Fantasy football playoff schedule: strength of schedule, Weeks 15 to 17 (2026)
Every team's Week 15, 16 and 17 opponents, and how many fantasy points those defenses allow a game to each position. The easiest runs first, then the full table, so you can trade for December before your league's deadline.
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Best playoff schedules for quarterbacks
- 1.Vikings21.0 pts allowed a game
vs DET, vs WAS, @ NYJ (easiest for QBs)
- 2.Giants20.9 pts allowed a game
vs CLE, @ DET, @ DAL (2nd easiest for QBs)
- 3.Jaguars20.4 pts allowed a game
@ HOU, @ DAL, vs WAS (3rd easiest for QBs)
Trevor Lawrencevalue 4
- 4.Bears19.4 pts allowed a game
@ BUF, vs GB, vs DET (4th easiest for QBs)
Caleb Williamsvalue 18
- 5.Falcons18.7 pts allowed a game
@ WAS, vs TB, vs NO (5th easiest for QBs)
- 6.Saints18.6 pts allowed a game
@ TB, vs ARI, @ ATL (6th easiest for QBs)
Tyler Shoughvalue 2
Toughest: Commanders (vs ATL, @ MIN, @ JAX); Chiefs (vs NE, vs SF, @ LAC); Jets (@ ARI, vs NE, vs MIN); Eagles (vs SEA, vs HOU, @ SF).
Best playoff schedules for running backs
- 1.Cardinals24.6 pts allowed a game
vs NYJ, @ NO, vs LV (easiest for RBs)
Jeremiyah Lovevalue 31
- 2.Dolphins24.2 pts allowed a game
@ GB, vs LAC, vs BUF (2nd easiest for RBs)
- 3.Bears23.3 pts allowed a game
@ BUF, vs GB, vs DET (3rd easiest for RBs)
D'Andre Swiftvalue 81Kyle Monangaivalue 14
- 4.Broncos23.2 pts allowed a game
@ LV, vs BUF, @ NE (4th easiest for RBs)
J.K. Dobbinsvalue 17RJ Harveyvalue 11
- 5.Buccaneers22.9 pts allowed a game
vs NO, @ ATL, vs LAR (5th easiest for RBs)
Bucky Irvingvalue 41
- 6.Chargers22.6 pts allowed a game
vs SF, @ MIA, vs KC (6th easiest for RBs)
Omarion Hamptonvalue 8
Toughest: Commanders (vs ATL, @ MIN, @ JAX); Lions (@ MIN, vs NYG, @ CHI); Jets (@ ARI, vs NE, vs MIN); Cowboys (@ LAR, vs JAX, vs NYG).
Best playoff schedules for wide receivers
- 1.Bears36.1 pts allowed a game
@ BUF, vs GB, vs DET (easiest for WRs)
Luther Burden IIIvalue 24Rome Odunzevalue 2
- 2.Giants35.8 pts allowed a game
vs CLE, @ DET, @ DAL (2nd easiest for WRs)
Malik Nabersvalue 33
- 3.Jaguars35.6 pts allowed a game
@ HOU, @ DAL, vs WAS (3rd easiest for WRs)
Parker Washingtonvalue 45
- 4.Vikings34.9 pts allowed a game
vs DET, vs WAS, @ NYJ (4th easiest for WRs)
Justin Jeffersonvalue 2Jordan Addisonvalue 1
- 5.Texans34.2 pts allowed a game
vs JAX, @ PHI, @ GB (5th easiest for WRs)
Nico Collinsvalue 63
- 6.Saints33.8 pts allowed a game
@ TB, vs ARI, @ ATL (6th easiest for WRs)
Chris Olavevalue 81Devaughn Velevalue 9
Toughest: Chargers (vs SF, @ MIA, vs KC); Patriots (@ KC, @ NYJ, vs DEN); Panthers (vs CIN, @ PIT, vs SEA); 49ers (@ LAC, @ KC, vs PHI).
Best playoff schedules for tight ends
- 1.Vikings18.8 pts allowed a game
vs DET, vs WAS, @ NYJ (easiest for TEs)
- 2.Giants17.3 pts allowed a game
vs CLE, @ DET, @ DAL (2nd easiest for TEs)
Isaiah Likelyvalue 1
- 3.Falcons17.1 pts allowed a game
@ WAS, vs TB, vs NO (3rd easiest for TEs)
- 4.Bears16.1 pts allowed a game
@ BUF, vs GB, vs DET (4th easiest for TEs)
- 5.Saints16.0 pts allowed a game
@ TB, vs ARI, @ ATL (5th easiest for TEs)
Juwan Johnsonvalue 2
- 6.Chargers15.5 pts allowed a game
vs SF, @ MIA, vs KC (6th easiest for TEs)
Toughest: Lions (@ MIN, vs NYG, @ CHI); Eagles (vs SEA, vs HOU, @ SF); Chiefs (vs NE, vs SF, @ LAC); Texans (vs JAX, @ PHI, @ GB).
