Heading into Week 1 of the NFL season, here are the top OL/DL matchups to keep an eye on and the fantasy football implications.

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Chiefs OL vs Ravens DL & Ravens OL vs Chiefs DL

The Chiefs have the advantage on both sides of the ball heading into the clash on Thursday Night Football.

Starting with the Chiefs’ offensive line, they bring back four starters, with second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia starting at LT. The inside trio of Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith may be the league’s best interior trio and have done an excellent job keeping Mahomes up on his feet.

The Ravens must pressure Mahomes if they have any shot at winning this game. The problem is outside Justin Madubuike; they need others to step up, especially after losing Jadeveon Clowney in the offseason.

Guys like Odafe Oweh and veteran Kyle Van Noy will have to step up and replace the presence of Clowney and find their way into the Chiefs backfield to slow down this Chiefs offense, or it could be an ugly start to the season for the Baltimore Ravens.

As for the Ravens offensive line, this goes from one of the best lines in football in 2023 to one of the worst in 2024. The Ravens lost three key starters from last year and will replace two of them with Andrew Vorhees and Ben Cleveland, who have never been full-time starters, along with rookie Roger Rosengarten.

They have a challenge against Chris Jones and Steve Spagnuolo, one of the league’s most underrated defensive coordinators. This Chiefs defense was second in the league in sacks (57), pressure percentage and sixth in QB knockdowns.

In one area, the Chiefs line struggles against the run, allowing 4.6 yards per carry to opposing running backs, the fifth highest in the league last year. At first glance, that may be good news for new Ravens RB Derrick Henry, but you have to remember Henry is another year older, and this will be the worst line he will be running behind since he entered the league. It may take a few games for the line to adjust, but they get thrown into the fire against an underrated veteran Chiefs line right of the rip!

Jets DL vs 49ers OL

It’s safe to say the Jets have the number one defensive line in the league, led by Haason Reddick (if he plays), Quinnen Williams and second-year edge-rusher Jermaine Johnson.

This Jets defense finished seventh in sacks (48) and fourth in pressure percentage. Guys like Johnson and second-year player Will McDonald IV are getting more playing time and experience under their belt, and this line can only get better.

On the flip side, other than Trent Williams, this OL is the weakest link of the 49ers team. The way Kyle Shanahan runs this system allows Brock Purdy to get the ball out quickly and avoid the sacks. But in more high-pressure situations when a straight drop-back approach is needed, this O-line tends to crack, and we may see this happen more often in 2024.

It is no coincidence that three of their five losses came when Trent Willimas missed all or most of the game.

Titans DL vs Bears OL

Don’t sleep on this Titans defensive line. Overall, I think the Titans are a live dog this weekend against Caleb Williams and the Bears. Losing Denico Autry hurts, but they still have an Aaron Donald-like player in Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry on the edge.

The Titans finished the 2023 season with 45 sacks, which was more than the Eagles and Lions, who are getting much more respect than the Titans.

While the Bears did a great job adding weapons for top pick Caleb Williams, they didn’t do much to upgrade the offensive line, which allowed the sixth-most sacks in the league last year. Guards Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis can hold their own when they play, but their durability remains a problem, and after the starting five, there is not much depth on the roster.

While Caleb Williams may be on track to be a great player, it will be a tough start behind a shaky offensive line.

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