Strength of schedule for all 32 NFL teams: Which teams have the hardest, easiest schedule for 2025?
Context:
The 2025 NFL schedule, set to be released on May 14, follows a formulaic structure based on division finishes and rotations of divisional opponents. The New York Giants are anticipated to face the toughest schedule with a .574 opponent win percentage, having to play strong teams like the Cowboys, Eagles, and Chiefs. Conversely, the San Francisco 49ers have the easiest schedule, with opponents' winning percentages at .415, presenting an advantageous situation as they negotiate a new contract for quarterback Brock Purdy. The NFL's method for schedule creation involves predetermined home and away opponents and is not influenced by the schedule makers, who only decide the timing of the games. The rankings of strength of schedule, from hardest to easiest, highlight the stark differences teams will face in the upcoming season, reflecting changes from the previous year's results and off-season adjustments.
Dive Deeper:
The NFL schedule for 2025, to be released on May 14, is determined by a methodical approach that considers division standings and a cyclical rotation of intra- and inter-conference opponents, providing each team with known opponents well ahead of time.
The New York Giants are facing the most challenging schedule with a .574 opponent win percentage, including difficult divisional games against the Cowboys, Eagles, and Commanders, and games against the strong AFC West and NFC North teams.
For the San Francisco 49ers, the 2025 season brings the easiest schedule, with opponents' win percentages at .415, which could provide leverage in contract negotiations for their quarterback Brock Purdy, as they face less formidable teams including divisional games against the Rams, Seahawks, and Cardinals.
The 2025 strength of schedule rankings illustrate significant disparities, with the Giants having the hardest path and the 49ers the easiest, influenced by last year's performances, offseason trades, and draft outcomes.
The NFL's scheduling system, which involves fixed opponents based on the previous season's standings and a rotating division cycle, ensures that no team is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged by subjective decision-making in game assignments.
The NFL will release its full schedule on May 14 at 8 p.m. ET, but we have long known the opponents for each team in the 2025 season. The NFL schedule isn't entirely a mystery; it's instead pretty formulaic, taking into account division finish and a regular rotation of divisional opponents from both conferences.
The new league year represents a clean slate for every team around the league. Unfortunately, not all schedules are created equally. Based on last year's finish, free agency moves and the results of the NFL Draft, we can start to see who is facing an uphill battle even before the season starts, and who should have successful seasons if they can take care of business.
With that in mind, here are the best and worst strength of schedules for the 2025 NFL season.
Toughest NFL schedule 2025
Giants (.574 opponent win percentage)
New York finished with the third-worst record in the NFL last year and could be in line for another tough year. New York will have six tough divisional games against Dallas, Washington and Philadelphia, who are all markedly better.The NFC East will take on the AFC West this year. That means the Giants have to also contend with the Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos and a rebuilding Raiders squad. The NFC East also draws the NFC North, meaning tough games against the Packers, Lions, Vikings and a rebuilding Bears team.
Home Away Cowboys Cowboys Eagles Eagles Commanders Commanders Packers Bears Chiefs Broncos Chargers Lions Vikings Raiders 49ers Patriots -- Saints Who has the easiest NFL schedule in 2025?
49ers (.415 opponent win percentage)
Based on the 2024 winning percentage of their opponents, the 49ers have the easiest schedule in 2025. It comes at a good time for San Francisco, as quarterback Brock Purdy needs a new contract. While it doesn't look like it will go the route of a holdout, if it did, the 49ers could have more pull given that they have the easiest schedule on paper.San Francisco will play the Rams, Seahawks and Cardinals twice for divisional games. The NFC West also drew the NFC South this year. The 49ers finished last in their division in 2024, meaning they also draw the last place finishers in the NFC East (Giants) and NFC North (Bears).
Home Away Cardinals Cardinals Seahawks Seahawks Rams Rams Falcons Texans Panthers Colts Jaguars Saints Titans Buccaneers Bears Browns -- Giants 2025 NFL strength of schedule rankings
Here is the strength of schedule rankings for 2025. No. 1 is the toughest strength of schedule, while No. 32 is the easiest.
Last season's win percentage is not a perfect way of evaluating each team's strength of schedule, particularly after a busy offseason that saw some teams upgrade and others lose key pieces.Rank Team Opponent win pct. (2024) 1 Giants .574 2 Bears .571 Lions .571 4 Eagles .561 5 Cowboys .557 Packers .557 Vikings .557 8 Commanders .550 9 Ravens .533 10 Steelers .526 11 Chiefs .522 Chargers .522 13 Browns .519 14 Bengals .509 15 Broncos .505 16 Raiders .502 17 Rams .491 18 Texans .481 Buccaneers .481 20 Falcons .478 21 Dolphins .474 Seahawks .474 23 Bills .467 Jaguars .467 25 Colts .464 26 Jets .460 27 Cardinals .457 Panthers .457 29 Titans .450 30 Patriots .429 31 Saints .419 32 49ers .415 Below is a look at Sharp Football Analysis' strength of schedule rankings based on their opponents' projected 2024 win total, from easiest (49ers) to hardest (Giants).
Rank Team 1 49ers 2 Patriots 3 Saints 4 Falcons 5 Bills 6 Jaguars 7 Panthers 8 Titans 9 Dolphins 10 Buccaneers 11 Cardinals 12 Colts 13 Seahawks 14 Broncos 15 Chargers 16 Jets 17 Bengals 18 Raiders 19 Commanders 20 Rams 21 Ravens 22 Cowboys 23 Packers 24 Steelers 25 Texans 26 Bears 27 Chiefs 28 Vikings 29 Eagles 30 Lions 31 Browns 32 Giants How is the NFL schedule determined?
If you believe your team has a difficult or easy schedule, no one is to blame. The NFL schedule makers only determine when teams play the games, not which opponents they face. That's determined by a set of rules, and it's why each team already knows its home and away opponents for 2024.The NFL uses this formula to put together each team's schedule:
- Each team plays six divisional games, facing each divisional opponent three times at home and three times on the road (six games).
- Each team faces all four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).
- Each team faces all four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games)
- Each team faces two more intraconference opponents based on the prior year’s standings. For example, because the Browns already play the entire AFC North and AFC West in 2024, they face the teams in the AFC South and AFC East that finished in the same spot in the standings as Cleveland did (second) the previous season. In their case, it's the Dolphins and Jaguars (two games).
- Each team plays one additional game against a team from the other conference based on the prior year's standings on a rotating four-year cycle. These games match a first-place team from one division against a first-place team in an opposite conference division that the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in each division are similarly paired. The home conference for this game rotates each season (one game).