Reframing the 2026 NFL SOS: A Forward-Looking, DK-Projected Schedule
Sports Illustrated recalculates 2026 strength of schedule using DraftKings projected win totals to estimate each opponent’s coming-year winning percentage, instead of relying on last season results. The rankings, ordered from hardest to easiest, crown the Arizona Cardinals as having the toughest slate and the Detroit Lions as having the easiest, with teams like the Panthers, Dolphins, Bears, and Buccaneers featured prominently in the upper end of the difficulty scale and several international games noted for a few squads.