There is generally a lot of lip service paid to offensive lines in the fantasy community. For the most part, fantasy analysts and managers overwhelmingly tend to reach the following conclusions about teams as it relates to offensive lines:

1) They must have a good pass-blocking line if the quarterback doesn't take a lot of sacks and

2) They must have a good run-blocking line if multiple backs on the same team run "well" consistently.

As is typically the case in this industry, such analysis is far too simplistic and far from 100 percent true. So why does that logic seem to reign supreme? Analyzing offensive line play is not glamorous or easy and requires a high degree of football intelligence. Most analysts would rather resort to their models and hope for the best when it comes to the health or performance of NFL offensive lines.

There are also no well-established stats (or easily) available to the public - other than those that players accumulate at other positions - to inform the general fan as to how those five linemen are performing play after play. A nuanced film watcher's educated guess might be right about 90 percent of the time, but only each team's offensive line coach can legitimately claim he knows what each of his linemen should be doing - and who they should be blocking - on every play.

Shockingly, offensive line coaches are not going to share that information with Joe Q. Fan anytime soon.

Why does any of this matter? If "it all starts up front" as coaches have been saying for decades, then getting a sense of how proficient an offensive line is at their job should mean quite a bit to the fantasy game. Many people could care less about the hot dog is made. They care a lot more about how the hot dog tastes. Those fantasy managers need to understand that line of thinking only increases the chances of a potential bust landing on our fantasy teams this summer.

Below you will find a team-by-team breakdown of the projected five starting linemen for each AFC team at their likely spots. A new feature this season: I am giving each starter and the starting group as a whole a run- and pass-blocking projected score to illuminate how I expect the lines to perform in 2023.

At the end of this article, I rank each team's offensive line as a run-blocking unit, pass-blocking unit and by overall score.

As I did last season, I am including backup linemen. I am doing this to 1) illustrate the depth each team appears to have and 2) account for potential camp battles in which the "underdog" overtakes the "favorite." Pro Football Focus' run-blocking grade (RBG) from last season is included in the second-to-last column, while PFF's pass-blocking grade (PBG) from last season is in the last column.

Green box - Player graded 80 or higher in that particular discipline per PFF (100-point scale)
Blue box - Player graded between 70 or 79.9 in that particular discipline
Yellow box - Player graded between 60 or 69.9 in that particular discipline
Red box - Player graded 59.9 or lower in that particular discipline
Black box - Rookie or did not play in 2022

23 R-Rating - Projected run-blocking grade
23 P-Rating - Projected pass-blocking grade

Reason(s) for optimism: Johnson appears poised to take the Tyler Smith career route, playing left guard for a year or two while Humphries either begins to decline or becomes too costly for the Cardinals (his cap number is set to reach $22.9 million next season). Johnson started at guard for a season at Ohio State and was the top lineman on Arizona's board (as his selection at No. 6 overall would suggest).

Potential question mark(s): Hernandez bounced back as a pass-blocker last year after two down seasons but remains mostly average as a run-blocker. Beachum turned 34 years old in early June.

Reason(s) for concern: Center. Froholdt held up reasonably well last year in the pivot with the Browns considering his lack of experience there, but neither he nor Lecitus Smith (2022 sixth-rounder) should inspire much confidence at that spot. (Froholdt is on his third team since he was drafted by the Patriots in 2019.) Depth is also a problem inside. While Arizona could probably withstand an injury to Humphries and/or Beachum (Johnson could fill in at left tackle and Jones on the right side), the Cardinals cannot afford to take a hit at guard or center.

Reason(s) for optimism: McGary excelled as a run-blocker last year. He also made a similar but equally significant improvement in pass protection. Likely starting LG Bergeron played left tackle at Syracuse and was considered one of the best run-blockers in the 2023 draft class. The Falcons may envision him taking the Tyler Smith route as a college tackle that begins as a guard before moving outside later in his career.

Potential question mark(s): Dalman flashed in limited action as a rookie in 2021, but he was exposed a bit more often as a full-timer last year. All Atlanta has in reserve is seventh-round pick Gywn and Jonotthan Harrison, who hasn't logged an NFL snap since tearing his Achilles in October of 2021.

