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 do not want to invest the time to understand it or lack the desire to become more knowledgeable about the game.

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. Shockingly, offensive line coaches are not going to share that information anytime soon either.

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.

Below you will find a team-by-team breakdown of the projected five starting linemen for each AFC team at their likely spots. As I have done for a few seasons, 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 2024. At the end of next week's article, I will rank each team's offensive line (1 to 32) as a run-blocking unit, pass-blocking unit and by overall score.

I am including backup linemen as well, although they will not be scored like the starters. I am doing this to: 1) illustrate the depth each team appears to have and 2) account for potential camp battles in which the favorite could lose his job. 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 2024

# - Rookie
- Currently injured

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

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Stanley/Patrick Mekari (56.5, 71.6)/Linderbaum/Faalele/Rosengarten

Cornerstone(s): Stanley remains a cornerstone, as has long been the case when he has been healthy. He has graded out exceptionally as a pass-blocker for close to a decade when he plays most of a season. Linderbaum fell off a bit in the run game in 2024, but the 25-year-old has been extremely durable and is one of the best pivots in the game.

Reason(s) for optimism: Rosengarten quieted any concerns about a lack of athleticism hurting him at the pro level as a rookie and held up nicely at right tackle. Faalele may have been the most pleasant surprise, however, as the 380-pounder moved inside to guard for the first time in his college or pro career and performed admirably given his lack of experience at the position. Cleveland and Noteboom provide reasonable veteran depth, while Jones should also evolve into another quality backup option down the road.

Reason(s) for concern: The versatile Mekari left for Jacksonville in free agency, leaving the Ravens without much of a safety net should Vorhees go down again. While an injury is what initially led to Vorhees barely playing after Week 3, he did not make enough of an impression before getting hurt to convince the coaching staff he should get his job back from Mekari.

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Dawkins/Edwards/McGovern/Torrence/Brown

Cornerstone(s): Rinse and repeat: Dawkins has been a fixture at left tackle in Buffalo for eight years and graded out well as a good pass blocker every season. He has also been exceptionally durable. Brown followed up his breakout 2023 season with a stellar 2024 campaign. Dawkins and Brown allowed a total of 47 pressures on a combined 1,320 pass-blocking snaps!

Reason(s) for optimism: McGovern took a nice step forward in his second season with the Bills, holding down the pivot well after playing most of his NFL career at guard. It is possible we have yet to see the best yet from the 27-year-old. Considering how tumultuous the previous two seasons were for Edwards, he did enough last year to justify the faith Buffalo showed when the Bills signed him in free agency in 2023. Anderson was a steady depth piece for Buffalo in 2024, logging snaps at every position across the line except for right tackle.

Reason(s) for concern: Torrence was considered one of the best - if not the best - run-blocking guards in the 2023 NFL Draft. That has yet to manifest itself. While he has been available in two pro seasons, Buffalo needs to see more improvement. As balanced as Buffalo's offense has become, the Bills cannot afford him to give up 39 hurries (second-most among guards) and 46 hurries (tied for third-most) again. The depth after Anderson should be considered shaky at best.

Offensive line coach: Scott Peters (first season with Cincinnati)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Brown/Volson/Karras/Alex Cappa (54.9, 39.7)/Mims

Cornerstone(s): None.

Reason(s) for optimism: Mims is probably the one player on this line that has a chance to become a cornerstone over the next two years - especially if Peters can work the same magic with him as he did as an assistant offensive line coach in Cleveland a few years ago. Mims' athleticism for a 6-7, 340-pound man is ridiculous. Speaking of Peters, he believes Fairchild compares favorably to a former pupil of his, Wyatt Teller. Karras was the definition of league-average as a run-blocker in 2024 but has been a very good pass protector for the better part of a decade.

Reason(s) for concern: The grades speak for themselves, so it is not wonderful news that three of last year's starting five is virtually guaranteed to keep their jobs. Brown has usually been good as a pass-blocker, but he is making too much money to be a liability in the running game. He has failed to meet expectations through two seasons in Cincinnati. The thought of Cody Ford or Volson opening the season as a starter should scare the Bengals. Assuming they do not beat out Ford and Volson in camp, Fairchild and Patrick should be expected to start early in the season. Cincinnati also lacks quality depth at tackle.

Offensive line coach: Mike Bloomgren (first season with Cleveland)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Germain Ifedi (49.3, 52.9)/Bitonio/Pocic/Teller/Conklin

Cornerstone(s): Teller deserves a pass for last year after being so good in the previous four seasons, although the reason for his decline may have been returning too quickly from a sprained MCL.

