The schedule is out. I always start by looking at Week 17. Those are the games that don’t even count for fantasy purposes – they’ll be played, but they have no bearing in most fantasy leagues.
That’s significant. The Bucs, for example, get to toss their game at Carolina. That’s a plus for their offense.
Green Bay gets to host Minnesota, a tasty enough matchup, but if the Packers blow them out again (as they did last year at Lambeau) owners of guys like Eddie Lacy and Aaron Rodgers won’t benefit.
Here are revised strength of schedule numbers, with those Week 17 games removed.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Wins, Weeks 1-16) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Atlanta | 97 | 141 | 2 | .408 |
Tennessee | 100 | 139 | 1 | .419 |
Tampa Bay | 101 | 138 | 1 | .423 |
Houston | 103 | 135 | 2 | .433 |
New Orleans | 103 | 135 | 2 | .433 |
Indianapolis | 104 | 135 | 1 | .435 |
Carolina | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
Jacksonville | 109 | 130 | 1 | .456 |
Washington | 110 | 129 | 1 | .460 |
NY Giants | 112 | 127 | 1 | .469 |
Miami | 114 | 126 | 0 | .475 |
New England | 114 | 126 | 0 | .475 |
Dallas | 115 | 124 | 1 | .481 |
Philadelphia | 115 | 124 | 1 | .481 |
NY Jets | 116 | 124 | 0 | .483 |
Buffalo | 120 | 119 | 1 | .502 |
San Diego | 120 | 119 | 1 | .502 |
Chicago | 125 | 115 | 0 | .521 |
Minnesota | 126 | 114 | 0 | .525 |
Baltimore | 127 | 112 | 1 | .531 |
Cleveland | 127 | 111 | 2 | .533 |
Green Bay | 128 | 111 | 1 | .535 |
Denver | 129 | 110 | 1 | .540 |
Detroit | 130 | 110 | 0 | .542 |
Oakland | 130 | 109 | 1 | .544 |
Arizona | 130 | 109 | 1 | .544 |
Seattle | 131 | 107 | 2 | .550 |
St. Louis | 133 | 106 | 1 | .556 |
Cincinnati | 134 | 106 | 0 | .558 |
Kansas City | 136 | 103 | 1 | .569 |
San Francisco | 137 | 102 | 1 | .573 |
Pittsburgh | 140 | 98 | 2 | .588 |
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Points, Weeks 1-16) | |
---|---|
Team | Pts |
Tampa Bay | 24.9 |
Carolina | 24.2 |
Atlanta | 24.1 |
Washington | 24.0 |
New Orleans | 23.7 |
NY Giants | 23.6 |
Houston | 23.6 |
Dallas | 23.5 |
Indianapolis | 23.3 |
Tennessee | 23.3 |
New England | 23.3 |
Jacksonville | 23.2 |
NY Jets | 23.2 |
Philadelphia | 23.2 |
Buffalo | 23.0 |
Miami | 22.7 |
San Diego | 22.4 |
Detroit | 22.2 |
Minnesota | 22.1 |
Oakland | 22.0 |
Denver | 21.9 |
Arizona | 21.8 |
Baltimore | 21.8 |
Kansas City | 21.7 |
Green Bay | 21.7 |
Chicago | 21.6 |
Cleveland | 21.6 |
Seattle | 21.6 |
St. Louis | 21.1 |
San Francisco | 21.0 |
Pittsburgh | 20.8 |
Cincinnati | 20.8 |
—Ian Allan