Premium Content
Sign Up
NFL defensive line rankings ahead of Week 18
2TC4J3P Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) celebrate after a defensive stop during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Kirk Irwin)
By
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The defensive line is the heart of any successful defense, tasked with both disrupting the opposing quarterback with a pass rush and shutting down rushing attacks at the line of scrimmage.
Elite defensive lines can change the course of a game by applying pressure, forcing hurried throws and creating turnovers while also stifling run plays to control the tempo.
This season, we will monitor NFL defensive line play all season long. Unlike our offensive line rankings, which in some cases consider previous-season rankings, these rankings will be based purely on 2024 play.
Here are the highlights for the 2024 season and the top defensive lines in Week 17. For more grades and statistics on the league’s best pass-rushers, check out PFF Premium Stats.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73939590/2200896706.0.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,1267&ssl=1 "The Linc – Milton Williams among “players who could be misvalued” in free agency")