Reason(s) for optimism: The 375-pound Jones probably should not be a starting left tackle in the NFL, but it speaks to how much the team wanted to move on from former LT Jedrick Wills. With that said, last year was the first time Jones lined up at left tackle since 2020 at Ohio State. He should settle in with a full training camp and perform better than he did a year ago. Pocic has been a steady force in the pivot since arriving in Cleveland in 2022. He was one of only two Cleveland linemen to play in more than 13 games a year ago. Free-agent additions Jenkins and Lucas have been solid pros for several years. The Browns are fortunate to have them as backups behind aging assets such as Bitonio and Conklin.

Reason(s) for concern: Only one piece (Wills remains unsigned) has changed recently along an offensive line that was considered very good for most of former OL coach Bill Callahan's tenure. However, most of the core is already 30 years or older. Was the drop-off due to declining skills or was one-and-out OL coach Andy Dickerson that bad? Conklin may be able to squeeze one more good year out of his body, but he is nearing the end. How much longer does Bitonio have (turns 34 in October)?

Offensive line coach: Zach Strief (third season with Denver)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Bolles/Powers/Wattenberg/Meinerz/McGlinchey

Cornerstone(s): Bolles may never come close to matching what he accomplished in 2020 as he enters his age-33 season, but he has graded out extremely well in the run and pass game. While committing penalties became an issue for him again last season (16 in 2024 after eight or fewer in each of his previous four years), coaches can live with that number a little more when he does everything else as well as he does. Meinerz has already established himself as one of the top guards in the NFL after four years and is young enough to maintain that level of play for three or four more seasons.

Reason(s) for optimism: McGlinchey is coming off one of his best years as a pro. Although he may never be a dominant right tackle, he is a durable above-average blocker who does not require much help to do his job.

Reason(s) for concern: Wattenberg graded out very well in pass protection last year - his first full is a starter - but his run-blocking remained average at best. While Denver does not appear to have anyone to push him, that aspect of his game has to get better for him to hold onto his job in a Sean Payton offense. The bigger concern is Powers, who has not quite lived up to his contract halfway through his four-year, $51.5 million deal. Forsyth gives the Broncos some peace of mind at center, but the depth at guard and tackle should be considered questionable at best.

Offensive line coach: Cole Popovich (first season with Houston)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Laremy Tunsil (73.3, 89.1)/Kenyon Green (44.6, 39.7)/Jarrett Patterson (58.8, 69.9)/Shaq Mason (56.9, 63.6)/Howard

Cornerstone(s): None.

Reason(s) for optimism: Fisher and Ersery. There is a good chance this duo will be the bookend tackles in Houston for the next few years. The problem is both players are very much still in a developmental stage on a team that needs them to play well now. Even less encouragingly, Fisher did not grade out well with his limited snaps as a rookie. Patterson showed progress in his second year but has yet to play anything close to a full season. Howard held up well after a midseason change to left guard, although it is hard to predict what he can do at one spot since the Texans have moved him so much during his six-year NFL career.

Reason(s) for concern: Tunsil will likely begin to decline in the next year or two, but he was easily the team's best lineman before Houston traded him this offseason. Popovich is a first-time offensive line coach - at the NFL level - who is being asked to assemble too many misfit toys into a collective (and most importantly, effective) unit. Robinson has played well in spurts throughout his career, but a playoff-contending team should be able to do better at left tackle to begin a season. Scruggs showed promise late in the season when he was asked to play guard, but part of the reason he was asked to move was how much Houston was ready to move on from him at center. Tomlinson has become a bit of a journeyman in recent years and Ingram has been the definition of average through three NFL seasons. In short, the Texans could have the worst offensive line in the league this season unless Popovich can get Fisher and Ersery up to speed quickly and coax career years out of all three members of the interior line.

Offensive line coach: Tony Sparano Jr. (third season with Indianapolis)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Raimann/Nelson/Ryan Kelly (64.0, 71.9)/Dalton Tucker (53.0, 48.7)/Smith

Cornerstone(s): Raimann has delivered three straight great seasons to begin his NFL career and should be a lock to hold down the left side of the line in Indianapolis for the rest of the decade. Ditto for Nelson, who is coming off his best season as a run-blocker since 2020. His ability as a pass-blocker has rarely been questioned.

Reason(s) for optimism: Bortolini performed well enough as a rookie in relief of Kelly in the pivot to convince the team not to go overboard on re-signing the latter before he bolted to the Vikings. Smith is back after dealing with a scary mental health issue last year. The mere fact he held it together as long as he did "being physically present" but "nowhere to be found" speaks volumes about his skill. Smith had been an elite run-blocker for most of his previous six seasons with the franchise. Pinter has played well enough at center and guard to help the team get through the occasional tough spot, while 2025 fourth-round pick Travis was likely selected with the intent of being Raimann's long-term tag-team partner.

