2026 NFL Schedule: 1 game from each week fantasy football players should get hyped for

Scott PianowskiFri, May 15, 2026 at 2:39 PM UTC

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We can check off another prong in the NFL offseason. We got through the combine, we made it through free agency. The draft came, the draft went. And finally, we have our schedule release; just about everything is in place.

Now is the time for fantasy football and NFL fans to daydream, to imagine best-case scenarios, to conjure up images of ticker-tape parades and fantasy points by the truckload. Everyone woke up this morning undefeated, and everyone is eager to see if tomorrow truly is better than today.

Of course, the actual games will throw a wrench into everything.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season]

The NFL is the ultimate snow globe league, where things are constantly changing. Some name-brand teams are going to struggle this year; we just don’t know which ones yet. Some stars will get hurt or slump. And on the other side, some bad teams will become good, and a bunch of good (or even overlooked) players will blossom into stars. Same thing, every year.

I can’t tell the future but I can at least circle games that excite me. Today’s assignment is to pick out one game for every fantasy week that I’m already looking forward to. If we want to win a fantasy title, we’ll have to put in the work, pay the price. But today, dreaming is free.

Week 1: Ravens at Colts

Everything went wrong for Lamar Jackson last year, and everything went wrong for the Colts after Daniel Jones injured his Achilles. Give Jackson his mojo back and give Jones a clean bill of health — early rehab reports are encouraging — and this will be two destination offenses. The market is optimistic, as this game has the highest Week 1 total (49.5).

Week 2: Browns at Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield’s already had one revenge game against Cleveland, but it was his first start in Carolina — maybe that shouldn’t even count. Mayfield doing his thing against Myles Garrett’s relentless rush sounds like a fun three hours, and both teams have young and ascending skill talent to watch — though the Cleveland quarterback room could throw cold water on that offense.

Week 3: Raiders at Saints

New Orleans made the right hire in Kellen Moore last year, and by the end of the season, the Saints had a legitimate offense. Las Vegas is hoping for the same type of turnaround with Klint Kubiak this year. Tyler Shough was solid enough to keep Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson afloat last season; we’re hoping Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza will do the same for Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty this fall.

Week 4: Jaguars at Bengals

When Joe Burrow is healthy, the Bengals are the NFL’s most reliable carnival. Fun offense, leaky defense, first team to 35 wins. Liam Coen elevated the Jacksonville offense in his first season, but there’s even more upside if Brian Thomas Jr. has a comeback season.

Week 5: Bills at Rams

The teams met in Week 14 of 2024, with the Rams holding for a 44-42 victory (despite Josh Allen posting six total touchdowns). And maybe the offenses are better today — that Rams team didn’t have Davante Adams, while the Bills have added DJ Moore to the fold. This is a Monday night affair, and it will decide a bunch of fantasy matchups.

Week 6: Cowboys at Packers

Here’s a rematch from last September, when the teams combined for 80 points, 925 yards of offense and eventually settled for a tie. Dak Prescott keeps things narrow with his downfield concentration, and for once, the Packers don’t have the most complicated WR room in the league.

Week 7: Patriots at Bears

Hopefully, the Thursday night cadence doesn’t cause either offense to skip a beat, but I’m not too worried about it. Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both took significant leaps last year, and they’re tied to two of the smartest play-callers around (Josh McDaniels, Ben Johnson).

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The Patriots will likely add A.J. Brown to their receiver room in June, while the Bears are dreaming about possible breakouts for Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland.

Week 8: Ravens at Bills

Buffalo stole last year’s SNF opener, helped by a Derrick Henry fumble in the fourth quarter. At the time, it looked like a plausible January preview, but Baltimore’s season fell apart (and Buffalo didn’t win its division, either). Jackson and Allen have three MVPs between them — this is the type of matchup that could have a say in the 2026 hardware.

Week 9: Rams at Commanders

The 2025 Commanders spent four months flexing their muscles. The 2025 Commanders were flexed out of prime time by the end of the year. I still want to see a second pitch emerge in the Washington passing game, but a healthy Jayden Daniels has a chance against anyone.

Week 10: 49ers at Cowboys

The look-ahead total comes in at 52.5, and that sounds about right to me. Brock Purdy might be the most underrated quarterback in the league, and by midseason, he should have decent chemistry with his new and emerging teammates. Dallas was a carnival team last year and has the look of a carnival team again.

Week 11: Buccaneers at Lions

This is the week six NFL teams take their bye (Seahawks, Rams, Falcons, Patriots, Packers, Browns), so we’ll need the active teams to come through. Detroit’s offense loves the home cooking and the fast pace indoors, and Mayfield almost upset the host Lions in the 2024 playoffs.

Week 12: Chiefs at Bills

Week 12 is loaded with juicy prime-time games, but let’s focus on the Chiefs and Bills doing another dance, this one on Thanksgiving night. Patrick Mahomes is a question mark entering the season, but you’d like to think he’ll be full throttle come late November.

Week 13: Lions at Falcons

Detroit has the easiest schedule in the NFL this year, and a big part of that is drawing four NFC South games. The Falcons aren’t sure who their quarterback is yet, but anyone working with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. has a shot at success.

Week 14: Giants at Seahawks

Jaxson Dart feared no one in his rookie year, and that nerve will be put to the test against the NFC’s best defense. Malik Nabers is no sure thing for Week 1 but hopefully will be up to speed come December.

Week 15: Chargers at 49ers

Settle in on Thursday night and watch a couple of West Coast heavyweights trade punches. Mike McDaniel could be the tonic the LAC offense needs; the Niners would love to have a normal season of injury luck, for once.

Week 16: Rams at Seahawks

This was the NFL’s best series last year (meeting three times) and I expect high drama again this year. The NFL obviously agrees, ticketing this game for Christmas night. They’ll meet again in Week 18, perhaps with the NFC West on the line.

Week 17: Ravens at Bengals

This matchup was a fantasy cheat code back in 2024, with Baltimore winning a pair of pinball games (41-38, 35-34). Injuries to Jackson and Burrow wrecked the party last year, but I suspect you’ll need 30-plus to win these matchups in 2026. Their first meeting comes in Week 7, for what it’s worth.

Ten teams didn’t receive a featured game in this exercise, so just for fun, I’ll point out a potentially exciting fantasy game on their schedule.

Eagles: Week 3 at Bears, Week 17 at 49ers

Broncos: Week 15 vs. Bills (Christmas Day)

Vikings: Week 12 vs. Falcons

Panthers: Week 15 vs. Bengals

Titans: Week 13 vs. Commanders

Texans: Week 4 vs. Cowboys

Steelers: Week 3 vs. Bengals

Dolphins: Week 10 at Colts

Jets: Week 15 at Cardinals

Cardinals: Week 16 at Saints

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Source: “AOL Sports”