Introduction
Every team's 2026 schedule is a different shape. Some teams have a run of home games against teams with poor ratings; others are on the road against teams with much higher ratings. Strength of Schedule is our attempt to measure that difference cleanly, for every team, in one number.
If you haven't read it yet, how Strength of Schedule works explains the methodology in full: we give every team a flat, exactly average rating of 1500 for this calculation, and ask how that hypothetical average team would fare against each team's real opponents, at the real venue for each game. Because every team is measured against the identical constant, the only things left that can move the number are the two ingredients that actually define a hard schedule: who you play, and where.
This is a one-time, point-in-time piece of analysis, published before Week 1 of the 2026 season. It is not a live page, and it will not be revised or updated as the season plays out. Every number below reflects the schedule and the ratings as they stood on the publication date above. For the current, always-up-to-date version of this same data, see the live NFL Strength of Schedule page, which does update daily.
Every table in this article is sorted by Expected Wins at 1500, easiest schedule first. We use this as the primary ranking because it already folds in the two ingredients that matter, opponent rating and game location, rather than either one on its own.
The Headline Numbers
Across the whole league, the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns are tied for the easiest schedule in the NFL, both projecting to 9.2 Expected Wins at 1500 against an average opponent rating in the low 1460s. At the other end, the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers share the hardest schedule in the league, all landing at 8.0 Expected Wins at 1500 against an average opponent rating above 1520.
One division-level pattern stands out immediately: the AFC North is, as a whole, sitting among the easiest schedules in the league. All four teams in the division rank in the top half of the table below, a useful reminder that Strength of Schedule is shaped heavily by who else is in your own division, since you play those three teams twice each.
The full table below shows all 32 teams together, sorted easiest to hardest.
| Team | Division | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | NFC South | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1463 | 9.2 |
| Cleveland Browns | AFC North | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1459 | 9.2 |
| Detroit Lions | NFC North | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1473 | 9.0 |
| Baltimore Ravens | AFC North | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1474 | 9.0 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | AFC North | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1473 | 9.0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | NFC East | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1481 | 9.0 |
| Houston Texans | AFC South | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1482 | 8.8 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC South | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1487 | 8.8 |
| Atlanta Falcons | NFC South | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1487 | 8.8 |
| Indianapolis Colts | AFC South | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1491 | 8.7 |
| Minnesota Vikings | NFC North | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1502 | 8.6 |
| Seattle Seahawks | NFC West | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1500 | 8.6 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | AFC North | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1493 | 8.6 |
| Tennessee Titans | AFC South | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1490 | 8.6 |
| New York Giants | NFC East | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1505 | 8.5 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | AFC South | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1490 | 8.5 |
| Washington Commanders | NFC East | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1504 | 8.4 |
| Denver Broncos | AFC West | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1498 | 8.4 |
| San Francisco 49ers | NFC West | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1514 | 8.3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | NFC East | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1511 | 8.3 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | AFC West | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1506 | 8.3 |
| Green Bay Packers | NFC North | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1518 | 8.2 |
| Carolina Panthers | NFC South | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1518 | 8.2 |
| New York Jets | AFC East | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1509 | 8.2 |
| Buffalo Bills | AFC East | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1516 | 8.1 |
| New England Patriots | AFC East | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1520 | 8.1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | NFC West | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1520 | 8.1 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | AFC West | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1514 | 8.1 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | AFC West | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1523 | 8.0 |
| Chicago Bears | NFC North | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1531 | 8.0 |
| Arizona Cardinals | NFC West | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1530 | 8.0 |
| Miami Dolphins | AFC East | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1520 | 8.0 |
AFC
AFC East
The AFC East is unusually bunched at the hard end of the league. The New York Jets have it slightly easier than their divisional rivals at 8.2 Expected Wins at 1500 (1509 average opponent rating), while the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills are close behind at 8.1. The Miami Dolphins have the toughest schedule in the division at 8.0, tied for the hardest mark in the entire league. New England is the only team in the division with a neutral-site game on the schedule.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Jets | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1509 | 8.2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1516 | 8.1 |
