Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule

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STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

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Obviously, strength of schedule is an important factor when preparing your fantasy football draft. Unfortunately most strength of schedule analysis you see are based on what a team did last year, not on what is expected of them this year. Obviously things have changed during the off-season so our 2007 Strength of Schedule analysis is once again calculated using projections for the upcoming season, not year old stats. How much difference does that make? Consider this, last year standard strength of schedule analysis rated the Atlanta Falcons schedule as the 18th most difficult schedule leading many to predict that the Falcons would once again make a run at the division title. However, our calculations projected them to have the 3rd most difficult schedule in the NFL leading us to correctly predict a difficult season overall and less than spectacular fantasy numbers for the entire offensive unit. Members, be sure to check out our Strength of Schedule analysis vs. run and pass coming soon to our members pages.

Overall Strength of Schedule

League Average: 16.49

The smaller the number, the more difficult the schedule.

Buffalo Bills: 14.75 An inexperienced QB, a rookie RB, and the toughest schedule in the league can only mean trouble.

Tennessee Titans: 15.06 We think Jeff Fisher is one of the best coaches in the NFL, but he's got his work cut out for him.

Cleveland Browns: 15.12 That first round pick they traded to Dallas could very well end up as the first overall pick in the 2008 draft.

New England Patriots: 15.25 Before everybody annoints them champions, they better check their road schedule.

Baltimore Ravens: 15.25 Schedule grades out as tough as the Patriots, but the road is kinder to them. (See below.)

Pittsburgh Steelers: 15.62 After a soft start, the Steelers new HC Mike Tomlin will come back to earth after the bye.

Philadelphia Eagles: 15.62 In what is most likely a make or break year for Donovan McNabb, the schedule is not friendly.

Kansas City Chiefs: 15.68 If RB Larry Johnson didn't want out of town before, he sure did after he saw this schedule.

Seattle Seahawks: 15.68 The NFC West is mediocre, but that's better than it used to be, so Seattle can't count on 6 easy wins.

Miami Dolphins: 15.87 A top ten in schedule difficulty is not exactly what this franchise needs.

San Francisco 49's: 15.87 A tougher schedule combined with higher expectations usually spells disappointment.

Detroit Lions: 15.93 The Lions may begin their long climb from awful to mediocre this year, but the schedule won't make it easy.

St.Louis Rams: 16.06 Speaking of mediocre, the Rams road schedule will keep them right around .500 again this year.

Oakland Raiders: 16.08 Their only shot at respectability would have been for them to be scheduled against Cleveland every week.

Green Bay Packers: 16.25 The overall schedule isn't too bad, but the road games are brutal. (See below).

Washington Redskins: 16.43 A middle of the pack schedule for a middle of the pack team - that seems fair.

Minnesota Vikings: 16.50 An average schedule is the only thing that gives them any hope at respectability.

New York Jets: 16.68 A less than difficult overall schedule is misleading, their road schedule will make them earn every win.

San Diego Chargers: 16.68 Oakland twice, the Lions and Texans help to offset some very difficult match-ups.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 16.93 The bad news for the road-challenged Jaguars is that most of their easy games are at home.

Cincinnatti Bengals: 16.93 For the first time in years, the Bengals schedule is favorable for playoff home-field advantage.

Tampa Bay Bucs: 17.0 Sorry Bucs fans, even an easy schedule can't save you this year.

Denver Broncos: 17.18 Nothing like playing the NFC North (and the Oakland Raiders twice).

Houston Texans: 17.18 A new QB, a new RB and an easier than average schedule should allow the Texans to reach 6 wins.

Indianapolis Colts: 17.18 There are tough games scattered throughout the season, but never more than two in a row.

Dallas Cowboys: 17.62 Must capitalize to win home field advantage so they can decide what ball to use on FG attempts.

Atlanta Falcons: 17.25 Schedule doesn't matter when Mike (can't hit the side of a barn) Vick is your QB.

Chicago Bears: 17.75 Last year an easy schedule equalled home field advantage - could mean the same in 2007.

Carolina Panthers: 17.68 This schedule should mean good numbers for Steve Smith.

New York Giants: 18.00 At no point in the season do they play consecutive difficult games.

Arizona Cardinals: 18.25 The schedule is the main reason we're picking them to win the division.

New Orleans Saints: 18.56 With this schedule, fantasy numbers should be huge for several Saints.

NFL Schedule Grid

Road Schedule Analysis

Winning at home is one thing, winning on the road is something completely different. Some teams (i.e. the Jacksonville Jaguars) look like world beaters at home but get run over on the road. Every team has 3 road games within their division, but this list shows you what teams have difficult road games outside of their division. It will also point out other possible travel difficulties such as late season games in Buffalo or back to back weeks of long travel.

