2016 Minnesota Vikings positional evaluation: Running backs
By Adam Carlson
Zach Line
While Line is a fullback, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get some opportunities on offense to run with the football or catch passes out of the backfield. However, that doesn’t mean that his duties in pass and run blocking aren’t the biggest reasons to have him on the field.
Sadly, the Vikings poor run offense was due in a large part to the poor blocking of the offensive line and the fullback. Line’s inability to make holes for the ball carriers doesn’t rest entirely on his shoulders, but the number of times Line got thrown backwards instead of pushing forward was disturbing.
Line didn’t get a lot of touches on offense this season. He only carried the ball 7 times for 15 yards and did not reach the end zone. In addition. he was targeted by quarterback passes 3 times, but failed to catch any of them.
Improving the offensive line during the offseason will help Line be a better contributor in blocking, rushing, and receiving, but for now he has to be one of the most disappointing players to take the field during the 2016 season. Expect him to bounce back in a big away in 2017.