Reason(s) for concern: Depth. While the loser of the battle at left guard (Bergeron versus incumbent Hennessy) figures to be one of the better backup guards in the league, the Falcons will have to scramble a bit if Matthews or McGary miss some time. Bergeron was a very good tackle in college and would likely fill in on the left or right side if that happened, but Atlanta can ill-afford to lose Matthews or Dalman for any length of time.

Reason(s) for optimism: Fourth-round selection Zavala, who is a freaky athlete at 322 pounds and Ekwonu's former college teammate at NC State. Bozeman signed a three-year, $18 million contract to return to Carolina in March, suggesting the team expects him to perform more like he did to begin last season than he did at the end.

Potential question mark(s): Corbett, who is recovering from a Week 18 ACL tear.

Reason(s) for concern: Bozeman struggled late in 2022, surrendering 10 pressures over his final four games after yielding two through his first seven. Tecklenburg and his 131 snaps in the pivot from 2021 are all the Panthers have behind Bozeman.

Cornerstone(s): Jones, Wright

Reason(s) for optimism: Jenkins. After the left tackle experiment failed miserably in 2021, Chicago moved him inside and appears to have stumbled onto a long-term answer inside. Borom - last year's starting right tackle - figures to slide into a swing tackle role, providing Chicago solid depth at the most important line position. Likely new starting RG Davis should give the Bears a run-blocking force it has not had at the spot in years.

Potential question mark(s): Patrick appeared to be on his way to becoming a solid guard in 2020 with Green Bay, but he dropped off a bit in 2021 and was little more than a turnstile as a pass-blocker in his first season with the Bears in 2022. If Patrick can recapture his 2020 magic, he would valuable insurance at all three interior positions.

Reason(s) for concern: Whitehair. The only reason Whitehair is listed here is that he has not logged a snap in the pivot since 2020. He experienced most of his best seasons as a full-time center earlier in his career, so perhaps a return to that spot is what solidifies the line.

Cornerstone(s): Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Martin

Reason(s) for optimism: Steele performed admirably in his first real shot at full-time action at right tackle, grading out particularly well as a run-blocker. The Cowboys also know their future left tackle (Tyler Smith) is already on the roster and more than capable of holding down that spot based on what he did as a rookie in 2022.

Potential question mark(s): Depth. Dallas' projected backups - at least the ones returning from last season - logged 243 snaps combined in 2022. Of those four players, only Aviante Collins enters the season with more than two years of NFL experience. Landing the versatile Edoga in free agency at least gives the Cowboys a fighting chance if one of the starters at tackle or guard goes down.

Reason(s) for concern: Tyron Smith and Martin will both turn 33 years old late this season.

Cornerstone(s): Decker, Ragnow, Sewell

Reason(s) for optimism: Vaitai returns after missing all of 2022 with a back injury. Vaitai was coming off a good 2021 season at right guard and should return to form playing in between Ragnow and Sewell. Glasgow is coming off a down year in Denver but fared well for most of his previous six seasons with the Lions (2016-19) and Broncos (2020-21).

Potential question mark(s): Jackson would be a reason for optimism for most teams and is hardly a weakness for one of the best o-lines in the league. His biggest problem to this point is that he has been an average run-blocker since becoming a pro three years ago for a team that wants to pound the rock.

Reason(s) for concern: The depth behind Glasgow is lacking. While he can cover any of the three interior spots, Nelson, who projects as the top reserve at both tackle spots, has been mostly average across 987 NFL snaps.

Cornerstone(s): Bakhtiari, Jenkins

Reason(s) for optimism: Tom held up exceedingly well - especially as a pass-blocker - when he was asked to fill in for Bakhtiari at left tackle last season as a rookie. Myers is well on his way to becoming an above-average player in the pivot if he can shore up his run-blocking; he is already there as a pass-blocker. The same can be said for Runyan.

Potential question mark(s): Bakhtiari has played a combined 12 games over the last two seasons due to a knee injury. The good news is that he and Green Bay are confident his knee issues are no longer a problem.

Reason(s) for concern: Nijman is a good enough pass-blocker to get Green Bay through a game or two without Bakhtiari or Tom and Jenkins is versatile enough to play anywhere if necessary, but the depth is lacking as a whole. An extended absence by Myers would be crushing, as Jenkins (297 snaps in 2020) and Jake Hanson (four snaps) are the only other Packers to have ever snapped the ball to a Green Bay quarterback.