Reason(s) for concern: Goncalves has taken only one snap at guard during his college and pro career (five years), but Indianapolis is hoping he can make the same college tackle-to-guard transition that Will Fries did.

Offensive line coach: Shaun Sarrett (first season with Jacksonville)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Little/Ezra Cleveland (59.7, 67.8)/Mitch Morse (55.8, 61.9)/Brandon Scherff (57.3, 74.5)/Harrison

Cornerstone(s): None.

Reason(s) for optimism: Little played the best ball of his four-year career in 2024 following the trade of Cam Robinson to Minnesota. Did he finally figure things out or was it a contract-year push? Hainsey had a bit of an up-and-down career at center with the Bucs before he was replaced by Graham Barton in 2024, but new HC Liam Coen thought enough of the 26-year-old during their time together in Tampa to sign him to a three-year deal. Mekari has been more of a super sub than a starting lock throughout his NFL career, logging at least 272 snaps at every position across the offensive line for Baltimore since 2019. Naturally, guard is the one position that he has graded out poorly when he has been asked to play it, but he has also rarely been expected to play one position all camp long or serve as a starter very often. Even if he disappoints as the starting right guard, his ability to play anywhere in a pinch will come in handy for the Jaguars over the life of his three-year contract. College tackle Milum appears to be the long-term plan at right guard anyway.

Reason(s) for concern: Harrison is still young enough to make a huge step forward, but his performance through two seasons in Jacksonville has much left to be desired. Cleveland has been mostly disappointing since joining the Jaguars halfway through the 2023 season. While he took a big step forward as a pass-blocker in 2024, his run-blocking has declined for three years. Johnson and Edoga bring a wealth of experience as backups, but both players have become journeymen.

Offensive line coach: Andy Heck (13th season with Kansas City)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Morris/Joe Thuney (74.1, 80.0)/Humphrey/Smith/Taylor

Cornerstone(s): Humphrey is about as good as it gets in the pivot. The Chiefs thought enough of Smith at right guard to give him the franchise tag. Both players have been extremely durable to boot over their three- and four-year careers, respectively.

Reason(s) for optimism: It has been a long time since Kansas City had a dominant homegrown left tackle. With that said, the Chiefs' search to find a blind-side blocker for Patrick Mahomes may have ended with Simmons, who was taken with the last pick in the first round in April. Moore was paid a lot of money in free agency to handle the left tackle job, but Kansas City's good fortune with Simmons likely means Moore will get a chance to unseat Taylor as soon as Simmons proves he is fully healed from the torn patellar tendon he suffered at Ohio State last fall.

Reason(s) for concern: Suamataia fell on his face as a left tackle early last season, so the Chiefs will ask him to move inside despite logging a mere 31 snaps at left guard as a rookie. He will try to fill Thuney's large shoes. It is hard to quantify how big of a drop-off it is to go from the latter to the former. Morris flamed out at left tackle before Suamataia and is now backing up Taylor, who has been decent as a pass-blocker and durable but little else. Taylor's run-blocking has been atrocious more often than not. He has also been among the most penalized linemen in the league since joining the Chiefs two seasons ago. Moore will be a capable replacement at either tackle spot for as long as he remains a backup, but quality depth is an issue for the Chiefs otherwise.

Offensive line coach: Brennan Carroll (first season with Las Vegas)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Miller/Powers-Johnson/Andre James (50.2, 65.4)/Parham/Glaze

Cornerstone(s): Miller has been a standout in the running and passing game for four consecutive seasons. Although he will turn 30 right before the start of the season, he should remain a bright spot up front for at least 2-3 more years.

Reason(s) for optimism: Meredith was something of a revelation in 2024, assuming the right guard job in Week 6 - after not playing the first five weeks - before moving over to the left side and running with it until an ankle injury ended his season in Week 15. His high grades above are somewhat likely the product of a small sample size, but the Raiders will likely take 90 percent of what he gave them last season. Powers-Johnson was considered one of the best center prospects in last year's draft and perhaps one of the most versatile linemen available. Despite being shifted from left guard to center and back again to left guard as a rookie, JPJ appears to be on his way to being a cornerstone. Parham appeared to be a candidate to lose his starting job at left guard last summer. He did, in a way (to Meredith), but played so well at right guard that he should have nothing to worry about early this season. In case Parham falters, Las Vegas has former Bengal Cappa and third-round draft pick Rogers in reserve.

