Defenses ranked through Week 8, 2026
Fantasy playoff schedules for 2026, by position
Use the playoff schedule to break ties, not to make the decision. When two players are close, take the one with the softer Weeks 15 to 17. Never trade a clearly better player for a softer schedule.
How to read the tables
We rank each defense by the fantasy points it has allowed to a position this season. We count the top quarterback, the top two running backs, the top three receivers and the top tight end each game. Rank 1 gives up the most, so 1 is the softest matchup and 32 the toughest. The average is across Weeks 15, 16 and 17, the weeks most leagues use for the playoffs. No team has a bye in those weeks.
Quarterbacks
| Team | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Average rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest | MIN | DET | WAS | @NYJ | 7.0 |
| Easiest | JAX | @HOU | @DAL | WAS | 8.3 |
| Easiest | GB | MIA | @CHI | HOU | 9.0 |
| Easiest | DEN | @LV | BUF | @NE | 11.0 |
| Easiest | CHI | @BUF | GB | DET | 11.3 |
| Toughest | CAR | CIN | @PIT | SEA | 25.0 |
| Toughest | KC | NE | SF | @LAC | 24.0 |
| Toughest | BAL | @PIT | CLE | @CIN | 23.0 |
| Toughest | NE | @KC | @NYJ | DEN | 22.7 |
| Toughest | LA | DAL | @SEA | @TB | 22.7 |
Running backs
| Team | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Average rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest | MIA | @GB | LAC | BUF | 5.0 |
| Easiest | ARI | NYJ | @NO | LV | 7.7 |
| Easiest | CHI | @BUF | GB | DET | 9.0 |
| Easiest | DEN | @LV | BUF | @NE | 10.3 |
| Easiest | TB | NO | @ATL | LA | 11.3 |
| Toughest | DET | @MIN | NYG | @CHI | 25.3 |
| Toughest | CAR | CIN | @PIT | SEA | 25.0 |
| Toughest | DAL | @LA | JAX | NYG | 24.3 |
| Toughest | WAS | ATL | @MIN | @JAX | 24.0 |
| Toughest | BAL | @PIT | CLE | @CIN | 23.3 |
Wide receivers
| Team | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Average rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest | CHI | @BUF | GB | DET | 5.3 |
| Easiest | JAX | @HOU | @DAL | WAS | 5.7 |
| Easiest | HOU | JAX | @PHI | @GB | 7.0 |
| Easiest | MIN | DET | WAS | @NYJ | 7.7 |
| Easiest | DEN | @LV | BUF | @NE | 9.3 |
| Toughest | LAC | SF | @MIA | KC | 28.0 |
| Toughest | BUF | CHI | @DEN | @MIA | 24.7 |
| Toughest | NE | @KC | @NYJ | DEN | 24.3 |
| Toughest | CAR | CIN | @PIT | SEA | 24.3 |
| Toughest | LA | DAL | @SEA | @TB | 21.3 |
Tight ends
| Team | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Average rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest | ATL | @WAS | TB | NO | 6.3 |
| Easiest | NO | @TB | ARI | @ATL | 8.0 |
| Easiest | MIN | DET | WAS | @NYJ | 9.0 |
| Easiest | BUF | CHI | @DEN | @MIA | 9.3 |
| Easiest | LV | DEN | TEN | @ARI | 12.0 |
| Toughest | PHI | SEA | HOU | @SF | 28.0 |
| Toughest | DET | @MIN | NYG | @CHI | 25.3 |
| Toughest | DAL | @LA | JAX | NYG | 24.0 |
| Toughest | HOU | JAX | @PHI | @GB | 22.7 |
| Toughest | MIA | @GB | LAC | BUF | 21.7 |
How to use it
- Use it to break ties. Eight games is a small sample, and defenses change. Treat a soft schedule as a nudge.
- Act before your deadline. Many fantasy leagues close trading in November, weeks before the playoffs start. Plan with these now.
- Check your second quarterback. In superflex you start two, so a soft playoff run for your QB2 counts as much as one for your QB1.
- Look at the whole run, not one week. A great Week 17 matchup doesn't help if your season ends in Week 16.
See where every player ranks this week in our weekly rankings, and price a trade with the trade machine.
Stats: nflverse (CC BY 4.0).