Cornerstone(s): Havenstein may never be an All-Pro performer, but he has performed well enough over the bulk of his career to set the minds of HC Sean McVay & Co. at ease.

Reason(s) for optimism: Second-round pick Avila was just what the doctor ordered for a unit that was ravaged by injury in 2022 and hopes to set a more physical tone in 2023. It should come as no surprise if he ends up being the Rams' best guard since Rodger Saffold.

Potential question mark(s): Allen has usually played at a high level when he has been on the field, but bad luck has been a critical part of his NFL resume. If he stays on the field this year, the line should be good enough. If not, the Rams could be headed for another year of playing the guessing game up front. LA's injury adventure began in 2022 with third-round draft pick Bruss getting hurt before the start of the season. Getting a full year from him as well as Allen and Avila will be key to Cam Akers building on his strong finish last season.

Reason(s) for concern: Noteboom was being counted upon to replace the retired Andrew Whitworth last year. He did not play particularly well before he was lost for the season in mid-October with an Achilles injury. Fifth-round draft choice McClendon could conceivably unseat him with a strong camp. Even though many players saw reps up front for the Rams last season due to the laughable number of injuries they suffered, quality depth is also a huge issue.

Cornerstone(s): Darrisaw, O'Neill

Reason(s) for optimism: Minnesota started to see more flashes of the first-round investment it made in 2019 with Bradbury last year. He has consistently graded out well in the run game, but 2022 was the first time his work in the passing game came close to matching it. Udoh showed well enough in limited snaps to give the Vikings reason to believe in their depth behind Darrisaw and O'Neill. Ditto for Reed at each of the three interior spots.

Potential question mark(s): Cleveland has been a very good run-blocker since entering the league three years ago, but his pass-blocking grades have been mostly subpar. The same can be said for Ingram's rookie campaign in 2022.

Reason(s) for concern: The lack of high-level guard play figures remains an issue, but it is the kind of issue most NFL teams would gladly accept over the depth concerns that plague more than half of the teams in the league.

Cornerstone(s): Ramczyk

Reason(s) for optimism: McCoy has graded out progressively worse in each of his four seasons, but that statement may lack some context. New Orleans has lost some talent up front in recent years, which makes any center's job harder. Hurst may be one of the league's projected backup tackles, even if his run-blocking leaves something to be desired at times. He protected Andy Dalton's blindside reasonably well in 2022 and has been a plus pass protector since landing in The Big Easy three years ago.

Potential question mark(s): Penning logged only six games due to injury as a rookie but was mostly stellar as a run-blocker in part-time duty. He was just the opposite as a pass protector, although a sizable chunk of his poor grade was a bad debut against the ferocious 49ers defense in Week 12. Ruiz has been mostly average through three seasons.

Reason(s) for concern: Peat has been average at best over the last five seasons but has somehow been able to hold onto a starting job. Perhaps fourth-round draft choice Saldiveri was drafted this spring with an eye on giving Peat a run for his money sooner than later. Either way, the Saints' guard play figures to be average at best.

Cornerstone(s): Thomas

Reason(s) for optimism: Neal endured his fair share of struggles as a rookie (eight sacks and 52 pressures allowed), but he has too much talent to beg against. He should take a huge step forward in 2023 (or 2024, at worst). Second-round draft pick Schmitz was considered by many to be the best center prospect in the draft.

Potential question mark(s): There was a time not so long ago that Bredeson would have been considered a reason for optimism for New York. He has flashed but never come close to playing a full season entering his fourth year in the league.

Reason(s) for concern: The Giants have made some huge strides forward over the last couple of years up front, but depth is still very much a concern. J.C. Hassenauer is a quality backup center, but New York could be in trouble if any of its starters miss more than a game or two.

Cornerstone(s): Mailata, Kelce, Johnson

Reason(s) for optimism: Philadelphia's two guard spots are expected to be occupied by two former second-round college centers (Dickerson and Jurgens) that have to play elsewhere because Kelce is still playing at such a high level at age 35. This is part of the reason that the Eagles are arguably more equipped to handle multiple injuries up front than any team. They have three potential starting centers, drafted a road-grading college offensive tackle (Steen) to play guard and have a solid 26-year-old backup tackle in Driscoll.

Potential question mark(s): The only real question is whether Jurgens can handle a full season of playing at guard.