| New England Patriots | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1520 | 8.1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1520 | 8.0 |
AFC North
This is the easiest division in the league by a clear margin. The Cleveland Browns have the easiest schedule of any team in the NFL (9.2 Expected Wins at 1500, 1459 average opponent rating), with the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens both tied close behind at 9.0. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers, the toughest schedule in the division at 8.6, would still rank as one of the easier schedules in the league. Three of the four teams have a single neutral-site game; the Browns have none.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1459 | 9.2 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1474 | 9.0 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1473 | 9.0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1493 | 8.6 |
AFC South
A tightly bunched division, and a generally easy one. The Houston Texans lead the way at 8.8 Expected Wins at 1500, just ahead of the Indianapolis Colts (8.7). The Tennessee Titans (8.6) and Jacksonville Jaguars (8.5) are close behind. The Jaguars stand out on the venue side of the ledger: only 6 home games against 9 away and 2 neutral-site games, the most lopsided home/away split of any team in either conference.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1482 | 8.8 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1491 | 8.7 |
| Tennessee Titans | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1490 | 8.6 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1490 | 8.5 |
AFC West
Every team in the AFC West carries a tougher-than-average schedule, making it the hardest division in the AFC as a whole. The Denver Broncos have it easiest at 8.4 Expected Wins at 1500, with the Kansas City Chiefs (8.3), Las Vegas Raiders (8.1) and Los Angeles Chargers (8.0) all tougher still. The Chargers share the single hardest schedule in the entire league.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1498 | 8.4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1506 | 8.3 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1514 | 8.1 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1523 | 8.0 |
NFC
NFC East
A meaningful spread inside this division. The Philadelphia Eagles have the easiest schedule at 9.0 Expected Wins at 1500 (1481 average opponent rating), while the Dallas Cowboys have the toughest at 8.3 (1511), a 30-point gap in average opponent rating between two divisional rivals. The Eagles also have the most favourable venue split in the division: 9 home games against just 7 away, plus 1 neutral-site game.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1481 | 9.0 |
| New York Giants | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1505 | 8.5 |
| Washington Commanders | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1504 | 8.4 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1511 | 8.3 |
NFC North
The Detroit Lions have one of the easiest schedules in the NFC at 9.0 Expected Wins at 1500 (1473 average opponent rating), well clear of the Minnesota Vikings (8.6) and considerably easier than the Green Bay Packers (8.2). The Chicago Bears have the single hardest schedule of any team in the league (8.0, 1531 average opponent rating), a 58-point gap in average opponent rating from their divisional rivals in Detroit.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1473 | 9.0 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1502 | 8.6 |
| Green Bay Packers | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1518 | 8.2 |
| Chicago Bears | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1531 | 8.0 |
NFC South
The New Orleans Saints have the easiest schedule of any team in the NFC (9.2 Expected Wins at 1500, 1463 average opponent rating), tied with Cleveland for the single easiest mark in the entire league. The Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are tied a clear step behind at 8.8, and the Carolina Panthers have the toughest schedule in the division at 8.2.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1463 | 9.2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1487 | 8.8 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1487 | 8.8 |
| Carolina Panthers | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1518 | 8.2 |
NFC West
Along with the AFC West, this is the other division where every team is carrying a tougher-than-average schedule. The Seattle Seahawks have it easiest at 8.6 Expected Wins at 1500 (1500 average opponent rating, right at the league-average mark), with the San Francisco 49ers (8.3), Los Angeles Rams (8.1) and Arizona Cardinals (8.0) all tougher still. The Cardinals share the single hardest schedule in the league. The 49ers are one of only two teams in the league with 2 neutral-site games on their schedule.
| Team | Home | Away | Neutral | Avg Opponent Rating | Expected Wins at 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1500 | 8.6 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1514 | 8.3 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1520 | 8.1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1530 | 8.0 |
What This Means
None of these numbers say anything about how good any of these teams actually are. That's the entire point of the methodology. A team with a brutal schedule and a team with an easy one could finish with the exact same real record if the harder-schedule team is simply the better team. What Strength of Schedule tells you is how much credit (or discredit) to apply to whatever record each team ends up with once the season is played.
To be clear: this article is a one-off, fixed at the moment of publication. It will not be edited, revised or kept current as the season goes on. The numbers above are the 2026 schedule and the ratings exactly as they stood before Week 1. If you're reading this partway through the season, or in a future year, the numbers here will be out of date by definition. For the current numbers, always check the live NFL Strength of Schedule page, which is recalculated daily. The full methodology behind every number in this article is explained in how Strength of Schedule works.