NFL defensive line rankings ahead of Week 9

• The Bears are roaring: The Bears are screaming up the rankings with seemingly no weak links along the defensive line.

• The Lions drop without Aidan Hutchinson: No Detroit defensive lineman has recorded more than six pressures over the last two weeks.

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Estimated reading time: 14 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.

The Detroit Lions drop 10 spots in the rankings due to adjusting for the injury of Aidan Hutchinson. Haason Reddick made his debut with the Jets, and it’s yet to be seen what impact that will have on a unit that has underperformed in 2024. With Week 8 of the 2024 NFL regular season in the books, here are the weekly rankings heading into Week 9.

KEY

Best Player = highest graded for the season

Red text = player grades below 60 (replacement level)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (no change)

Top five in snap counts:

Watt, Highsmith and Heyward all dominated in Week 8. Highsmith has been excellent since returning from injury with 89.9 grade the past two weeks, with 14 total pressures including two sacks and five hits.

Top Player: T.J. Watt

Watt had a season-high six pressures in Week 8 en route to a 91.7 pass-rush grade. Watt’s penchant for wreaking havoc in the biggest moments in games is unmatched.

2. Cleveland Browns (up 2)

Top five in snap counts:

Smith turned in his best performance this season with a 77.2 overall grade in Week 8 vs. the Ravens. Smith has an 18.6% pass-rush win rate on the season.

Top Player: Myles Garrett

Garrett cranked out nine total pressures in Week 8 but has been held without a sack for four straight games.