Yahoo Sports·United States·Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 11:30 PM UTC

NFL Offensive Line Tiers Week 8: Rams, 49ers Stand Alone While Eagles, Vikings Fall to F Tier

Translate

Jason Katz

The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers have separated themselves from the rest of the NFL along the offensive line entering Week 8.

PFN analysts Jacob Infante and Max Chadwick sorted all 32 offensive lines into six tiers using the PFN NFL Tier List Builder, beginning with PFN Offensive Line Impact before making adjustments for injuries, personnel, and what each unit has shown on the field.

The finalized Week 7 Impact rankings have Los Angeles first at 89.6, followed by San Francisco at 87.7 and the Kansas City Chiefs at 85.8. That gap was enough for Chadwick to move Kansas City down and leave only the Rams and 49ers in the S tier.

PFN Offensive Line Impact grades each unit on a 0-100 scale, with 75 representing average and 90 representing elite performance. The team grade incorporates opponent-adjusted pass protection and run blocking along with the snap-weighted performance of the individual offensive linemen.

S Tier: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers

Chadwick saw a clear break after the top two.

"I think the Rams and the 49ers … are kind of in a league of their own right now," Chadwick said.

Los Angeles owns PFN's highest offensive line grade, with an 85.2 pass-blocking grade and an 88.0 run-blocking grade. San Francisco is essentially just as balanced, carrying an 85.2 mark in pass protection and an 86.1 run-blocking grade.

The Rams' season as a whole hasn't gone as expected, but Infante and Chadwick agreed that the offensive line has little to do with those problems. Los Angeles has received quality play across all five spots, with Alaric Jackson and Warren McClendon Jr. giving the Rams strong tackle play while the interior has become one of the strengths of the roster.

Coleman Shelton received the most praise. Chadwick identified him as the Rams interior lineman he would prioritize if forced to choose one, arguing that Shelton has elevated his game beyond simply being a dependable starter at center.

"The two guards, Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson, they're good guards. They're starting-caliber guards," Chadwick said. "I think Coleman Shelton is kind of turning into a superstar center this year."

San Francisco's excellence is built differently. Trent Williams remains the headliner, but Infante emphasized that the 49ers are no longer a line where the conversation begins and ends with their future Hall of Fame left tackle.

Colton McKivitz has played at a high level on the opposite side, while Dominick Puni and Jake Brendel have helped stabilize the interior. Infante credited both the personnel and San Francisco's ability to consistently find linemen who fit what it asks them to do.

The result is the only unit close enough to Los Angeles for Chadwick to treat the two as peers rather than simply placing the entire top three together.

A Tier: Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears

Kansas City's move out of the S tier wasn't an indictment of its offensive line. The Chiefs remain one of the NFL's best units, but Chadwick viewed them as closer to this group than to Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith remain established stars on the interior, while rookie Kahlil Benson has been one of the season's biggest surprises. Benson went undrafted after playing at Indiana but has stepped into Kansas City's lineup amid Josh Simmons' availability problems and immediately performed like an established NFL tackle.

Benson carried an 81.9 PFN individual grade through the first portion of the season and ranked inside the top 10 among tackles. Chadwick called him potentially "the biggest steal" of the 2026 NFL Draft cycle.

BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN's Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator

Denver's offensive line gives this tier another unit with legitimate star power. Quinn Meinerz has again played like one of the NFL's premier guards, while Garett Bolles has remained one of the league's best pass protectors at tackle.

Infante viewed the Broncos as one of the NFL's most complete lines because there isn't an obvious weak point to isolate. Even if the offense around the line has been inconsistent at times, the blocking hasn't been the source of the problem.

Detroit has also answered many of the questions that surrounded its interior entering the season. Penei Sewell remains the foundational piece at tackle, but Juice Scruggs, Christian Mahogany, and Tate Ratledge have helped give the Lions much more than one dominant player carrying the group.

Chicago is another unit Chadwick considered keeping firmly in this tier, particularly because of Darnell Wright. The Bears' right tackle has graded among the NFL's best players at his position, and Chadwick also credited Ben Johnson's scheme for putting the entire line in advantageous situations.

That combination gives Chicago upside to continue climbing rather than merely hanging on near the bottom of the A tier.

B Tier: Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots

Pittsburgh made one of the first manual moves of the exercise, dropping from A to B despite excellent play on the interior.

Zach Frazier has developed into one of the NFL's premier centers, while Mason McCormick has played at a high level at guard. Chadwick's concern is at tackle, where the Steelers have invested substantial draft capital without yet receiving the same level of performance.

Troy Fautanu and Max Iheanachor give Pittsburgh youth and upside, but Chadwick isn't ready to treat either as a star. That matters more because of how valuable tackle play is to the overall stability of an offensive line.

"Maybe in the future this could be an elite offensive line," Chadwick said. "I don't know if I'd call it an A-tier offensive line just now, though."

Buffalo presented a different issue. The Bills have been one of the NFL's best run-blocking teams but much closer to ordinary in pass protection. That imbalance kept Chadwick from pushing them into the A tier despite considering the possibility.

Cincinnati may have the most encouraging long-term development in this group. Offensive line problems have followed the Bengals for much of Joe Burrow's career, but Amarius Mims is beginning to look like the type of foundational tackle they have lacked.

PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN's Free NFL Playoff Predictor

Chadwick praised Mims' development from a physically gifted but inexperienced prospect at Georgia into one of Cincinnati's most important offensive players. Orlando Brown Jr., Dylan Fairchild, Dalton Risner, and Ted Karras give the Bengals enough competent pieces around him that the line no longer looks like the glaring roster weakness it once was.

