The National Football League has released its 2021 regular-season schedule, so we now know all the matchups we’ll be looking at during the fantasy football campaign. More importantly, we know which teams will have the best and worst matchups during the most important time of the year for fantasy managers: The playoffs.
Strength of Schedule by Position: QB | RB | WR | TE
Fantasy Playoff Strength of Schedule by Position: QB | RB | WR | TE
Strength of Schedule Spreadsheet: Web Page | CSV | PDF
Playoff SOS Spreadsheet: Web Page | CSV | PDF
Those playoff weeks are now Weeks 15-17 (it had been Weeks 13-16), as the league has expanded to a 17-game slate. Using the fantasy points allowed data (home/road) from this past season, here are the teams whose players could lead you to a league championship and those whose playoff schedule could cost you a chance at the title.
Notes
Tua Tagovailoa benefits from playing against the Jets and Titans, who allowed the third- and fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season, respectively.
Kyler Murray will face two positive matchups in the fantasy postseason, facing the Lions and Cowboys. It’s another reason to make Murray one of the top quarterbacks.
Whether it’s Jimmy Garoppolo or Trey Lance, the Niners field general gets great games against the Falcons, Titans, and Texans in the final three weeks of the season.
Carson Wentz could be a hero in the playoffs, as he’ll face the Cardinals in Week 16 and the Raiders in fantasy championship week. Both teams struggled vs. quarterbacks.
Deshaun Watson‘s status with the Texans (and the league, for that matter) is in question, but he’d face the Jaguars and Chargers among his better matchups.
Ryan Tannehill has a tough overall schedule and facing the formidable Steelers, 49ers, and Dolphins (revenge game) defenses don’t make him attractive in the playoffs.
Baker Mayfield is an unreliable fantasy quarterback overall, and facing roadies against both the Packers and Steelers in the final weeks of the postseason doesn’t bode well.
Jalen Hurts is a potential breakout candidate, but facing the Football Team twice and the Giants once could make him a significant risk in your league’s playoffs.
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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!
