UPGRADES
Baltimore up 14 slots
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley practiced in full this week, after missing Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets with a concussion. Stanley's return sends capable backup James Hurst back to the swing-role and brings the Ravens' offensive line grade up to the top-tier in the latest rankings. The offense will have another opportunity to roll when they host a depleted Browns defensive front seven this weekend.
Cleveland up 15 slots
A mixed bag at right tackle, as Chris Hubbard and Kendall Lamm split reps during the loss at Arizona. Hubbard is listed with a knee injury and has been limited in practice. The pre-eminent Dr. Jene Bremel predicts Hubbard is likely to play while Kendall Lamm's status is more nebulous. Center J.C. Tretter also sat out of practice with a knee injury but is likely to play this weekend in Baltimore. This upgrade (from the low-tier to the mid) is based on Hubbard's continued return to health.
DOWNGRADES
Cincinnati down 10 slots
Right guard John Miller (concussion) will likely be inactive this weekend when the Bengals travel to Miami. Billy Price will likely return the lineup. Price has not lived up to draft expectations and the coaches seem to prefer him in the backup role. This line falls from the mid-tier to the low, based not just on the loss of cohesion, but the difference between Miller and Price in recent form.
Washington down 11 slots
Right guard Brandon Scherff missed Week 14 and was placed on injured reserve this week for an elbow/shoulder injury which requires surgery. Tough break for the former Pro-Bowler as he enters the free-agent market. Wes Martin got the start for Scherff last week against Philadelphia and will likely get the call again this week when the team hosts their NFC East rivals from New York. Martin is a decent young player but there is an obvious drop-off when Scherff is not in the lineup.
LA Chargers down 18 slots
Just as I made the Chargers last week's cover story, oft-injured left tackle Russell Okung was forced from game against Minnesota with a groin injury. Trent Scott took about half the snaps in the loss against Minnesota and will look to start this week as they host a relatively weak Oakland defensive front. While the matchup is good, this line simply is not the same without their left tackle.
Detroit down 14 slots
Widespread chaos in Detroit: at right tackle, Rick Wagner rejoined practice but it is unclear if he will be well enough to start this week against a tough Denver defensive front seven. Guards Joe Dahl and Kenny Wiggins have been placed on injured reserve, leaving Oday Aboushi to start. The team claimed Caleb Benenoch off waivers from Dallas for additional depth. This is currently a low-tier line.
OTHER NEWS
- ATL - LG James Carpenter (concussion), RG Jamon Brown (illness) are questionable but neither are starters at this time.
- AZ - RG Justin Pugh has been playing through a back injury but is likely to play at Seattle - Pugh split time last week with Mason Cole (33% of snaps).
- BUF - RT Ty Nsekhe is still week-to-week with his high ankle sprain and is likely inactive when the Bills travel to New England.
- CHI - RT Bobby Massie is still week-to-week with his ankle injury and will likely be inactive when the Bears host Kansas City.
- DAL - LT Tyron Smith (eye), RT La'el Collins (knee), Zack Martin (ankle) - listed on the injury report but are expected to play
- DEN - RG Ronald Leary is still dealing with a concussion and will likely be inactive this week against Detroit. Austin Schlottmann did a solid job in his first career start last week.
- KC - Monitor the status of RG Andrew Wylie, who is listed on the injury report for three different problems (illness, ankle, and shoulder). The Chiefs do have solid depth available in Cam Erving.
- JAC - LT Cam Robinson (knee), C Brandon Linder (knee) sat out practice early in the week but are expected to play this weekend at Atlanta.
- LAR - Rob Havenstein is not listed on the injury report and appears to have lost his starting job to Bobby Evans.
- MIA - C Daniel Kilgore is listed on the injury report with a finger but he practiced in full and is expected to play against Cincinnati. The coaches continue to shuffle guards in and out of the lineup on a weekly basis, which is interesting for evaluation purposes but tough from a cohesion perspective.