New England stayed in B despite significant injury concerns, particularly along the interior. Infante and Chadwick also spent time defending Will Campbell, whose difficult postseason as a rookie changed some of the public perception around him.

Chadwick argued that Campbell has been a good starting tackle across the larger sample. His arm length may always be discussed, but his technique and movement skills have allowed him to compensate well enough to remain on the outside rather than forcing a move to guard.

C Tier: Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans

Cleveland may be the most encouraging team in this tier.

The Browns entered the season with legitimate reasons to worry about the offensive line, but several offseason additions have begun changing the outlook. Rookie Spencer Fano has already looked like a long-term answer at tackle, while third-round pick Austin Barber has exceeded Chadwick's expectations after moving inside to guard.

Cleveland also added Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins, giving the Browns multiple experienced starters around their young linemen.

"Is it elite? No," Chadwick said. "But I think they're finding foundational pieces."

That distinction matters for a Cleveland team still trying to settle its long-term quarterback situation. Infante pointed to the Browns' broader investment in young offensive talent and argued that solving the offensive line gives the eventual quarterback a much more workable environment.

DIVE IN: PFN's Free NFL HQ — Team and Player Stats, Info, and More

Arizona moved in the opposite direction, dropping from B to C. Paris Johnson Jr.'s season-ending biceps injury removed the Cardinals' best offensive lineman, and the run blocking had already been inconsistent before he went down.

Arizona has gotten encouraging play from other spots, but neither analyst thought the line should remain above average without Johnson available. The Cardinals are now relying on rookie Jayden Williams at left tackle after Johnson was placed on injured reserve.

Tampa Bay, New York, and Tennessee stayed in the middle group without creating much debate. Each has shown enough competence to remain clear of the bottom two tiers, but none has played consistently enough for Infante or Chadwick to argue for a promotion.

D Tier: Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks

Baltimore and Washington were both demoted from C during the discussion.

The Ravens have struggled in both phases after undergoing significant change up front. Tyler Linderbaum's departure to the Las Vegas Raiders left a major hole at center, and Baltimore later traded for Cam Jurgens after his difficult start in Philadelphia.

Olaivavega Ioane has been the clear positive. Chadwick called the rookie guard excellent and viewed him as the one young Ravens lineman he feels particularly confident about. The other four spots carry considerably more uncertainty.

Ronnie Stanley is no longer playing at his peak, Roger Rosengarten has looked more like a solid starter than a difference-maker, and Jurgens still has to prove he can regain the form that previously made him a Pro Bowl center.

Washington has been hit particularly hard by the absence of Laremy Tunsil. Sam Cosmi hasn't played to his usual standard, while younger linemen such as Josh Conerly Jr. and Brandon Coleman remain works in progress.

The Jets stayed in D, but their tackle situation generated one of the more interesting player discussions of the show.

Armand Membou has given New York reason for optimism. Olu Fashanu has been much harder to evaluate. Chadwick noted that Fashanu's NFL strengths and weaknesses have almost flipped from his Penn State profile.

Fashanu entered the league known for athleticism and pass protection, with questions about his ability to move defenders in the running game. In 2026, the run blocking has been respectable while pass protection has become the problem.

"It's a very weird arc right now," Chadwick said.

That has contributed to one of the league's weaker pass-blocking units even though New York has been considerably more competitive on the ground.

F Tier: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans

Philadelphia and Minnesota were the two new additions to the bottom tier.

The Eagles' fall is particularly jarring because dominant offensive line play has been one of the franchise's defining traits for years. Chadwick summed up the current situation simply: "It just feels like bad vibes all around."

Lane Johnson's midseason retirement accelerated the transition. Philadelphia had already traded Cam Jurgens to Baltimore, while Landon Dickerson's injury has further thinned an interior that once ranked among the league's best.

Jordan Mailata remains an elite left tackle, but the Eagles are now leaning on Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen, and rookie Markel Bell around him. Infante liked Bell's developmental upside coming out of college but didn't expect Philadelphia to need him in such a prominent role this quickly.

For an organization that has historically stayed ahead of offensive line turnover, the sudden number of holes stood out to both analysts.

Minnesota's record has masked some similar problems. Christian Darrisaw remains a quality tackle when healthy, and Brian O'Neill has spent years as a reliable starter, but the line has struggled to produce consistent play as a whole.

Chadwick specifically cited problems in both pass protection and run blocking and viewed the interior as an area Minnesota still needs to address. The Vikings have been able to win around the line because of their defense, but that didn't convince either analyst to keep the unit out of F.

Carolina's problems have been driven partly by injuries. Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton have both dealt with availability issues, leaving the Panthers unable to consistently put the version of their offensive line they envisioned on the field.

Houston has been more competent in pass protection than its overall placement suggests, but the run blocking has dragged the entire unit down. Chadwick also singled out Aireontae Ersery as an unusual evaluation because his NFL performance has been almost the opposite of what his college tape suggested: better as a pass protector, but disappointing in the running game.

Miami may have the most difficult situation of the six. Aaron Brewer has given the Dolphins quality play at center, and Kadyn Proctor has shown flashes inside, but the tackle play and overall pass protection have been among the league's worst.

That led Chadwick to focus less on the linemen themselves and more on what the situation means for Malik Willis. Miami is already thin at wide receiver, and pairing that receiving corps with poor protection makes it difficult to fairly evaluate Willis in what may be his best opportunity to establish himself as an NFL starter.

"How would he succeed with this kind of environment right now?" Chadwick said.

The Chargers round out the bottom tier, while Infante and Chadwick saw no convincing case to move any of these six units higher entering Week 8.

View the original on Yahoo Sports →

KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.