Fantasy News

Below are some strength of schedule charts that you might find interesting (if you're into that kind of thing).

Now is arguably the best time of the year to use strength of schedule information (which we showed in the magazine does have an impact on team performance). The teams have now played half of their games, so we now have significant data - which teams and defenses are good and bad. And there's still a good chunk of the schedule left to be looked at and measured.

In my opinion, the strength of schedule angle right now is a better tool than it was at the start of the season, when everyone was using last year's data for each team.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- REMAINING (WINS)
Based on how teams are currently playing, the Colts, Dolphins, Bills and Chargers project to play the easiest schedules the rest of the way, while the Giants, Lions, Eagles an Ravens project to have the hardest schedules.
Figures are based on combined win-loss records of opponents teams will face in weeks 10-16 of the season (most fantasy leagues are done by week 17, so I left out that data).
(This chart does not include the MNF game between Pittsburgh and Washington).
   W   L  Pct.  
  18  38  .321  Indianapolis
  19  37  .339  Miami
  24  32  .429  Buffalo
  24  32  .429  San Diego
  24  31  .436  Tennessee
  25  32  .439  Houston
  25  31  .446  St. Louis
  25  31  .446  Kansas City
  26  31  .456  New Orleans
  22  26  .458  Tampa Bay
  26  30  .464  Oakland
  27  29  .482  Denver
  27  29  .482  Arizona
  28  29  .491  San Francisco
  28  29  .491  Carolina
  28  29  .491  Minnesota
  28  28  .500  NY Jets
  25  25  .500  Washington
  28  28  .500  Jacksonville
  28  27  .509  New England
  29  27  .518  Chicago
  30  27  .526  Cleveland
  31  27  .534  Pittsburgh
  30  26  .536  Green Bay
  31  26  .544  Atlanta
  32  25  .561  Seattle
  31  24  .564  Cincinnati
  27  20  .574  Dallas
  29  20  .592  Baltimore
  34  23  .596  Philadelphia
  35  22  .614  Detroit
  37  20  .649  NY Giants


STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- REMAINING (WINS)
Based on how defenses are currently playing, the Dolphins, Rams and 49ers project to play the easiest defenses the rest of the way, while the Ravens, Giants and Lions project to face the hardest defenses.
Figures are based on average points allowed by opponents teams will face in weeks 10-16 of the season (most fantasy leagues are done by week 17, so I left out that data).
(This chart does not include the MNF game between Pittsburgh and Washington).

  PPG  
  25.3  Miami
  24.6  St. Louis
  24.4  San Francisco
  24.1  Kansas City
  23.8  Buffalo
  23.5  Indianapolis
  23.5  NY Jets
  23.1  Oakland
  23.0  Arizona
  23.0  Tampa Bay
  23.0  Cincinnati
  22.7  Jacksonville
  22.7  Tennessee
  22.5  Seattle
  22.4  Atlanta
  22.4  Carolina
  22.4  New Orleans
  22.3  Chicago
  22.2  Green Bay
  22.1  New England
  22.1  Cleveland
  22.0  San Diego
  22.0  Minnesota
  21.8  Denver
  21.4  Houston
  21.3  Washington
  20.9  Pittsburgh
  20.3  Dallas
  19.5  Philadelphia
  19.5  Detroit
  19.2  NY Giants
  16.9  Baltimore


STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE -- SO FAR (WINS)
Based on how teams have played so far, the Patriots, Jets and Bills have played the easiest schedules so far (largely because the AFC East matches up against the woeful NFC West).
Cincinnati, St. Louis and Kansas City, meanwhile, have played the hardest schedules so far.
Figures are based on win-loss records through week 9 (excluding the MNF game between Washington and Pittsburgh).
To purify the results, wins and losses aren't included for each team's own games (Tennessee's opponents, for example, are 25-40 overall -- 0-8 against the Titans, and 25-32 against the rest of the league).

   W   L  Pct.  
  22  34  .393  New England
  23  34  .404  NY Jets
  23  33  .411  Buffalo
  24  33  .421  Denver
  24  32  .429  San Francisco
  25  32  .439  NY Giants
  25  32  .439  Tennessee
  26  31  .456  Atlanta
  26  30  .464  Detroit
  26  30  .464  Oakland
  30  34  .469  Baltimore
  27  30  .474  Chicago
  27  30  .474  Seattle
  28  28  .500  Jacksonville
  29  28  .509  New Orleans
  28  27  .509  Houston
  33  31  .516  Tampa Bay
  30  28  .517  Green Bay
  29  27  .518  Philadelphia
  34  30  .531  Washington
  31  27  .534  Pittsburgh
  30  26  .536  Minnesota
  30  26  .536  San Diego
  35  30  .538  Dallas
  31  26  .544  Carolina
  31  25  .554  Miami
  32  25  .561  Arizona
  32  25  .561  Cleveland
  33  23  .589  Indianapolis
  34  23  .596  Kansas City
  34  23  .596  St. Louis
  33  22  .600  Cincinnati

-Ian Allan

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