The Ravens not only have a really good team, they also project to play the league’s easiest schedule. Using last year’s win-loss records, anyway.

Baltimore’s 16 games are against teams that went a combined 112-144 last year. So on paper, that’s the easiest schedule in the league. Pittsburgh and Dallas come in next, with their opponents each combining to win 117 games last year.

The Patriots, Jets and Dolphins (all AFC East teams) project to play the hardest schedules. All of those teams will play half of their games against the NFC West and AFC West divisions, which both tended to be successful last year. In the case of the Patriots, they’re two remaining games are both against division winners (Ravens, Texans).

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, WINS (Weeks 1-17)
TeamWLTPct
Baltimore1121440.438
Pittsburgh1171390.457
Dallas1171381.459
Cleveland1181380.461
Washington1181362.465
Cincinnati1221340.477
NY Giants1231321.482
Philadelphia1241311.486
New Orleans1251301.490
LA Chargers1261300.492
Jacksonville1261291.494
Las Vegas1271290.496
Tennessee1271281.498
Carolina1271272.500
Kansas City1281280.500
Tampa Bay1281271.502
Indianapolis1281271.502
Green Bay1281262.504
Chicago1291252.508
Seattle1291252.508
Denver1311250.512
LA Rams1311232.516
Minnesota1311232.516
Arizona1321231.518
Houston1321231.518
Atlanta1341211.525
Detroit1341211.525
Buffalo1341211.525
San Francisco1341202.527
Miami1351201.529
NY Jets1361191.533
New England1371181.537

Most fantasy leagues, of course, don’t use Week 17. If we set those games aside, Cincinnati moves up into the No. 1 spot (with one of its 14-2 Baltimore games not counting). And Cleveland moves up into a tie for the No. 2 spot.

New England continues to project to play the hardest schedules, but Buffalo and Minnesota move down toward the bottom in degree of difficulty.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, WINS (first 15 games)
TeamWLTPct
Cincinnati1081320.450
Baltimore1101300.458
Cleveland1101300.458
Washington1091292.458
Pittsburgh1111290.463
Dallas1131261.473
LA Chargers1141260.475
Carolina1141242.479
NY Giants1151241.481
Chicago1161222.488
Seattle1161222.488
Tennessee1171221.490
Jacksonville1191201.498
Las Vegas1201200.500
New Orleans1201191.502
Green Bay1201182.504
Philadelphia1211181.506
Tampa Bay1211181.506
Indianapolis1221171.510
Kansas City1231170.513
Arizona1231161.515
Houston1231161.515
Denver1241160.517
San Francisco1231152.517
Detroit1241151.519
NY Jets1241151.519
Miami1251141.523
LA Rams1261131.527
Atlanta1271121.531
Minnesota1281111.535
Buffalo1291101.540
New England1301091.544

—Ian Allan