Consistency
Holding The Line: AFC West
Ron Rigney has a look at what players have changed his new team and what that means for his fantasy football consistency!.
The latest changes to the offensive line have had the greatest impact on NFL teams and fantasy football, and Ron Rigney highlights those changes to the consistency of the weapons they protect.
4/22/2026 Edition*
AFC WEST
DENVER BRONCOS
Key Additions – none
Not much to say about one of the best O-lines in football. Despite injuries at center, Denver finished as the top pass-blocking line in the league and was the only one to allow fewer than 13 sacks, allowing just 6 according to PFF.com. With no losses to an already spectacular group, they should continue their success in the pass-blocking game.
On the ground, Denver was middle of the road running the football, averaging 4.4 ypc and 118.7 yards on the ground. To be fair, Denver ranked just 19th in rushing attempts on the season in 2025, so the ground game wasn’t leaned on as much as you might think.
Overall, they will protect Bo Nix and give him credit, as his mobility helps him avoid sacks. I wouldn’t be surprised if Denver leans more on the running game as they have a talented second-year back in R.J. Harvey. The Broncos also brought back J.K Dobbins in free agency, so the talent is there to gain yards on the ground. They will continue to be one of the top offensive lines in the league.
More Big Guy Fantasy Football
Los Angeles Chargers
Key Additions
Cole Strange, G
Going from one of the best units in the game to one of the worst with this one. The Chargers couldn’t do much offensively as their line ranked near the bottom in most metrics. QB Justin Herbert was sacked 54 times, which was the third most in the NFL. The Chargers’ offensive line also allowed Herbert to be pressured 250 times, which was the most in the NFL.
The Chargers’ run game wasn’t much better, as it ranked near the bottom in most metrics as well. The interior of the line has been an issue for a few seasons now, and was awful in 2025. While Omarion Hampton lost a chunk of the season to injury, Kimani Vidal emerged as a fantasy contributor in the second half of the season. He was helped by a line that actually graded highly running to the outside, again because of an abysmal interior.
Looking forward to 2026, LAC should get back one of the best tackle tandems in the league from injury. Early reports say the Chargers’ front office feels Joe Alt and Rashaun Slater will be back and ready to go. With the additions of Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange, the interior has to be better than last season. It stands to reason LAC spends one of their first three picks, or more, on interior line help. If the line can stay healthy, the likes of Herbert, Hampton, McConkey, and Gadsden should see fantasy success in 2026.
Kansas City Chiefs
Key Additions – none
Kansas City finished 2025 with a unit that ranked overall just inside the Top 10 despite using a lot of different combos due to injury. Anchored by the interior, the Chiefs pass blocking graded high in most metrics. Despite this, Patrick Mahomes was still sacked 34 times, which was one of the highest totals of his career.
Run blocking was a different story, as the inconsistency of now-released RT Jawaan Taylor, along with the rest of the line, hampered the team’s ability to produce explosive plays on the ground. Lack of cohesion led to a rushing attack that averaged just 4.2 ypc and 106.6 ypg, ranking near the bottom of the NFL.
Despite injuries taking a toll, the Chiefs weren’t as bad on the O-line as it appeared. Most mocks have them using their first-round picks on defense instead. They will have to address the offensive line at some point in the draft, adding some depth. Kenneth Walker was brought in to fix their RB room, and as long as the interior stays strong, he should deliver fantasy value. If they struggle with injuries, it could be a long season for Walker owners.
Las Vegas Raiders
Key Additions
Tyler Linderbaum, Center
The Raiders’ offensive line was ranked at or near the bottom in every passing metric. They allowed 3.76 sacks per game, totaling 64 for the season, the most in the league. Per player, the unit had some of the lowest overall grades at PFF.com, despite LT Kolton Miller being one of the best in the league.
Despite having one of the most exciting young RBs in the league in Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders struggled to move the ball on the ground, finishing last in the league in ypg by a wide margin, with just 77.5. Jeanty saw contact either at or behind the offensive line for a whopping 57% of his carries and finished the season with just 975 yards and a 3.7 ypc average.
The addition of Tyler Linderbaum cost a ton, but for good reason. In addition to Jeanty, they will have projected number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza running the offense. He will need to be protected at all costs. Did the Raiders do enough to protect their investments? I’m still a little skeptical, but with a coaching change and adding some depth in the draft, it should be a much-improved offense for fantasy.
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