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) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Baltimore | 112 | 144 | 0 | .438 |
Pittsburgh | 117 | 139 | 0 | .457 |
Dallas | 117 | 138 | 1 | .459 |
Cleveland | 118 | 138 | 0 | .461 |
Washington | 118 | 136 | 2 | .465 |
Cincinnati | 122 | 134 | 0 | .477 |
NY Giants | 123 | 132 | 1 | .482 |
Philadelphia | 124 | 131 | 1 | .486 |
New Orleans | 125 | 130 | 1 | .490 |
LA Chargers | 126 | 130 | 0 | .492 |
Jacksonville | 126 | 129 | 1 | .494 |
Las Vegas | 127 | 129 | 0 | .496 |
Tennessee | 127 | 128 | 1 | .498 |
Carolina | 127 | 127 | 2 | .500 |
Kansas City | 128 | 128 | 0 | .500 |
Tampa Bay | 128 | 127 | 1 | .502 |
Indianapolis | 128 | 127 | 1 | .502 |
Green Bay | 128 | 126 | 2 | .504 |
Chicago | 129 | 125 | 2 | .508 |
Seattle | 129 | 125 | 2 | .508 |
Denver | 131 | 125 | 0 | .512 |
LA Rams | 131 | 123 | 2 | .516 |
Minnesota | 131 | 123 | 2 | .516 |
Arizona | 132 | 123 | 1 | .518 |
Houston | 132 | 123 | 1 | .518 |
Atlanta | 134 | 121 | 1 | .525 |
Detroit | 134 | 121 | 1 | .525 |
Buffalo | 134 | 121 | 1 | .525 |
San Francisco | 134 | 120 | 2 | .527 |
Miami | 135 | 120 | 1 | .529 |
NY Jets | 136 | 119 | 1 | .533 |
New England | 137 | 118 | 1 | .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) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Cincinnati | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
Baltimore | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
Cleveland | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
Washington | 109 | 129 | 2 | .458 |
Pittsburgh | 111 | 129 | 0 | .463 |
Dallas | 113 | 126 | 1 | .473 |
LA Chargers | 114 | 126 | 0 | .475 |
Carolina | 114 | 124 | 2 | .479 |
NY Giants | 115 | 124 | 1 | .481 |
Chicago | 116 | 122 | 2 | .488 |
Seattle | 116 | 122 | 2 | .488 |
Tennessee | 117 | 122 | 1 | .490 |
Jacksonville | 119 | 120 | 1 | .498 |
Las Vegas | 120 | 120 | 0 | .500 |
New Orleans | 120 | 119 | 1 | .502 |
Green Bay | 120 | 118 | 2 | .504 |
Philadelphia | 121 | 118 | 1 | .506 |
Tampa Bay | 121 | 118 | 1 | .506 |
Indianapolis | 122 | 117 | 1 | .510 |
Kansas City | 123 | 117 | 0 | .513 |
Arizona | 123 | 116 | 1 | .515 |
Houston | 123 | 116 | 1 | .515 |
Denver | 124 | 116 | 0 | .517 |
San Francisco | 123 | 115 | 2 | .517 |
Detroit | 124 | 115 | 1 | .519 |
NY Jets | 124 | 115 | 1 | .519 |
Miami | 125 | 114 | 1 | .523 |
LA Rams | 126 | 113 | 1 | .527 |
Atlanta | 127 | 112 | 1 | .531 |
Minnesota | 128 | 111 | 1 | .535 |
Buffalo | 129 | 110 | 1 | .540 |
New England | 130 | 109 | 1 | .544 |
—Ian Allan