extension, making him among the highest-paid linemen in football. With injuries to other elite graded teams (see below), the Eagles' offensive line claims the top spot in the latest rankings.
Pittsburgh up 1 slot
Left guard Ramon Foster has been cleared from the league's concussion protocol and is likely to return to the lineup for Thursday Night Football at Cleveland. B.J. Finney has been more than adequate in place of Foster, but the offense should get a boost with all five starters in the lineup. Led by center Maurkice Pouncey, this line carries a top-5 grade, currently among the best in the game.
Tennessee up 8 slots
Center Ben Jones recovered from his concussion in time for the home win against Kansas City. Jones' return was crucial, as it sent Jamil Douglas to the bench and revitalized the Titans' running attack. Running back Derrick Henry had 188 yards on the day, with many of the holes opened inside. Both tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin are starting to find their form as well and the entire unit is playing with an edge of late. With the center back in the lineup, and a bye week to recover for traveling to Jacksonville, the Titans' offensive line rejoins the top-tier of the latest ranks.
Atlanta up 5 slots
This is a scheduled cohesion upgrade, based on the starters playing together without injury. Particularly left guard James Carpenter has ramped up his play of late, and while the Falcons franchise has been losing games for most of the season, their line remains underrated by the national media. The Falcons' are a solid mid-tier line, and if center Alex Mack is having a good day, they can cross into top-tier territory.
DOWNGRADES
New Orleans down 1 slot
Pro Bowl left guard Andrus Peat suffered a fractured arm during the loss against Atlanta. Peat had surgery this week to repair the damage and the team estimates a six-week rehab. Peat is not only one of the best guards in football, but he is also the left tackle when Terron Armstead gets hurt. It's also possible Peat's veteran presence calmed rookie Erik McCoy at center. Will Clapp, the team's sixth lineman in the jumbo package, got the call to replace Peat last week, and he could get his fourth career start this week as the Saints host Tampa Bay. Clapp is decent, a second-year player, a natural center from nearby LSU. Other interior options include Patrick Omameh (stronger than Clapp) and Nick Easton (inactive all year despite a decent contract in the offseason). These are good options, none of them will replace Peat's production. This Saints' offensive line is still excellent without Peat, but teams will gameplan the weakness at left guard until he returns.
Dallas down 2 slots
Despite playing the entire game (100% of snaps), left guard Connor Williams had arthroscopic knee surgery following the Sunday Night loss against Minnesota. Williams is facing a multi-week recovery timetable. Xavier Su'a-Filo will start in Williams' place, having started eight games in the same role last season. Williams has been an improved player after adding strength in the offseason. Su'a-Filo is a less explosive player who is prone to lapses in technique. This is still a top-tier line but the depth is being tested on the interior.
San Francisco down 7 slots
After missing eight games with a broken leg, veteran left tackle Joe Staley is out again, this time with a dislocated/fractured finger suffered during last week's loss against Seattle. Linemen usually play through hand injuries but this one sounded extreme, and it required surgery. Still, the team has announced he is expected to miss two weeks, and rookie Justin Skule will rejoin the lineup in place of Staley. In other news, center Weston Richburg missed two series on Monday Night Football with a hand injury but will not miss time. This 49ers' offensive line has the talent to grade in the top-tier but has lived in the mid-tier, due to trouble staying healthy all season.
Los Angeles (N) down 7 slots
Widespread panic in Los Angeles as the Rams' lost two starters last week in the loss against Pittsburgh. Right tackle Rob Havenstein injured his meniscus (knee) and will likely miss a couple of games. Center Brian Allen had a worse knee injury, as he was placed on injured reserve. The resulting lineup shuffle saw Bobby Evans in for Havenstein at right tackle, left guard David Andrews moved to right guard, right guard Austin Blythe moved to Brian Allen's center spot, and Austin Corbett to left guard. While Blythe does have starting experience at the center position from previous seasons, all of this change is not good for the Rams' overall offensive line grade. This unit currently grades in the low-tier.
Los Angeles (A) down 8 slots
Both tackles are struggling for this team. At left tackle, Russell Okung only played seven snaps against Oakland last Thursday, leaving the game with a groin strain. Okung has not practiced this week and is considered week-to-week in his recovery. Rookie Trey Pipkins played 91% of offensive snaps last week and could get his first career NFL start this weekend against Kansas City in Mexico. Right tackle Sam Tevi underwent knee surgery prior to week 10's contest and will likely be out 1-2 weeks with recovery. Trent Scott, who had been subbing for Okung at left tackle, looked extremely shaky in his move back to the right side. Until they can find certainty in the lineup this Chargers' offensive line carries a low-tier grade.