Reason(s) for concern: Glaze graded out well for a rookie, but his seat is probably the hottest of the starting five after allowing 51 pressures as a rookie. With that said, Glaze has reportedly impressed the new coaching staff this spring. The Raiders likely selected Grant with an eye on having him replace Glaze if it comes to that, but he is a bit raw coming out of William & Mary.

Offensive line coach: Mike Devlin (second season with Los Angeles)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Slater/Johnson/Bozeman/Pipkins/Alt

Cornerstone(s): There may not be a better left tackle-right tackle combination than Slater and Alt. Slater bounced back from a mediocre 2023 campaign with the best of his four seasons as a pro. Alt struggled a bit in the run game at the end of the season but proved to be a natural in pass protection almost immediately.

Reason(s) for optimism: Working as a guard for the first time in his career, Becton played so well in Philadelphia last season that he could almost be considered a cornerstone. Before that happens, however, we need to see how he performs away from Eagles o-line guru Jeff Stoutland and playing alongside the likes of Lane Johnson. If Becton's play last year is a sign of things to come, the Chargers likely turned the weakest area of their line into a strength. Bozeman may never recapture the form he showed in Baltimore four years ago, but Los Angeles thought enough of him to give him a two-year extension in March. With James, Salyer and Pipkins in reserve, the Chargers boast an enviable amount of quality depth at tackle, guard and center.

Reason(s) for concern: Johnson is coming off the best season of his three-year NFL journey, but his career has not played out quite as well as expected yet. Devlin's primary goal this season should be to get the most out of the team's first-round draft pick in 2022, and a position swap with Bozeman remains a strong possibility. Johnson probably should have been a center all along.

Offensive line coach: Butch Barry (third season in Miami)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Terron Armstead (83.4, 84.8)/Rob Jones (56.3, 54.3)/Brewer/Eichenberg/Jackson

Cornerstone(s): None.

Reason(s) for optimism: Savaiinaea was one of the most athletic lineman prospects in this year's draft. While he will be transitioning from college tackle to NFL right guard, playing at a higher level than last year's starter (Eichenberg) will be a low bar to clear. Brewer arguably enjoyed the best of his five seasons in the NFL in 2024. With Armstead heading off into retirement, Brewer desperately needs to enjoy another fine year if Miami has any hope of fielding an average offensive line. Daniels was having a great start to last season with the Steelers until tearing his Achilles in Week 4. Assuming he is mostly healthy for training camp, he should end up being a noticeable upgrade from Jones at left guard. If everything goes to plan with the aforementioned three, Miami should have success running inside in 2025.

Reason(s) for concern: The fact that Savaiinaea could be the Dolphins' best lineman in the first month of the season speaks to how bad the line play was in Miami last year. Paul had the benefit of learning from Armstead for a year, but he did not play well in limited action as a rookie. There is a decent chance he could lose snaps to Borom at times in 2025. Jackson was inconsistent at best at right tackle before tearing his meniscus in Week 9. Borom might be an option there as well if Jackson struggles to find his pre-injury form.

Offensive line coach: Doug Marrone (first season with New England)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Lowe/Michael Jordan (44.8, 60.4)/Ben Brown (59.7, 47.3)/Onwenu/Demontrey Jacobs (41.9, 43.1)

Cornerstone(s): Campbell has yet to take a NFL snap, but I am willing to bet on a player who held his own as a true freshman starter at left tackle in the SEC will transition to the NFL easier than most. Onwenu may be coming off his worst year as a pro, but that could have easily been the product of getting so little help from the men on either side of him. He has been a good lineman for most of his five-year pro career. Bradbury and Moses are huge upgrades on Brown and Jacobs.

Reason(s) for optimism: While neither Bradbury nor Moses figures to be a long-term answer, both are experienced pros. Bradbury was likely signed in part because he is nearly three years younger than former center David Andrews. Wilson was one of the better and most athletic center prospects in April's draft and should be New England's long-term answer at the position. Moses should put a temporary end to the revolving door at right tackle after the Patriots inked him to a three-year deal. While the bottom will likely fall out from under the 34-year-old sooner than later - assuming he does not retire before the end of his contract - he played at a high level for a long stretch of last season amid the dysfunction happening with the Jets. A sign that the Patriots have made some progress up front: Lowe, Sow and Layden Robinson have gone from being projected Week 1 starters last year to backups in 2025 - assuming all of them make the team.

Reason(s) for concern: Strange's progress has stalled over the last 2 1/2 seasons since he started his NFL career on a high note. It will undoubtedly help his cause to play in between Campbell and Bradbury in 2025.