- NE - RG Shaq Mason ankle was forced from last win's at Cincinnati but is not listed on the injury report for Week 15 against Buffalo.
- NO - RG Larry Warford will likely be inactive with a knee injury - Will Clapp played 33% of the offensive snaps on Monday Night against the Colts. Andrus Peat (forearm) returned to practice and he could be ready to go after missing 5 games. Terron Armstead limited ankle and Ryan Ramcyzk limited knee both expected to play. This line remains the top in the league.
- NYJ - The Jets activated Brent Qvale from IR and he could see action at right guard for Tom Compton who is a likely scratch this week with a calf injury. Chuma Edoga questionable with MCL sprain it will be interesting if he can get active before the year is out. Kelvin Beachum (both ankles) has been a weekly regular on the injury report - he is expected to play.
- NYG - Kevin Zeitler returned to practice (ankle - limited). He should return to the lineup. Nick Gates played well in his place.
- OAK - RT Trent Brown was placed on IR with a pectoral tear (Brandon Parker). Gabe Jackson is limited in practice with a knee injury as is Rodney Hudson (ankle) but both are expected to play. Richie Incognito ankle could be a larger problem.
- PHI - Lane Johnson still out with an ankle and will be inactive this weekend against Dallas.
- SEA - Duane Brown - Biceps/Knee - took his usual day off Wednesday. While he played 100% of snaps last week, the addition of the knee to the report is concerning. If he can't go, George Fant is listed with an illness but is likely to play. Mike Iupati gave way to Jamarco Jones last week, who saw 14 snaps and could be seen as a replacement for Iupati. Also, monitor the status of C Joey Hunt (leg); Like Brown, he also played 100% of snaps last week and is included in the rankings.
- TB - LT Donovan Smith missed last week with a knee injury - Josh Wells got the start, played well, and likely earned another this weekend against Houston.
FULL RANKINGS
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Old
|
Diff
|
Score
|
Overall Grade
|
Run Grade
|
Pass Grade
|
Cohesion
|
Notes
|
|
1
|
New Orleans
|
1
|
0
|
35.63
|
A++
|
A+
|
A+
|
4
|
RG Larry Warford out (Knee - Will Clapp to replace) LG Andrus Peat could return from Forearm injury.
|
|
2
|
Pittsburgh
|
2
|
0
|
33.58
|
A+
|
A+
|
A
|
5
|
|
|
3
|
Dallas
|
3
|
0
|
33.43
|
A+
|
A+
|
A
|
4
|
|
|
4
|
Kansas City
|
4
|
0
|
33.4
|
A+
|
A
|
A+
|
5
|
Monitor LG Andrew Wylie's status (Shoulder/Ankle - still in ranks - Stefan Wisniewski would replace).
|
|
5
|
Indianapolis
|
5
|
0
|
33.03
|
A+
|
A+
|
A
|
5
|
|
|
6
|
Green Bay
|
6
|
0
|
32.68
|
A
|
A-
|
A+
|
5
|
|
|
7
|
Philadelphia
|
7
|
0
|
32.65
|
A
|
A+
|
A-
|
4.5
|
RT Lane Johnson likely out again (Ankle - Halapoulivaati Vaitai to replace).
|
|
8
|
Tennessee
|
8
|
0
|
32.05
|
A-
|
A+
|
B
|
5
|
|
|
9
|
Atlanta
|
9
|
0
|
32.05
|
A-
|
B+
|
A
|
4.5
|
|
|
10
|
Baltimore
|
24
|
14
|
31.83
|
A-
|
A
|
B+
|
5
|
LT Ronnie Stanley to return from concussion (James Hurst to bench).
|
|
11
|
Seattle
|
10
|
-1
|
31.03
|
A-
|
A
|
B+
|
4
|
Monitor status of C Joey Hunt (leg) and LT Duane Brown (biceps). Both are still in ranks.
