The 2026 NFL season is still months away, but the league will announce the complete 2026 schedule tonight. As fans look at their favorite NFL team’s upcoming slate of games, it’s natural to wonder how your squad’s schedule stacks up to the rest of the league.
That’s where PFSN comes in! Using our NFL Playoff Predictor and Season Simulator, Football Playoff Meter, and team metrics, we have ranked all 32 schedules from hardest to easiest. Where does your favorite team rank?
2026 NFL Strength of Schedule Rankings From Hardest to Easiest
1) Arizona Cardinals
- Home: LA Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, NY Jets, Philadelphia, Washington
- Away: LA Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Kansas City, LA Chargers, New Orleans, NY Giants
2) Miami Dolphins
- Home:Â Buffalo, New England, NY Jets, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, LA Chargers
- Away:Â Buffalo, New England, NY Jets, Denver, Indianapolis, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, San Francisco
3) Los Angeles Rams
- Home:Â Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Buffalo, Dallas, Green Bay, Kansas City, LA Chargers, NY Giants
- Away:Â Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Washington
4) Seattle Seahawks
- Home:Â Arizona, LA Rams, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, LA Chargers, New England, NY Giants
- Away:Â Arizona, LA Rams, San Francisco, Carolina, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington
5) Los Angeles Chargers
- Home:Â Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Arizona, Houston, New England, NY Jets, San Francisco
- Away:Â Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Buffalo, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle, Tampa Bay
6) Dallas Cowboys
- Home:Â NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, Baltimore, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
- Away:Â NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, LA Rams, Seattle
7) Las Vegas Raiders
- Home:Â Denver, Kansas City, LA Chargers, Buffalo, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle, Tennessee
- Away:Â Denver, Kansas City, LA Chargers, Arizona, Cleveland, New England, New Orleans, NY Jets, San Francisco
8) New York Giants
- Home:Â Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New Orleans, San Francisco, Tennessee
- Away:Â Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, LA Rams, Seattle
9T) Kansas City Chiefs
- Home:Â Denver, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, Arizona, Indianapolis, New England, NY Jets, San Francisco
- Away:Â Denver, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, Atlanta, Buffalo, Cincinnati, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle
9T) Chicago Bears
- Home:Â Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans, NY Jets, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay
- Away:Â Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Miami, Seattle
2026 PFN NFL Strength of Schedule 💪
📈 Who has the easiest path to the Super Bowl
📉 Who has the hardest path to the postseason pic.twitter.com/yR2wE5vOZH— Pro Football Network (@PFSN365) May 15, 2026
11T) Buffalo Bills
- Home:Â Miami, New England, NY Jets, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, LA Chargers
- Away:Â Miami, New England, NY Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, Las Vegas, LA Rams, Minnesota
11T) Minnesota Vikings
- Home:Â Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Indianapolis, Miami, Washington
- Away:Â Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, NY Jets, San Francisco, Tampa Bay
13T) San Francisco 49ers
- Home: Arizona, LA Rams, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington
- Away: Arizona, LA Rams, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, LA Chargers, NY Giants
13T) Washington Commanders
- Home:Â Dallas, NY Giants, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, LA Rams, Seattle
- Away:Â Dallas, NY Giants, Philadelphia, Arizona, Jacksonville, Minnesota, San Francisco, Tennessee
15) Green Bay Packers
- Home:Â Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Houston, Miami
- Away:Â Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, LA Rams, New England, New Orleans, NY Jets, Tampa Bay
16) Jacksonville Jaguars
- Home:Â Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Cleveland, New England, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
- Away:Â Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, NY Giants
17) Carolina Panthers
- Home:Â Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Seattle
- Away:Â Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
18) New England Patriots
- Home:Â Buffalo, Miami, NY Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
- Away:Â Buffalo, Miami, NY Jets, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, LA Chargers, Seattle
19) Philadelphia Eagles
- Home:Â Dallas, NY Giants, Washington, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, LA Rams, Pittsburgh, Seattle
- Away:Â Dallas, NY Giants, Washington, Arizona, Chicago, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Tennessee
20) New York Jets
- Home:Â Buffalo, Miami, New England, Cleveland, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota
- Away:Â Buffalo, Miami, New England, Arizona, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, LA Chargers, Tennessee
21) Denver Broncos
- Home:Â Kansas City, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, Buffalo, Jacksonville, LA Rams, Miami, Seattle
- Away:Â Kansas City, Las Vegas, LA Chargers, Arizona, Carolina, New England, NY Jets, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
