Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

The Strength of Schedule is determined by matching up the fantasy points allowed for each defensive venue (home and away) against the looming schedule for each offense. While defenses will not perform exactly the same as last year, it at least yields a reference point to consider when valuing players. For the first time, I have altered the previous year’s stats by improving the Rams and lowering the Seahawks due to significant personnel moves each franchise made in the offseason. It is only the extreme results that are truly notable.

To remove the effects of the unusually bad or good game, defensive performances had their best and worst game removed before determining their average fantasy points allowed for each position. This analysis considers tight ends and wideouts the same. Each offense use them in varying measures so only combined receiving points make sense. Running backs were not included as receivers.

Three different views are given below – Weeks 1 to 6 show what players will face as they start the season. Weeks 1 through 16 are shown for a full season view and weeks 14 to 16 show the most common weeks for fantasy playoffs. Below that is the NFL schedule marked for each team to show when they have good (green) or bad (red) match-ups. The Dorey Rule is “draft as if the season only lasted the first six weeks”. Those first six games will determine if you get out to a hot start or are trailing by mid-season.

This analysis considers running backs awarded 0.1 points per rushed or received yard and six point touchdowns and one point per reception. This is the most common fantasy scoring for receivers.

Notable Schedules:

Marqise Lee, Donte Moncrief (Jaguars) – The schedule is great but the depth chart clarity is lacking. Lee and Moncrief should become the starters but Dede Westbrook, Keelan Cole and the rookie DJ Chalk will also mix in. That will make it harder to rely on any single receiver and more so when there are no reception points. But should any Jaguar pass catcher step up from the pack, he’ll take advantage of the softest schedule for his position. The Jaguars only face two bad matchups all year (at Buffalo and at Miami) and those both come over the final five weeks of the fantasy season.

DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller (Texans) – With a healthy Deshaun Watson returning, both wideouts are not only elite, but even more so without reception points since they’ll score plenty of touchdowns. Fuller in particular will benefit. Both go against only three bad matchups though the final one is Week 16 in Philadelphia. They’ll roll up plenty of points by then facing seven soft games over the first 15 weeks and enjoy a strong start with three of their first four weeks in softer venues.

Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski (Patriots) – Edelman in particular should benefit from their lighter schedule since he returns from a torn ACL and could use the help. And the reality is that Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews and other receivers will figure into the diverse and complicated passing scheme. But the Pats typically persevere against an annually bad schedule but catch a break in 2018. They’ll face eight soft matchups and get a hot start with four of their first five games against weaker secondaries. Gronkowski easily remains the top tight end even without this help.

Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson (Jets) – There’s plenty of risk and upside in the passing scheme for the Jets. An unsure quarterback situation has obvious implications until Sam Darnold is given the job outright. And Quincy Enunwa returns from a lost 2017 season due to a neck injury. But he managed 857 yards in 2016 while Anderson gained 941 yards last year. Now both go against a weaker schedule than most with half of their games played in advantageous venues and four of their initial six games also facing soft matchups. The depth chart could change during the year but both Enunwa and Anderson not only get the primary roles but start the year with a chance to rack up some fantasy points.

Golden Tate, Marvin Jones (Lions) – Both wideouts topped 1,000 yards last year and there’s plenty to like in the passing scheme headed up by Matt Stafford. But – the schedule is as brutal as any in the NFL. Not only are they the only receivers facing eight bad matchups, they all come from Week 7 through Week 16. That’s eight of ten games versus the worst venues to play. Their final four games are against the Rams, at the Cardinals, at the Bills and Week 16 versus the Vikings. Tough time in the fantasy season for that brutal stretch.

Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) – The Cardinals install an all new scheme under offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and the starting quarterback will switch to rookie Josh Rosen at some point. Add in new the rookie Christian Kirk and there plenty of risk this year. Making matters much worse is a schedule that features no good matchups after Week 5 and that ends with four of the final five games playing in the worst venues. The aging Fitzgerald has to suffer through learning pains of a rookie while going against a schedule that only gets worse as the season progresses.

Week-By-Week