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Every team, Weeks 15 to 17
The number under each position is the run's rank among 32: 1 is the easiest three weeks for that position, 32 the toughest.
| Team | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | QB | RB | WR | TE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | @ LAC | @ KC | vs PHI | 26 | 25 | 29 | 22 |
| Bears | @ BUF | vs GB | vs DET | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Bengals | @ CAR | @ IND | vs BAL | 18 | 7 | 16 | 17 |
| Bills | vs CHI | @ DEN | @ MIA | 11 | 12 | 28 | 9 |
| Broncos | @ LV | vs BUF | @ NE | 9 | 4 | 7 | 19 |
| Browns | @ NYG | @ BAL | vs IND | 7 | 11 | 8 | 24 |
| Buccaneers | vs NO | @ ATL | vs LAR | 15 | 5 | 17 | 17 |
| Cardinals | vs NYJ | @ NO | vs LV | 12 | 1 | 19 | 12 |
| Chargers | vs SF | @ MIA | vs KC | 24 | 6 | 32 | 6 |
| Chiefs | vs NE | vs SF | @ LAC | 31 | 14 | 24 | 30 |
| Colts | @ TEN | vs CIN | @ CLE | 19 | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| Commanders | vs ATL | @ MIN | @ JAX | 31 | 32 | 13 | 26 |
| Cowboys | @ LAR | vs JAX | vs NYG | 9 | 29 | 14 | 27 |
| Dolphins | @ GB | vs LAC | vs BUF | 25 | 2 | 10 | 28 |
| Eagles | vs SEA | vs HOU | @ SF | 28 | 21 | 27 | 31 |
| Falcons | @ WAS | vs TB | vs NO | 5 | 8 | 10 | 3 |
| Giants | vs CLE | @ DET | @ DAL | 2 | 26 | 2 | 2 |
| Jaguars | @ HOU | @ DAL | vs WAS | 3 | 15 | 3 | 11 |
| Jets | @ ARI | vs NE | vs MIN | 30 | 30 | 25 | 21 |
| Lions | @ MIN | vs NYG | @ CHI | 21 | 31 | 23 | 32 |
| Packers | vs MIA | @ CHI | vs HOU | 7 | 21 | 21 | 16 |
| Panthers | vs CIN | @ PIT | vs SEA | 26 | 21 | 30 | 13 |
| Patriots | @ KC | @ NYJ | vs DEN | 28 | 15 | 31 | 15 |
| Raiders | vs DEN | vs TEN | @ ARI | 13 | 15 | 12 | 9 |
| Rams | vs DAL | @ SEA | @ TB | 15 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| Ravens | @ PIT | vs CLE | @ CIN | 22 | 28 | 25 | 7 |
| Saints | @ TB | vs ARI | @ ATL | 6 | 19 | 6 | 5 |
| Seahawks | @ PHI | vs LAR | @ CAR | 17 | 9 | 22 | 25 |
| Steelers | vs BAL | vs CAR | @ TEN | 20 | 12 | 9 | 23 |
| Texans | vs JAX | @ PHI | @ GB | 23 | 21 | 5 | 29 |
| Titans | vs IND | @ LV | vs PIT | 13 | 9 | 15 | 13 |
| Vikings | vs DET | vs WAS | @ NYJ | 1 | 18 | 4 | 1 |
Trading for December? The trade deadline buy low, sell high list ranks every valued player's remaining schedule, the trade value chart prices him, and the rest of season rankings put everyone in one order. Week by week, the bye weeks and the NFL playoff picture say who might rest starters late.
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Common questions
When are the fantasy football playoffs?
Most leagues on ESPN, Yahoo and Sleeper play their playoffs in Weeks 15, 16 and 17, with the championship in Week 17. Week 18 is usually left out because clubs rest starters. Check your league's settings for its own weeks.
Which teams have the easiest fantasy playoff schedule?
For running backs, the Cardinals: vs NYJ, @ NO, vs LV, defenses allowing 24.6 points a game to the position. For wide receivers, the Bears: @ BUF, vs GB, vs DET, allowing 36.1 a game.
How is playoff strength of schedule measured here?
For each opponent, the fantasy points (PPR) his defense allows a game to the position this season, blended with last season while this season's sample is short (6 games in so far). A club's run is the average of its three opponents, ranked against the other 31.
By the Parlae deskSchedule updated Oct 21, 2026 at 11:27 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number