22T) Atlanta Falcons
- Home:Â Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, San Francisco
- Away:Â Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Washington
22T) Pittsburgh Steelers
- Home:Â Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Atlanta, Carolina, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis
- Away:Â Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
24T) Tennessee Titans
- Home:Â Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Cleveland, NY Jets, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
- Away:Â Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, NY Giants
24T) Houston Texans
- Home: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Dallas, NY Giants
- Away:Â Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Green Bay, LA Chargers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Home: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Cleveland, Green Bay, LA Chargers, LA Rams, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
- Away:Â Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit
27) Indianapolis Colts
- Home:Â Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Miami, NY Giants
- Away:Â Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
28) Detroit Lions
- Home:Â Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, New England, New Orleans, NY Giants, NY Jets, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
- Away:Â Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Arizona, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Miami
29) Baltimore Ravens
- Home:Â Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, LA Chargers, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
- Away:Â Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis
30) New Orleans Saints
- Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
- Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, NY Giants
31) Cleveland Browns
- Home:Â Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas
- Away:Â Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, NY Giants, NY Jets, Tennessee
32) Cincinnati Bengals
- Home:Â Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
- Away:Â Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami, Washington
Hardest Schedules in the 2026 NFL Season
The Cardinals are in arguably the NFL’s toughest division, and they are the lone rebuilding team in the NFC West. Last year, only three NFC teams won 12 games and all three were in this division: the Seahawks (14 wins), Rams (12), and 49ers (12). All three teams once again project to be juggernauts, while the Cardinals are the lone rebuilding squad coming off of last year’s 3-win campaign. As if facing that trio twice wasn’t difficult enough, Arizona also has to play the Broncos, Chargers, Eagles, Lions, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Commanders.
The Dolphins tore down their roster this offseason, moving on from notable players such as Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Bradley Chubb. Now, Miami will look very different entering the 2026 season, with a new starting quarterback (Malik Willis), head coach (Jeff Hafley), general manager (Jon-Eric Sullivan), and supporting cast. The Dolphins have quite a few holes across their roster; Malik Washington projects as their WR1. Miami’s schedule won’t do them any favors either, as they face the Bills (twice), Patriots (twice), Broncos, Bears, 49ers, Lions, Chiefs, Chargers, Packers, Vikings, and Colts among others.
The Rams round out the top-three in terms of toughest schedules for the 2026 NFL season. Again, the NFC West is a gauntlet; Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco all project to be double-digit win teams once again by PFSN’s Football Playoff Meter (FPM), and one of these three teams finishes as the NFC’s No. 1 seed in over 40% of our simulations, showing just how strong this division projects to be in 2026. In addition to their NFC West opponents, the Rams will also face the Broncos, Bills, Cowboys, Packers, Chiefs, Chargers, and Eagles in 2026. Los Angeles will also travel 34,847 miles in 2026, the second-most in the league behind only the 49ers (38,105).
Easiest Schedules in the 2026 NFL Season
The 2025 season didn’t go according to plan for the Bengals, as they won just six games during an injury-plagued campaign. If Joe Burrow and Co. can stay healthy in 2026, Cincinnati could make some noise. PFSN’s FPM gives the Bengals a 30.0% chance of winning the division and a 55.9% chance of making of the playoffs. It helps that Cincinnati has plenty of winnable games on their 2026 schedule, facing the Browns (twice), Dolphins, Saints, Titans, Falcons, Commanders, Buccaneers, and Panthers among others.
The Browns have the second-easiest slate of opponents and they will travel just 9,073 miles this season, which is the second-fewest of any NFL team this year behind only the Panthers (8,740). For comparison, the 49ers will travel 38,105 miles thanks to their two international series games in Week 1 (against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia) and Week 11 (against the Vikings in Mexico City, Mexico). Cleveland will face the Jets, Titans, Raiders, Giants, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Buccaneers among others.
The Saints round out the top-three easiest schedules, and playing in the weak NFC South certainly helps. Last season, the NFC South was the only division that didn’t have a single team win double-digit games; Carolina won the division crown with just eight wins. Facing the Falcons, Panthers, and Bucs twice is nice, plus they have winnable games against the Cardinals, Browns, Raiders, and Giants among others.
