FanNation | FantasyFootballGoat.com Blog | NFC North Offensive Lines: Vikings Stake Claim To Top Spot

The Minnesota Vikings may have made a big splash in the offseason by acquiring defensive lineman Jared Allen from Kansas City, but the team's biggest asset is on the offensive side of the ball. The Vikings are not only the top-rated offensive line in their conference and division, but they might very well be the best in the National Football League. With Adrian Peterson, an improving young quarterback in Tavaris Jackson and the addition of wide receiver Bernard Berrian, Minnesota is set to pillage and plunder opposing defensives. And without the big horses up front, non of that would be possible.

Minnesota Vikings (1st in NFC North, 1st in Conference)
As stated above, the combination of Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson and Matt Birk give the Vikings the best left side in the NFL. That shady free agent signing of Hutchinson with the poison pill added to the contract looks huge now.

LT Bryant McKinnie
LG Steve Hutchinson
C Matt Birk
RG Anthony Herrera
RT Ryan Cook

Green Bay Packers (2nd in NFC North, 4th in Conference)
A few years ago Brett Favre was going to retire because this line didn't have enough talent to compete. Well, last year they dominated, giving Favre plenty of time to operation while opening holes for little-known running back Ryan Grant as he burst on the scene.

LT Chad Clifton
LG Junius Coston
C Scott Wells
RG Jason Spitz
RT Mark Tauscher

Chicago Bears (3rd in NFC North, 6th in Conference)
This is a gritty but aging group up front, but the addition of first-rounder Chris Williams (14th overall) should help ease the pain. Now if only they could find a quarterback, and a running back.

LT Chris Williams
LG Terrence Metcalf
C Olin Kreutz
RG Roberto Garza
RT John Tait

Detroit Lions (4th in NFC North, 14th in Conference)
This group looked good in the first half of 2007, but they faded badly down the stretch to ensure quarterback Jon Kitna's promise of 10 wins went unfulfilled. The addition of first-round pick Gosder Cherilus (17th overall) should help.

LT Jeff Backus
LG Edwin Mulitalo
C Dominic Raiola
RG Stephen Peterman
RT Gosder Cherilus

This post was written by Corey Koehler of FantasyFootballGoat.com. There you will find more of the valuable NFL and fantasy football information seen here. Also, make sure you don't miss another post by Dave - or his team of fantasy geniuses - by subscribing to his all of his content for the very low price of FREE. You can subscribe to The Fantasy Football Goat by email and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it or you can subscribe in your feed reader or on your home page. Either way you get the info fast and easy. Don't understand this whole subscribing thing? Check out this short video on RSS. See you at the top!

Comments (6) Add A Comment

July 19, 2008 12:34 PM ET

Report Abuse | QUOTE

if tavaris jackson leads the vikings to the playoff's i will name my ex wife's 1st child tavaris

RADIOMAN818

Little Rock , AR

Total Comments (41)

July 19, 2008 12:58 PM ET

I do agree that Minnesota's got the best O-line in the division but, I don't see them being in first place.

Kev316

Peterborough, ON

Total Comments (380)

July 19, 2008 01:02 PM ET

Are you crazy, Detroit isn't number 1? Kitna only went down 53 times last year, that's not even a sack a quarter. Terrible Terrible List

NYGiantsSBXLIICHAMPS

Rockville Centre , NY

Total Comments (2524)

July 19, 2008 04:15 PM ET

I like the Vikings to win the North unless somehow Farve comes back in a Packers jersey again.

Cassidy's Pumpkins 4…

Whatsittoya, NO

Total Comments (14010)

July 20, 2008 11:08 AM ET

Hey Radioman, you better follow thru. That candyass Bob Costas said if Kirby Puckett won a batting title (as a right-handed hacker) he'd name his child Kirby. Kirby did, Costas didn't.

It's not such long odds. I mean, there are only 4 teams, and well, nobody really thinks the Lions can win, do they. That puts the Vikings odds somewhere around 33%, or better.