2026 NFL Strength of Schedule Rankings for All 32 Teams
Strength of schedule can determine whether an NFL team beats its season win total, reaches the playoffs or falls short of market expectations. SportsFormulator has ranked every 2026 NFL schedule using the quality of each team’s 17 opponents.
Our SOS Rating is centered at 50. A rating above 50 indicates a harder-than-average schedule, while a rating below 50 indicates an easier path. Every 10 rating points represents one standard deviation from the NFL average.
2026 NFL Strength of Schedule Rankings
| SOS Rank | Team | SOS Rating | Schedule Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Dolphins | 66.79 | Very Difficult |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | 62.96 | Very Difficult |
| 3 | Chicago Bears | 62.81 | Very Difficult |
| 4 | Los Angeles Chargers | 61.41 | Very Difficult |
| 5 | Los Angeles Rams | 60.49 | Very Difficult |
| 6 | Denver Broncos | 60.04 | Very Difficult |
| 7 | New England Patriots | 58.86 | Difficult |
| 8 | Kansas City Chiefs | 58.31 | Difficult |
| 9 | New York Jets | 57.35 | Difficult |
| 10 | Las Vegas Raiders | 57.23 | Difficult |
| 11 | Buffalo Bills | 56.66 | Difficult |
| 12 | Green Bay Packers | 53.78 | Above Average |
| 13 | Washington Commanders | 53.33 | Above Average |
| 14 | Dallas Cowboys | 53.05 | Above Average |
| 15 | Tennessee Titans | 52.92 | Above Average |
| 16 | San Francisco 49ers | 52.56 | Above Average |
| 17 | Seattle Seahawks | 51.64 | Near Average |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | 50.25 | Near Average |
| 19 | Carolina Panthers | 49.29 | Near Average |
| 20 | New York Giants | 49.03 | Near Average |
| 21 | Houston Texans | 48.21 | Near Average |
| 22 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 48.03 | Near Average |
| 23 | Philadelphia Eagles | 45.48 | Below Average |
| 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 44.99 | Below Average |
| 25 | Indianapolis Colts | 42.99 | Favorable |
| 26 | Baltimore Ravens | 39.20 | Favorable |
| 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 39.14 | Favorable |
| 28 | Atlanta Falcons | 36.86 | Very Favorable |
| 29 | Cincinnati Bengals | 34.84 | Very Favorable |
| 30 | Detroit Lions | 32.98 | Very Favorable |
| 31 | Cleveland Browns | 30.66 | Very Favorable |
| 32 | New Orleans Saints | 27.86 | Very Favorable |
Hardest NFL Schedules in 2026
1. Miami Dolphins — SOS Rating 66.79
Miami owns the hardest schedule in the SportsFormulator rankings. The Dolphins play Buffalo and New England twice and also face a demanding collection of non-divisional opponents. That schedule is especially important for bettors evaluating Miami’s low season win total: a modest number does not automatically make the Over attractive when favorable matchups are scarce.
2. Arizona Cardinals — SOS Rating 62.96
Arizona must navigate six NFC West games against Seattle, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams. All three division rivals rank among the stronger teams in the SportsFormulator outlook. The Cardinals’ schedule compounds the risk already implied by their low power ranking.
3. Chicago Bears — SOS Rating 62.81
Chicago faces a difficult NFC North rotation plus several highly rated opponents outside the division. A challenging schedule helps explain why the Bears’ projected win total trails the sportsbook market despite respectable underlying team strength.
4. Los Angeles Chargers — SOS Rating 61.41
The Chargers are a strong team with a difficult path. Their schedule includes repeated AFC West tests and several games against top NFC opponents. Bettors should separate team quality from schedule difficulty when evaluating their win total and playoff price.
5. Los Angeles Rams — SOS Rating 60.49
The Rams face the fifth-hardest schedule and compete in the NFL’s most demanding projected division. An 11.5-win market total leaves little margin for error when four games come against Seattle and San Francisco.
Easiest NFL Schedules in 2026
32. New Orleans Saints — SOS Rating 27.86
New Orleans has the league’s easiest schedule by a wide margin. The Saints still rate as a below-average team, but their favorable path creates more upside than their power ranking alone would suggest. This distinction matters in the NFC South race.
31. Cleveland Browns — SOS Rating 30.66
Cleveland’s schedule is favorable, although the Browns’ own rating remains a concern. Futures bettors should avoid assuming that an easy schedule guarantees improvement. It simply reduces one obstacle.
30. Detroit Lions — SOS Rating 32.98
Detroit combines a strong roster projection with one of the league’s easiest schedules. That combination drives a 12.31 expected-win projection and a 94.9% chance of reaching the playoffs.
29. Cincinnati Bengals — SOS Rating 34.84
The Bengals receive substantial schedule relief, but their overall team projection remains below the market’s expectations. Cincinnati is a useful reminder that strength of schedule should complement power ratings rather than replace them.
28. Atlanta Falcons — SOS Rating 36.86
Atlanta’s favorable schedule keeps the Falcons competitive in an uncertain NFC South. The division may be decided by which team converts the greatest number of winnable non-divisional games.
What Strength of Schedule Means for NFL Bettors
Schedule rankings are particularly useful in four betting markets:
- Season win totals: An easy schedule can create additional paths to the Over, while a difficult schedule reduces the margin for error.
- Playoff odds: Teams do not need identical power ratings to have similar postseason probabilities if their schedules differ substantially.
- Division futures: Division rivals share many opponents, but their three placement-based games can meaningfully change the schedule.
- Weekly betting: Difficult clusters can lead to fatigue, injuries and market overreactions after a series of high-profile games.
Strength of schedule should never be used by itself. A weak team can struggle against an easy schedule, while an elite team can overcome a difficult one. The most useful betting insights emerge when schedule strength, team power and market price point in the same direction.
How the SportsFormulator SOS Rating Works
Every opponent is assigned a SportsFormulator Power rating. We average the ratings of all 17 scheduled opponents, counting divisional opponents twice because they appear twice on the schedule.
The results are converted to a standardized SOS Rating:
- 50 represents the league average.
- A rating above 50 indicates a harder schedule.
- A rating below 50 indicates an easier schedule.
- Ten rating points represent one standard deviation.
The calculation measures opponent quality without adding home-field advantage. Game location is incorporated separately when SportsFormulator projects individual matchups and season records.
2026 NFL Strength of Schedule Takeaways
Miami, Arizona, Chicago, the Chargers and the Rams face the league’s five most difficult schedules. New Orleans, Cleveland, Detroit, Cincinnati and Atlanta receive the five easiest paths.
Detroit stands out as the strongest combination of team quality and favorable schedule. The Chargers and Rams face the opposite challenge: both are capable teams whose difficult schedules create added risk in season-long betting markets.
Check SportsFormulator throughout the season for updated power rankings, weekly matchup probabilities and betting analysis.
Sports betting involves risk. Wager only what you can afford to lose and follow all laws applicable in your location.