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2024 NFL defensive line rankings ahead of Week 4

2024 NFL defensive line rankings ahead of Week 4

Vaseline 2 months ago

• No movement in the top three: The Steelers, Lions and Ravens remained dominant in Week 3.

Big jump from the Giants: After enjoying the Browns’ injury-plagued offensive line, the Giants’ defensive line jumps up the rankings after Week 3.

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Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

The defensive line is the heart of any successful defense, tasked with both disrupting the opposing quarterback with a pass rush and stopping rushing attacks at the line of scrimmage.

Elite defensive lines can change the flow of a game by applying pressure, forcing rushed throws and creating turnovers, while also suppressing run plays to control the tempo.

This season, we’ll be keeping an eye on the NFL’s defensive line all season long. Unlike ours offensive line rankings, in some cases taking into account last season’s rankings, these rankings will be based solely on the 2024 game.

While the Chicago Bears were our 27th unit heading into the season, they have started the season well and currently sit in fourth place after two games.

Key:
Red text = Players with grades below 60.0
Best player = player with the highest rank


1. Pittsburgh Steelers (no change)

Top five in quick counts:

Ranked first in the pass-rush class and second in the run-defense class, the Steelers’ front remains a dominant force this year. The team’s 42.7% pressure rate is the best in the NFL, while their 25 run stops rank fifth.

Top player: TJ Watt

Watt ranks fifth in pass-rush class among edge rushers and also ranks third overall. Watt is making impact plays on a weekly basis despite a lower pass-rush win rate on obvious passing situations.


2. Detroit Lions (no change)

Top five in quick counts:

The Lions’ pass-rush unit fell to second-best in three weeks (86.4), but still has the highest pass-rush winning percentage in the NFL (61.3%).

The run defense moves up one spot to 10th on the season as it continues to rank best in negative numbers.

Top player: Aidan Hutchinson

Hutchinson maintained his red-hot start in Week 3 with a pass-rush winning percentage of 31.4%. He totaled eight pressures and grades as the highest overall defender through three weeks (93.4).

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