Detroit down 6 slots
Right tackle Rick Wagner was forced from last week's game against Chicago. Wagner has not practiced this week and is still in the league's concussion protocol. Tyrell Crosby, a second year player out of Oregon, will likely get the start this weekend. Crosby is an athletic prospect but this would only be his fourth career start, coming against an angry Dallas defensive front. This line started the year with a solid mid-tier grade but injuries and current form have their grade sitting in the low-tier.
OTHER NEWS
- AZ - Right tackle Justin Murray appears at least another week away from his knee injury. Justin Pugh continues to start in place of Murray (and it is fair to question if Murray will get his job back, as the line grades better without him).
- CAR - Left tackle Greg Little has finally emerged from the league's concussion protocol (entered in Week 3) and has practiced in full. With Dennis Daley possibly out with a groin injury, Little could get the start this week home against Atlanta.
- CIN - Right tackle Bobby Hart is nursing a shoulder injury, and Alex Redmond still has some rehab on knee/ankle injuries. Both could be available after the team's bye week.
- DEN - Right tackle JaWuan James is still dealing with a knee injury, look for Elijah Wilkinson to get the start at Minnesota.
- HOU - Right tackle Tytus Howard (knee) and Left tackle Laremy Tunsil (shoulder) were both limited in practice, but both are likely to play this weekend at Baltimore.
- JAX - Center Brandon Linder (shoulder) and LT Cam Robinson (knee) both limited in practice, but both are likely to play this weekend at Indianapolis.
- KC - Left tackle Eric Fisher is still out with sports hernia (core muscle tear). Cam Erving will continue to start at tackle in his place. Guard Martinas Rankin was placed on the IR with a Patellar tendon tear in his knee, but he was going to be a backup. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz left last week's game at Tennessee with a knee sprain. Schwartz's consecutive snap streak was broken at 7,894. Schwartz returned in the second half and is probable for the Chargers game (held in Mexico City).
- MIN - Right guard Josh Kline will likely miss this week's game against Denver with a concussion. Dakota Dozier will start, both players carry similar grades.
- NYG - Left tackle Nate Soldier is in concussion protocol. Center Jon Halapio is dealing with a hamstring injury. Right tackle Mike Remmers has a back injury. The team is on a bye.
- NYJ - Right guard Brian Winters was placed on IR with a persistently dislocated shoulder (Tom Compton to replace), Center Ryan Kalil is still limited with a knee injury and could miss another game. Alex Lewis is limited with an elbow injury and Kelvin Beachum is dealing with an ankle injury, but both should play this weekend against Washington.
- OAK - Center Rodney Hudson (ankle) and Right tackle Trent Brown (knee) both limited, both likely to play at home against Cincinnati.
- TB - Left guard Ali Marpet is dealing with an ankle but is likely to play this weekend against New Orleans.
FULL RANKINGS
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Old
|
Diff
|
Score
|
Overall Grade
|
Run Grade
|
Pass Grade
|
Cohesion
|
Notes
|
|
1
|
Philadelphia
|
3
|
2
|
35.03
|
A+
|
A+
|
A+
|
5
|
LT Jason Peters likely to return from knee injury (Andre Dillard to bench).
|
|
2
|
New Orleans
|
1
|
-1
|
34.38
|
A+
|
A+
|
A+
|
4
|
LG Andrus Peat out 6 weeks with broken arm. (Will Clapp, Patrick Omameh or Nick Easton to replace).
|
|
3
|
Pittsburgh
|
4
|
1
|
34.08
|
A+
|
A+
|
A+
|
5
|
RG Ramon Foster likely to return from with concussion (BJ Finney to bench).
|
|
4
|
Dallas
|
2
|
-2
|
33.18
|
A
|
A+
|
A
|
4
|
LG Connor Williams week-to-week after knee surgery (Xavier Su'a-Filo to replace).
|
|
5
|
Indianapolis
|
5
|
0
|
32.3
|
A
|
A+
|
A
|
5
|
|
|
6
|
Oakland
|
6
|
0
|
32.13
|
A
|
A+
|
A-
|
5
|
Monitor RT Trent Brown knee injury and C Rodney Hudson ankle injury (STILL IN RANKS).
|
|
7
|
Tennessee
|
15
|
8
|
32.05
|
A
|
A+
|
A-
|
5
|
C Ben Jones is out of concussion protocol, started Week 10 vs KC (Jamil Douglas to bench).