Arizona Cardinals - Road games vs. Ravens (Wk.3), Bengals (Wk.11), and Saints (Wk.15) Finish with weeks 16 & 17 at home.

Atlanta Falcons - Jacksonville (Wk.2) raises possibility of heat problems. Other difficult non-division road game vs. Arizona (Wk.16)

Baltimore Ravens - At Chargers (Wk.12) which is followed by home games vs. New England (Wk.13) and Indy (Wk.14)

Buffalo Bills - Road vs. Steelers (Wk.2) and Jaguars (Wk.12) Last 3 games all potential weather problems.

Carolina Panthers - (Wk.5) at Saints is followed by a trip to Arizona (Wk.6), a Bye (Wk.7) and Indianapolis (Wk.8)

Chicago Bears - Only tough road game is Chargers (Wk.1)

Cincinnatti Bengals - Other than division games in Baltimore and Pittsburgh only K.C. (Wk.6) is difficult.

Cleveland Browns - At Patriots (Wk.5) and then travel back to back weeks to Cardinals (Wk.13) and Jets (Wk.14)

Dallas Cowboys - In Chicago (Wk.3). Finishes the season with back to back road games (Panthers & Redskins).

Denver Broncos - In addition to tough division road games, face Colts in Indy (Wk.4) and Bears in Chicago (Wk.12)

Detroit Lions - Must travel west twice, Cardinals (Wk.10) and San Diego (Wk.15) Brutal schedule beginning Wk.8.

Green Bay Packers - Giants (Wk.2) and Cowboys (Wk.13) and back to back trips to Denver (Wk.8) and K.C. (Wk.9)

Houston Texans - San Diego (Wk.8) is the start of a tough 6 wk. stretch that features 4 road games and only one home game.

Indianapolis Colts - Wk.10 road game vs. Chargers is sandwiched between the Patriots and Chiefs. Also travel to Ravens (Wk.14).

Jacksonville Jaguars - A team that can't win on the road travels to Denver, Kansas City, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Indy. Ouch.

Kansas City Chiefs - Bears (Wk.2), Chargers (Wk.4), Colts (Wk.11) and Jets (Wk.17) all look tough (weather a concern for wk.17).

Miami Dolphins - Must travel to Pittsburgh (Wk.12) for 2nd consecutive year. Close with Ravens, Patriots, and Bengals.

Minnesota Vikings - Tough non-division road schedule includes Chiefs(Wk.3), Cowboys(Wk.7), Giants(Wk.12) and Broncos(Wk.17).

New England Patriots - Bengals(Wk.4), Cowboys(Wk.6), Colts(Wk.9), Ravens(Wk.13), and Giants(Wk.17) all present challenges.

New Orleans Saints - Open in Indianapolis and finish in Chicago but in between it looks like smooth sailing.

New York Giants - Road schedule is as easy as overall schedule with Bears (Wk.13) only tough non-division road game.

New York Jets - Favorable schedule beginning with Wk.13. Tough road games are Ravens(Wk.3), Bengals(Wk.7), Cowboys(Wk.12).

Oakland Raiders - Not that it makes much difference, but Raiders non-division road schedule is not overly difficult.

Philadelphia Eagles - Challenging stretch begins Wk.11 @ N.E. followed by Seahawks, Giants, Cowboys, Saints, and Bills (weather)

Pittsburgh Steelers - Road game in Denver (Wk.7) begins tough 3 week run (Bengals & Ravens) Also travel to Patriots (Wk.14).

San Diego Chargers - Patriots (Wk.2) is the only difficult non-division road game. Jaguars (Wk.11) could be testy.

Seattle Seahawks - Only true road challenge is in Wk.5 vs. Pittsburgh though weather in Tampa could be a concern in Wk.1.

San Francisco 49's - Steelers (Wk.3) and Giants (Wk.7) part of tough early schedule which could spell a 2-5 start.

St.Louis Rams - Not a great road team, the Rams must face Cowboys (Wk.4), Ravens (Wk.6), Saints (Wk.10), and Bengals (Wk.14)

Tampa Bay Bucs - Colts (Wk.5) are only difficult non-division road game, not that it will make much difference.

Tennessee Titans - Jaguars (Wk.1) raises weather concerns. Also must face Saints (Wk.3), Broncos (Wk.11), and Bengals (Wk.12)

Washington Redskins - Not a difficult non-division road schedule but travel for 2 of last 3 games and finish at home vs. Cowboys.