Reason(s) for concern: Kelce's age and the drop-off from the starters to the backups. Of course, that will happen when a team boasts three potential All-Pro candidates.

Cornerstone(s): Williams remains in the discussion as the best offensive lineman in the NFL, even as he enters his age-35 season.

Reason(s) for optimism: San Francisco threw its support behind new starting RT McKivitz by passing on drafting a lineman with all of its nine draft picks in April, suggesting the team has plenty of confidence he will adequately replace Mike McGlinchey. The 49ers should be fine in the pivot with either last year's returning starter Brendel or free-agent pickup Feliciano.

Potential question mark(s): Banks and Burford return as the team's starting guards, but neither has stood out in a meaningful way. Both players deserve the benefit of the doubt, however, as each one was a first-year starter in 2022.

Reason(s) for concern: Moore has performed fairly well when called upon and Pryor offers experience and versatility, but San Francisco cannot afford to lose Williams to a significant injury. The rest of the line - not to mention the quality of depth - is just not good enough for the 49ers to survive it when facing the top teams in the league despite the talent they boast at the skill positions.

Cornerstone(s): Seattle appears to have struck gold in 2022, as first-round draft choice Cross and third-round selection Lucas both held up exceedingly well as rookies.

Reason(s) for optimism: Lewis turned in his most complete season in 2022, grading out considerably better in pass protection than he did in either of his first two years in the league.

Potential question mark(s): C Austin Blythe retired and backup Kyle Fuller moved on to Denver, which means the Seahawks had no one on the roster with any experience in the pivot. Brown - a former Lion - will get his first real shot at becoming a full-time player in his fifth NFL season (he did log 755 snaps at center for Detroit in 2021 and 700 snaps at right guard in 2022).

Reason(s) for concern: Haynes appears to be in line for his first full-time gig in 2023, although the jury is out on whether he has done anything to deserve it. It should come as no surprise if fourth-round draft choice Bradford replaces him at some point. Bradford may not be athletic enough to hold up very well in the passing game, likely meaning right guard will be a weak spot for this team this season.

Cornerstone(s): Wirfs, assuming he proves as good on the left side as he has been on the right side.

Reason(s) for optimism: Jensen was one of the league's best pivots until missing the entire 2022 regular season with a major knee injury (tears in his ACL, MCL and PCL along with multiple fractures, a meniscus injury and a bone chip). It could be argued his absence last season was the primary reason the offense rarely met expectations. He is supposedly healthy now. Second-round draft choice Mauch was one of the best athletes at his position in this draft class and should prove to be an adequate replacement for Shaq Mason in time.

Potential question mark(s): Projected starting LG Feiler is coming off his worst season as a pro and was deemed expendable by the Chargers. Entering his age-31 season, it is possible that his days as a capable interior starter are ending.

Reason(s) for concern: Projected starting RT Goedeke spent most of his rookie season at left guard (539 snaps at left guard, 55 at right tackle). Asking a young player to move from guard - where he struggled - to right tackle could be a recipe for disaster. To his credit, Goedeke played his best football - spending time at three different positions in the final three games - at the end of last season.

Cornerstone(s): None.

Reason(s) for optimism: Leno probably belongs in the cornerstone group, but he is just inconsistent enough game-to-game to fall short. The fact he will turn 32 during the season does not help his cause, but that should not take away from the fact he has been a very good player in his two seasons with Washington. Cosmi is knocking on the door of being a cornerstone with two good seasons before the age of 24 and could take the next step moving inside to guard after holding up well as a right tackle. Gates should be an upgrade over Chase Roullier, who could not stay on the field over the last two years.

Potential question mark(s): Moving Cosmi inside to give Wylie a spot in the lineup seems like a questionable move, although new OC Eric Bieniemy likely knows Wylie as well as anyone from their days together in Kansas City. LG Andrew Norwell endured the worst of his nine seasons as a pro in 2022. There is speculation he will be released soon.

Reason(s) for concern: Leno and Norwell are both 31 years old. Beyond that, Wylie is a replacement-level tackle. The Commanders could easily solve multiple problems if third-round draft choice Stromberg shows well early and can lock down a starting job in the pivot. Washington could then push Gates out to right guard and Cosmi back out to right tackle. If Stromberg cannot break through until 2024 and the left side of the line shows its age, this thing could fall apart quickly.

As promised, my final projected grades for each team's offensive line.