|
|
8
|
Baltimore
|
7
|
-1
|
31.93
|
A
|
A+
|
A-
|
5
|
|
|
9
|
Carolina
|
9
|
0
|
31.78
|
B+
|
A-
|
B
|
5
|
|
|
10
|
Green Bay
|
8
|
-2
|
31.68
|
B+
|
A-
|
B
|
4
|
|
|
11
|
Atlanta
|
16
|
5
|
31.55
|
B+
|
A-
|
B
|
4
|
Scheduled cohesion upgrade.
|
|
12
|
Kansas City
|
11
|
-1
|
31.28
|
B
|
B-
|
B+
|
4.5
|
RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif likely to return from an ankle injury (Martinas Rankin to IR). LT Eric Fisher still out with groin injury (Cam Erving).
|
|
13
|
Chicago
|
12
|
-1
|
31.18
|
B
|
B+
|
B-
|
4.5
|
|
|
14
|
Seattle
|
13
|
-1
|
31.03
|
B
|
B+
|
B-
|
4
|
|
|
15
|
Jacksonville
|
14
|
-1
|
30.93
|
B
|
B+
|
B-
|
5
|
|
|
16
|
Washington
|
17
|
1
|
30.31
|
B-
|
B-
|
B-
|
4
|
LT Trent Williams reported from hold out but not playing with team (no change to ranks).
|
|
17
|
San Francisco
|
10
|
-7
|
30.28
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
4.5
|
LT Joe Staley out 2 weeks with a dislocated finger requiring surgery. Justin Skule to replace.
|
|
18
|
Houston
|
19
|
1
|
30.18
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
5
|
|
|
19
|
Cleveland
|
20
|
1
|
30.18
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
4.5
|
|
|
20
|
Buffalo
|
22
|
2
|
30.08
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
5
|
|
|
21
|
Tampa Bay
|
24
|
3
|
30.05
|
B-
|
B-
|
B-
|
5
|
|
|
22
|
Arizona
|
26
|
4
|
29.9
|
C+
|
C+
|
C+
|
4.5
|
|
|
23
|
Denver
|
27
|
4
|
29.75
|
C+
|
C
|
B-
|
5
|
RT JaWuan James likely still out with knee injury (Elijah Wilkinson to replace).
|
|
24
|
NY Giants
|
28
|
4
|
29.65
|
C+
|
B-
|
C
|
4.5
|
C Jon Halapio, RT Mike Remmers and LT Nate Solder have the bye week to recover their various injuries.
|
|
25
|
Minnesota
|
25
|
0
|
29.53
|
C+
|
B-
|
C
|
4
|
LG Josh Kline likely out with a concussion (Dakota Dozier to replace)
|
|
26
|
LA Chargers
|
18
|
-8
|
29.05
|
C
|
C-
|
C+
|
4
|
RT Sam Tevi week-to-week after knee surgery (Trent Scott to replace). Monitor LT Russell Okung groin injury, Trey Pipkins would replace (STILL IN RANKS).
|
|
27
|
NY Jets
|
29
|
2
|
29.03
|
C
|
C+
|
C-
|
4
|
LT Kelvin Beachum likely to return from ankle injury (Chuma Edoga to RT, Brandon Shell to bench). C Ryan Kalil likely out with knee injury (Jonotthan Harrison)
|
|
28
|
LA Rams
|
21
|
-7
|
28.78
|
C-
|
C
|
D+
|
3.5
|
RT Rob Havenstein week-to-week with a knee injury (Bobby Evans to replace). C Brian Allen (knee) to IR. (Austin Blythe to C, Austin Corbett to LG, David Andrews to RG) .
|
|
29
|
Detroit
|
23
|
-6
|
28.55
|
C-
|
C
|
D+
|
4
|
RT Rick Wagner likely out with a concussion (Tyrell Crosby to replace).
|
|
30
|
Miami
|
30
|
0
|
28.28
|
C-
|
C-
|
C-
|
4
|
|
|
31
|
New England
|
31
|
0
|
28.25
|
C-
|
C-
|
C-
|
4
|
|
|
32
|
Cincinnati
|
32
|
0
|
27.93
|
D+
|
C-
|
D
|
4
|
LT Cordy Glenn out of concussion protocol but still not playing (John Jerry).
|
If you have a question about a player, team or matchup not specifically talked about in this article, please feel free to contact the author via Twitter.
