While the offensive line might not represent a direct draft day decision for your roster, few areas of knowledge can offer a competitive advantage in fantasy football like having a good grasp of the various units of trench soldiers around the league. Over the course of the next couple weeks, I'll break down every NFL team's offensive lines into five tiers: the Crème de la Crème, the Highly Competent, the Serviceable, the Pretty Grim, and the Bunk.Just six NFL offensive lines made their way into the 2008 group of the Crème de la Crème. If you see a team on this list, rest assured your running game is safe, your quarterback with have decent pocket time, and you might just dig up some big time sleepers amongst these rosters. Consider this your early birthday present. You ride with these guys and you're ridin' in drop top, six-four, tinted windows, top down, AC on style.
Read on for the best six offensive lines in the NFL.
In no particular order...
The Cleveland Browns: An arbitrary distinction if there ever was one, Cleveland holds our title for the best offensive line in the NFL in 2008. You know the impact Joe Thomas made in 2007, but it goes way beyond Gone Fishin' Joe. Eric Steinbach drops another anchor on the left side at the guard spot and Kevin Schaffer moved to his natural right tackle position after Thomas joined in 2007. Schaffer will line up next to either Seth McKinney or Ryan Tucker, both capable, at right guard. Hank Fraley gets the job done at center and depth is not an issue. You think it's a coincidence that Jamal Lewis came back to life last season and Derek Anderson put up big time numbers out of absolutely nowhere? If Jailbird Jamal is not on your radar for a #2 running back, wake up.
2007 Sacks Allowed: 19
2007 Yards Per Carry: 4.3
The Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys boast a veteran core that includes a triforce of Pro Bowlers. While Andre Gurode at center, Flozell Adams at the money spot (left tackle), and Leonard Davis at left guard are not household names, sending three lineman from the same team to the Pro Bowl is damn near impossible. The remaining two starters are not far behind skill wise either with Kyle Kosier at right guard and Mark Columbo at right tackle. Most pundits will mention holding penalties as an issue amidst the Cowboys' unit, but this is fantasy football, so what do we care?
2007 Sacks Allowed: 25
2007 Yards Per Carry: 4.2
The Minnesota Vikings: If there's a cog in the argument machine for Adrian Peterson to go number #1 in the draft, this is it. Steve Hutchinson is one of the best in the game at left guard and makes everyone around him better. Even better for the Vikings, Pro Bowl center Matt Birk is around him, making this the toughest middle in the game. Keep an eye on Bryant McKinnie at left tackle; he got in a brawl and may face a suspension. Still, Hutchinson is on the team, so everything will be fine. If you have any doubts, just ask Shaun Alexander.
2007 Sacks Allowed: 38
2007 Yards Per Carry: 5.3
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs represent probably the most improved unit coming into 2008 (one could argue the same for 2007 as well). The acquisition of Jeff Faine from New Orleans at center propels an already adequate line into the elite. The core of last year's unit, a solid run blocking group, returns. With or without him, the Bucs look to be in great shape, but the return of stalwart Luke Pettigout after tearing knee ligaments last year could lead this unit into near dominance.
2007 Sacks Allowed: 36
2007 Yards Per Carry: 4.2
The New England Patriots: Blah, Blah, Blah. I wish it weren't true too, but the Pats again boast a sturdy wall up front. They have a young unit with three Pro Bowlers: Matt Light at left tackle, Dan Koppen at center, and Logan Mankins at left guard. After the Super Bowl, there's an argument that this unit is overrated given the Giants' success getting to Brady, but I'd attribute that to an elite front four in New York over than any weakness in New England's group. The entire unit remains in tact for the fourth straight season, so I wouldn't count on Brady spending much time on the ground.
2007 Sacks Allowed: 21
2007 Yards Per Carry: 4.0
The New York Giants: I cannot claim that I know how they do it, but the Giants group of virutal no-namers somehow morphs into Voltron as a unit. Rumored to be a close knit group both on and off the field, the Giants offensive line proves that there is something to be said about chemistry when it comes to building an offensive front. Save for diehard NFC East fans, most people probably haven't heard of a single player on the front line, but every single straters has over 5 years experience and as a team, they are as good as they come.
2007 Sacks Allowed: 28
2007 Yards Per Carry: 4.6
Disclaimer: The author's net offensive line experince consisted of playing tight end in 9th and 10th grade and he loathed football practice more than pretty much anything else, ever.