|
|
12
|
Buffalo
|
13
|
1
|
30.45
|
B+
|
A-
|
B+
|
5
|
RT Ty Nsekhe week-to-week with ankle sprain (Cody Ford replaced).
|
|
13
|
Jacksonville
|
14
|
1
|
30.43
|
B+
|
A-
|
B+
|
4.5
|
Monitor C Brandon Linder's status (Knee - still in ranks).
|
|
14
|
LA Rams
|
11
|
-3
|
30.28
|
B+
|
B+
|
B+
|
4.5
|
|
|
15
|
Carolina
|
18
|
3
|
30.28
|
B+
|
A-
|
B
|
4
|
|
|
16
|
Cleveland
|
31
|
15
|
30.18
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
5
|
Monitor status of RT Chris Hubbard (Knee), RT Kendall Lamm (knee) and C J.C. Tretter (knee) - all still in ranks.
|
|
17
|
Arizona
|
19
|
2
|
30.15
|
B-
|
B-
|
B-
|
5
|
|
|
18
|
NY Giants
|
20
|
2
|
30.15
|
B-
|
B-
|
B-
|
5
|
RG Kevin Zeitler returned to practice (Monitor his status Ankle/Back injuries - Nick Gates would replace again).
|
|
19
|
Oakland
|
21
|
2
|
30.13
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
4
|
RT Trent Brown to IR pectoral injury (Brandon Parker replaced).
|
|
20
|
Minnesota
|
22
|
2
|
30.03
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
5
|
|
|
21
|
San Francisco
|
23
|
2
|
30.03
|
B-
|
B-
|
B-
|
4.5
|
C Weston Richburg to IR with knee injury (Ben Garland to replace).
|
|
22
|
NY Jets
|
25
|
3
|
29.78
|
C+
|
B-
|
C
|
5
|
Monitor status of Tom Compton (calf - Conor McDermott or Brent Qvale would replace).
|
|
23
|
Denver
|
26
|
3
|
29.75
|
C+
|
C
|
B-
|
5
|
LG Ron Leary likely out again with concussion (Austin Schlottsman to replace).
|
|
24
|
New England
|
27
|
3
|
29.75
|
C+
|
C+
|
C+
|
4.5
|
|
|
25
|
Cincinnati
|
15
|
-10
|
29.68
|
C+
|
C
|
B-
|
4.5
|
RG John Miller likely out (Concussion - Billy Price to replace).
|
|
26
|
Chicago
|
28
|
2
|
29.68
|
C+
|
B-
|
C
|
4
|
RT Bobby Massie week-to-week with ankle sprain (Cornelius Lucas replaced).
|
|
27
|
Washington
|
16
|
-11
|
29.44
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
4
|
RG Brandon Scherff placed on IR with elbow/shoulder injuries requiring surgery (Wes Martin replaced).
|
|
28
|
Tampa Bay
|
29
|
1
|
29.3
|
C
|
C-
|
C+
|
4.5
|
LT Donovan Smith missed Week 15 (Josh Wells played well in relief).
|
|
29
|
Houston
|
32
|
3
|
29.18
|
C
|
C-
|
C+
|
4.5
|
RT Chris Clark and Roderick Johnson are splitting snaps (Coaches' decision)
|
|
30
|
LA Chargers
|
12
|
-18
|
29.05
|
C
|
C-
|
C+
|
4.5
|
LT Russell Okung likely out with groin injury (Trent Scott to replace).
|
|
31
|
Detroit
|
17
|
-14
|
28.8
|
C
|
C+
|
C-
|
4
|
RT Rick Wagner missed two games with a knee injury (Tyrell Crosby replaced). LG Kenny Wiggins to IR (Oday Aboushi likely to start).
|
|
32
|
Miami
|
30
|
-2
|
28.28
|
C-
|
C-
|
C-
|
4
|
Shuffle continues at guard spots.
|
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.
