Fantasy Index

Scheduletron

Strength of schedule

Schedule favors Ravens in AFC North

Three divisions are wildly up for grabs – the AFC North, NFC West and the NFC South. Let’s take a look at the schedules and see if they share any light on those situations.

Looking first at the final five weeks, with the Giants and Titans projecting to play the league’s easiest schedules, and the Seahawks and Chargers projecting to play the hardest.

In the NFC West, Arizona’s remaining slate is easier than either Seattle or San Francisco (but it’s still got to play both of those teams, and Carson Palmer is still gone for the year).

AFC North: note that Baltimore’s remaining schedule is the easiest of the four teams.

NFC South: New Orleans and Carolina play remaining schedules that are way easier than Atlanta’s. The last time a wild card had to play on the road against a division champ with a losing record, it was New Orleans at Seattle. It would be neat, I think, if that got flipped around this season – maybe 11-5 Seattle playing at 6-10 New Orleans.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- Weeks 13-17
TeamWLTPct
NY Giants18370.327
Tennessee18370.327
Houston18371.330
Carolina21340.382
New Orleans21332.393
Jacksonville22330.400
St. Louis23320.418
Minnesota23311.427
Detroit24310.436
Miami24310.436
Indianapolis25300.455
Baltimore26290.473
NY Jets27280.491
Green Bay28270.509
Denver28261.518
Arizona29260.527
New England29260.527
Philadelphia29260.527
Chicago30250.545
Pittsburgh29242.545
Tampa Bay29242.545
Washington30250.545
Cincinnati31240.564
Cleveland30232.564
Dallas31240.564
San Francisco31240.564
Atlanta31232.571
Kansas City32230.582
Oakland32230.582
Buffalo33220.600
Seattle35200.636
San Diego38170.691

The previous chart, of course, includes Week 17. Most fantasy leagues are done by then. So here’s the same list, only with the final games removed for each team …

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- Weeks 13-16
TeamWLTPct
NY Giants10340.227
Tennessee11330.250
Detroit16280.364
St. Louis16280.364
Carolina17270.386
Jacksonville17270.386
Houston17271.389
Minnesota18251.420
Baltimore19250.432
New Orleans19242.444
Green Bay21230.477
NY Jets21230.477
Arizona22220.500
Miami22220.500
San Francisco22220.500
Washington22220.500
Pittsburgh22211.511
Indianapolis23210.523
New England23210.523
Buffalo24200.545
Cincinnati24200.545
Cleveland23192.545
Oakland24200.545
Kansas City25190.568
Chicago26180.591
Philadelphia26180.591
Tampa Bay25172.591
Denver27161.625
Atlanta28161.633
Dallas28160.636
San Diego31130.705
Seattle31130.705

Finally, here’s a look at what teams have seen so far. It provides collaborating evidence of which teams are actually good and bad.

The Bucs, Browns, Cowboys and Falcons have played the easiest schedules.

The Rams, Giants, Raiders and Broncos have played the hardest schedules.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- Weeks 1-12
TeamWLTPct
St. Louis67430.609
NY Giants65450.591
Oakland64460.582
Denver63470.573
NY Jets62480.564
Arizona61490.555
Miami60500.545
Jacksonville59501.541
Carolina59510.536
San Francisco59510.536
New England58511.532
Tennessee58511.532
New Orleans57512.527
Seattle57521.523
Buffalo55550.500
Kansas City55550.500
Baltimore53543.495
Detroit54551.495
Indianapolis54551.495
Chicago53561.486
Houston53561.486
Cincinnati53570.482
Minnesota53570.482
Green Bay52571.477
Philadelphia49601.450
San Diego48620.436
Washington48620.436
Pittsburgh46631.423
Atlanta44642.409
Dallas45650.409
Cleveland43661.395
Tampa Bay43661.395

—Ian Allan

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