Every weekend during the preseason, theScore's Justin Boone and David P. Woods will break down the NFL's regular season schedule in search of the areas where fantasy owners can find an advantage.
AFC Fantasy Schedules
East | North | South | West
NFC Fantasy Schedules
East | North | South | West
Denver Broncos
| Week | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 1 | vs Colts |
| 2 | vs Chiefs |
| 3 | at Seahawks |
| 4 | BYE |
| 5 | vs Cardinals |
| 6 | at Jets |
| 7 | vs 49ers |
| 8 | vs Chargers |
| 9 | at Patriots |
| 10 | at Raiders |
| 11 | at Rams |
| 12 | vs. Dolphins |
| 13 | at Chiefs |
| 14 | vs Bills |
| 15 | at Chargers |
| 16 | at Bengals |
| 17 | vs Raiders |
The Broncos will play a schedule comparable in difficulty to the one they played 2013, and we all remember how that turned out. There's no reason (other than the law of averages) that Peyton Manning and company can't put up historic numbers once again.
That said, this isn't an easy schedule by any stretch. It looks especially difficult for Montee Ball and the other Broncos tailbacks early in the season, with a brutal stretch of strong run defenses between Weeks 3 and 7. The Cardinals, Jets and Seahawks were all among the NFL's top-ten teams in defending the run last year.
Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders should feast on an AFC West that again lacks elite cornerbacks.
Fantasy Playoffs: The Bills and Chargers won't worry fantasy owners with a share of the Broncos' offense, but the Bengals in the championship week isn't what you want to see. The Bengals had the NFL's third-ranked defense by total yards allowed a year ago. Of course, it's not like you would ever sit Manning or a Broncos starter with a fantasy title on the line.
Kansas City Chiefs
| Week | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 1 | vs Titans |
| 2 | at Broncos |
| 3 | at Dolphins |
| 4 | vs Patriots |
| 5 | at 49ers |
| 6 | BYE |
| 7 | at Chargers |
| 8 | vs Rams |
| 9 | vs Jets |
| 10 | at Bills |
| 11 | vs Seahawks |
| 12 | at Raiders |
| 13 | vs Broncos |
| 14 | at Cardinals |
| 15 | vs Raiders |
| 16 | at Steelers |
| 17 | vs Chargers |
The Chiefs played the NFL's easiest schedule in 2013. Their path this year promises to be significantly more difficult.
Jamaal Charles finished as fantasy football's top-scoring running back in 2013, and he'll need to be even better this year if he wants to repeat that feat. Expect Charles to be less consistent on a week-to-week basis this season, as his slate of games alternates between stingy run defenses (like the 49ers, Jets and Seahawks) and weak ones (like the Dolphins, Bills and Patriots).
Look for Alex Smith, Dwayne Bowe and the rest of the Chiefs' passing game to get off to a slow start. Shutdown cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Darrelle Revis are looming on the September schedule.
The Chiefs defense/special teams was one of 2013's biggest surprises in fantasy football, but owners may be wise to avoid spending a mid-round pick on the unit this year. The Broncos and Patriots ranked first and third, respectively, in points per game last season, and both will test the Chiefs D/ST in the first month of the coming campaign.
Fantasy Playoffs: Charles carried his owners to fantasy titles last year with a remarkable run through the playoffs, registering 215 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns (worth an astounding 51 fantasy points in standard leagues) in Week 15, and adding 114 yards and a touchdown in Week 16. Charles' Weeks 15-16 matchups look juicy again this year, but he'll first have to survive a brutal Week 14 appointment with the Cardinals if he's to again reward his owners when it matters most.
Oakland Raiders
| Week | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 1 | at Jets |
| 2 | vs Texans |
| 3 | at Patriots |
| 4 | vs Dolphins (London) |
| 5 | BYE |
| 6 | vs Chargers |
| 7 | vs Cardinals |
| 8 | at Browns |
| 9 | at Seahawks |
| 10 | vs Broncos |
| 11 | at Chargers |
| 12 | vs Chiefs |
| 13 | at Rams |
| 14 | vs 49ers |
| 15 | at Chiefs |
| 16 | vs Bills |
| 17 | at Broncos |
Few fantasy owners will draft a Raiders quarterback this year, and only slightly more will select a receiver like James Jones, Andre Holmes, Denarius Moore or Rod Streater. It won't be surprising to see one of more of that quartet produce strong numbers down the stretch, however, as the Raiders will face a group of weak pass defenses from Weeks 10-16.
Running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden probably won't be so lucky. If one or both get out to a hot start against the relatively weak defenses they will face in September (Jets aside), it might be a shrewd move for fantasy owners to execute a bye-week trade. Raiders tailbacks will face a gauntlet of stout run defenses from Week 6 to 14.
Fantasy Playoffs: The 49ers and Chiefs were among the NFL's best defenses for much of the 2013 season, though the Chiefs fell off a bit toward the end of the year. The pair certainly aren't welcome sights on the Raiders' schedule for the fantasy playoffs.
San Diego Chargers
| Week | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 1 | at Cardinals |
| 2 | vs Seahawks |
| 3 | at Bills |
| 4 | vs Jaguars |
| 5 | vs Jets |
| 6 | at Raiders |
| 7 | vs Chiefs |
| 8 | at Broncos |
| 9 | at Dolphins |
| 10 | BYE |
| 11 | vs Raiders |
| 12 | vs Rams |
| 13 | at Ravens |
| 14 | vs Patriots |
| 15 | vs Broncos |
| 16 | at 49ers |
| 17 | at Chiefs |
Fantasy owners with a stake in the Chargers will have to endure a brutal first two weeks of the season, as the Chargers will face off against the NFL's No. 6 and No. 1 defenses in total yards allowed out of the gate. Don't expect Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Ryan Mathews and company to get off to hot starts. Things will get significantly easier after that, with the Bills, Jaguars and Raiders on tap over the next month. Savvy owners may wish to trade for Chargers players prior to Week 3.
The Chargers' Week 10 bye may be troublesome for fantasy owners, as the maximum of five other teams are also on a bye that week, greatly limiting the pool of available replacement players.
Fantasy Playoffs: With the Patriots, Broncos and 49ers on the slate for the fantasy playoffs, the Chargers could play three consecutive contests that are significantly more compelling in real-life terms than for fantasy players. The Patriots and Broncos should each be significantly better on defense in 2014, and the 49ers should remain among the best on that side of the ball.
