If you’re looking for a team that might start fast, how about Washington. It projects to play the easiest schedule during the first half of the season – the fantasy season.
That’s what the numbers suggest (using the stats from 2015).
The typical fantasy schedule is 14 games, and Washington in its first seven games plays against teams that went a combined 39-78 last year. That’s the worst in the league.
Other teams with easy first-half schedules come from the AFC South – Jaguars, Titans, Colts.
The Jets, Steelers, Bucs and 49ers, on the other hand, project to play the league’s hardest schedules in those first seven games.
STRENTH OF SCHEDULE, WINS (Games 1-7) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | Pct |
Washington | 39 | 73 | .348 |
Jacksonville | 43 | 69 | .384 |
Tennessee | 46 | 66 | .411 |
Indianapolis | 46 | 66 | .411 |
Green Bay | 47 | 65 | .420 |
Oakland | 48 | 64 | .429 |
Baltimore | 48 | 64 | .429 |
Philadelphia | 50 | 62 | .446 |
Detroit | 50 | 62 | .446 |
Chicago | 50 | 62 | .446 |
NY Giants | 53 | 59 | .473 |
Miami | 53 | 59 | .473 |
Cincinnati | 53 | 59 | .473 |
Los Angeles | 54 | 58 | .482 |
Cleveland | 54 | 58 | .482 |
Minnesota | 56 | 56 | .500 |
Dallas | 56 | 56 | .500 |
Seattle | 57 | 55 | .509 |
Arizona | 57 | 55 | .509 |
San Diego | 58 | 54 | .518 |
Buffalo | 58 | 54 | .518 |
New England | 61 | 51 | .545 |
Kansas City | 61 | 51 | .545 |
Atlanta | 61 | 51 | .545 |
Denver | 62 | 50 | .554 |
Carolina | 62 | 50 | .554 |
Houston | 63 | 49 | .563 |
New Orleans | 64 | 48 | .571 |
San Francisco | 66 | 46 | .589 |
Tampa Bay | 67 | 45 | .598 |
Pittsburgh | 67 | 45 | .598 |
NY Jets | 69 | 43 | .616 |
If you use points allowed rather than wins, the results are pretty similar. Washington still up at the top, and Jaguars and Titans are in the hunt. Ravens join that group.
Jets, 49ers, Saints and Bucs still down near the bottom.
POINTS (Games 1-7) | |
---|---|
Team | Avg |
Washington | 26.0 |
Baltimore | 24.8 |
Jacksonville | 24.5 |
Tennessee | 24.4 |
Green Bay | 24.2 |
Chicago | 24.1 |
Detroit | 24.0 |
Indianapolis | 23.9 |
Dallas | 23.8 |
San Diego | 23.7 |
Minnesota | 23.5 |
Oakland | 23.4 |
Los Angeles | 23.3 |
Philadelphia | 23.2 |
Cleveland | 23.1 |
NY Giants | 23.1 |
Atlanta | 23.0 |
Cincinnati | 22.9 |
Kansas City | 22.8 |
Carolina | 22.6 |
Miami | 22.4 |
Seattle | 22.3 |
Denver | 22.0 |
Buffalo | 21.9 |
Houston | 21.7 |
New England | 21.5 |
Pittsburgh | 21.4 |
Arizona | 21.3 |
Tampa Bay | 21.2 |
New Orleans | 21.2 |
San Francisco | 20.8 |
NY Jets | 20.0 |
—Ian Allan