Offensive line coach: Steve Heiden (first season with New York)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Tyron Smith (72.4, 72.3)/Simpson/Tippmann/Vera-Tucker/Morgan Moses (60.6, 69.2)

Cornerstone(s): Fashanu endured a bumpy start to his rookie season, but he played surprisingly well over his final six games in relief of the injured Smith. Vera-Tucker has yet to enjoy a truly dominant season, but it could be forthcoming in 2025 as there is now little question he will remain at guard all season barring a multitude of injuries.

Reason(s) for optimism: Membou was considered by some to be the best tackle prospect in the draft and has some Jason Peters to his game. It would be shocking if he and Fashanu were not cornerstones for New York for at least the next five seasons. Simpson was just about everything the Jets could have asked for in his first season with the team and is young enough to get better. For the first time in a long time, the team has proven depth with Mitchell capable of playing every position except for center and Okorafor and Myers having each logged around 4,000-plus NFL snaps.

Reason(s) for concern: Tippmann did not play poorly last season, but some poor performances down the stretch likely convinced the new regime to add some competition in the form of Myers, who could never quite put it all together in Green Bay. It would be an upset if he beat out Tippmann in camp, but the mere fact it is a possibility makes the center position a bit of a question mark in New York.

Offensive line coach: Pat Meyer (third season with Pittsburgh)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Dan Moore Jr. (60.9, 66.9)/Seumalo/Frazier/McCormick/Jones

Cornerstone(s): Frazier graded out as PFF's sixth-best center as a rookie, which speaks to how quickly he adjusted to the pro game. He appears to be on his way to being the next great pivot for a franchise that has had several of them, including but not limited to Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Maurkice Pouncey. Seumalo missed the first four weeks of the season with a pectoral injury, which likely played a role in him having his worst season since 2020. When healthy, he has consistently been a strong run-blocker and a very good pass protector.

Reason(s) for optimism: The Steelers would have liked nothing more than for Fantanu to earn a starting job last year, but he dislocated his kneecap in practice just days after getting the nod at right tackle ahead of Jones in Week 2. While he is essentially still a rookie, he profiles as a classic right tackle who is a beast as a run-blocker. Jones' career still has not quite taken off as many expected through two seasons, but 2025 will be his first real chance at playing full-time at his college position (left tackle). With that said, Pittsburgh has to be at least a little concerned after he surrendered 11 sacks and 45 pressures in 2024.

Reason(s) for concern: McCormick appeared to get more comfortable as a pass-blocker as the season progressed. Last year's performance was typical for a Day 3 guard, which makes McCormick more of a "Pittsburgh needs to be patient with him" player and less of a concern. Scharping is a capable reserve at the interior line positions, but the Steelers need Jones and Fantanu to play well and stay healthy this year.

Offensive line coach: Bill Callahan (first season with Tennessee)

Last year's primary starters (LT-LG-C-RG-RT): Latham/Skoronski/Cushenberry/Dillon Radunz (53.6, 63.9)/Nicholas Petit-Frere (55.9, 42.8)

Cornerstone(s): Zeitler may be too old to be considered a cornerstone at guard, but all he does is consistently play a lot of snaps at a high level year after year. Even though he is on his third team in as many years, his mere presence gives this line instant credibility.

Reason(s) for optimism: Skoronski graded out particularly well in pass protection over the second half of the season. While Skoronski's run-blocking may never catch up to his pass-blocking, Zeitler's experience may be just what the former needs to break out in Year 3. Latham has reportedly started offseason work in great shape and is set to head back to his college position (right tackle) following an up-and-down rookie year at left tackle. Pittsburgh drafted Moore in 2021 and seemingly tried to replace him every year but never could for one reason or another. Tennessee appears to be certain that it can correct some technical flaws in his game (Callahan is as good of an offensive line coach as there is in the NFL) which led to him allowing 34 sacks and 184 pressures over his Steelers' career. Assuming Callahan is correct, Moore has the length and athleticism to be a top-15 left tackle in the league.

Reason(s) for concern: Cushenberry was a high-priority signing for the Titans last offseason, but his first year in Tennessee was not going particularly well before he tore his Achilles in Week 9. Neither of the two players who played the pivot after his injury (Daniel Brunskill or Corey Levin) were brought back or are likely to make the team in 2025, leaving Jaimes as the team's only fallback option if Cushenbery is not ready for September. The Titans did well to add the bodies up front that they did in free agency, but Udoh, Hance and Mustipher are mostly journeymen at this point in their careers.