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Strength of schedule rankings for all 32 NFL teams
The release of the 2026 NFL schedule is almost upon us.
The NFL confirmed last week that the complete 2026 NFL schedule will be released on Thursday, May 14.
Schedules will be unveiled on ESPN and NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET, but each team will also drop its slate on social media.
In order to determine the strength of schedule rankings, Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis uses win totals from oddsmakers.
This is a much more effective method than using 2025 win totals because those donβt take into account offseason changes teams make.
Thatβs important because, as we know, NFL teams can make drastic changes and leaps forward or backward after just one offseason.
Coming in with the easiest strength of schedule for this coming campaign is the Detroit Lions, who are followed by the New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets to round out the top five.
The five teams with the toughest schedules are the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams.
Hereβs a look at the full rankings, from No. 1 (easiest) to No. 32 (hardest).
NFL strength of schedule rankings
| NFL SOS Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Lions |
| 2 | New Orleans Saints |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 4 | Cleveland Browns |
| 5 | New York Jets |
| 6 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 7 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 8 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 9 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 10 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 11 | Denver Broncos |
| 12 | New England Patriots |
| 13 | Tennessee Titans |
| 14 | Buffalo Bills |
| 15 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 16 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 17 | Green Bay Packers |
| 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 19 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 20 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 21 | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 22 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 23 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 24 | New York Giants |
| 25 | Washington Commanders |
| 26 | Houston Texans |
| 27 | Chicago Bears |
| 28 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 29 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 30 | Carolina Panthers |
| 31 | Miami Dolphins |
| 32 | Arizona Cardinals |
Which 2026 NFL games have been revealed?
We have information on three contests in Week 1 thus far, although not all teams have been announced for those three games.
The Seattle Seahawks will open up the season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 8:20 p.m. ET against an undetermined opponent.
Seattleβs possible opponents for that game include the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots.
We also know the Los Angeles Rams will square off against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10, in Australia, with kickoff set for 8:35 p.m. ET.
The other Week 1 game that has been revealed is between the New York Giants and Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Then, thereβs the Week 13 matchup up pitting the Cowboys against the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil. That game will begin at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Other international games will feature the Washington Commanders and Jacksonville Jaguars in London, although their opponents havenβt been revealed yet. Jacksonville will play a pair of international contests.
The Niners will play in Mexico City, the Saints will be in Paris, the Lions will play in Munich and the Atlanta Falcons have a contest in Madrid.
As is the case with the contests involving the Commanders and Jaguars, opponents for those teams have yet to be announced.
