Chris Lindstrom Sits On Top of PFF’s Guard Rankings

Atlanta Falcons' Chris Lindstrom is ranked the best offensive guard in the NFL

Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons surprised a lot of pundits with the selection of Michael Penix Jr. this year. But it was hardly the first time the Falcons made a shocking first-round choice.

Previous Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff surprised a lot of fans by picking guard Chris Lindstrom at No. 14 overall in the 2019 NFL draft. 

But the selection has worked out. On June 5, Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) Thomas Valentine ranked Lindstrom the best offensive guard in the NFL.

“Lindstrom had a slow start to his NFL career, but his year-over-year improvement has made him one of the best guards in the NFL over the past three years,” wrote Valentine. “The former first-round pick has earned second-team All-Pro honors in back-to-back years and is the league's highest-graded guard since 2022.

“Lindstrom is a force in the run game, using his athleticism and physicality to create lanes. And his pass blocking has improved, resulting in a 78.6 pass-blocking grade in 2023 after he allowed just 15 pressures.”

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The 27-year-old is at the top of PFF’s guard rankings a season after he finished with an 87.6 PFF player grade. That ranked first among guards with at least 200 snaps.

Lindstrom's recognition might be coming a year late considering he was PFF's highest graded player at any position in 2022 with a staggering 95.0.

Lindstrom has earned a PFF player grade of at least 83.7 in each of the past three seasons.

Atlanta’s right guard isn’t the only Falcons offensive linemen to receive recent recognition from PFF. Pro Football Focus’ Zoltan Buday named Falcons center Drew Dalman the team’s most underrated player.

Playing next to each other, Lindstrom and Dalman helped make up perhaps the best interior offensive line unit in the NFL last season. Like Lindstrom, Dalman was one of the best at his position. Dalman earned an 82.3 PFF player grade, which was third best among centers with more than 10 snaps played last year.

At left guard, the Falcons started rookie Matthew Bergeron, who was serviceable during his first season in the league.

Perhaps the lesson learned with Lindstrom is for fans not to buy too much into the initial-draft reaction to a first-round pick. It sometimes takes a couple years for a player to become a star.

The Falcons hope Penix will be the next developing star in Atlanta.

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