Our Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule printable PDF download charts are based on the cumulative 2009 stats and adjusted for projected 2010 team performances. Print out the grid sheets and keep them by your side as the season winds down for your all-important remaining line-up, waiver wire and trade decisions. I like to run a highlighter down the current week's column after that week's games finish on Sunday to easily keep track of what's left.

You must be logged in to download the PDF. Go HERE to register/log in and then HERE to download the PDF.

People often confuse the strength of schedule utilized in conventional football coverage with that used in fantasy football, but strength for our purposes is not defined by wins or losses. Just because your quarterback is facing a “bad” team doesn’t necessarily mean that they are weak against the pass, and in fact, “bad” teams can often be a poor match-up for passers because of the winning team’s tendency to pack things in and play conservatively against an overmatched opponent. The important thing is to note which teams give up the highest number of passing yards and touchdowns. Similarly, when choosing defenses many go after units facing low-scoring offenses when in reality the most effective strategy is to target those facing offenses prone to turnovers and sacks.

Drafting From Strength

Too many owners make the classic mistake of benching a star simply because he faces a tough match-up, but while talent usually trumps opposition, strength of schedule can be useful in making final draft day decisions on equally ranked players. For instance, Jamaal Charles has one of the easiest schedules and Shonn Greene has one of the hardest. That doesn't necessarily mean you take Charles before Greene, but it possibly drops Greene below Knowshon Moreno and Joseph Addai and raises Charles above rookie Ben Tate and RBBC victim Matt Forte. The same goes for wide receivers, where Donnie Avery and Chaz Schilens have two of the easiest passing schedules for their teams, and Mohamed Massaquoi and Antonio Bryant have two of the hardest. They're all similarly ranked, but when picking your back-up fantasy wide receiver, Avery and Schilens are more attractive because of the schedule Also, when filling out your fantasy bench, it's good to get those mid-to-late round players from teams with easy early season schedules. For example, if you miss out on a solid second running back, you could take a shot at Tim Hightower for some possible early season assistance, as the Cardinals don't face a “hard” rushing defense until they play the Vikings in Week 9.

Looking Ahead (Fantasy Playoffs)

Anyone who has dominated their fantasy season only to get bounced out of the playoffs knows all too well how common and unfulfilling that is, which is why studying strength of schedule for your playoff weeks is so important. On draft day, LeSean McCoy might seem to have more fantasy potential than Ronnie Brown, but looking ahead at the season’s final weeks reveals that McCoy faces a tough stretch of run defenses while Brown has a favorable Week 15-16 schedule. Brown's production could easily surpass McCoy’s during fantasy playoff weeks. Rookie Arrelious Benn has an easy playoff schedule, which should help them tremendously as a fantasy WR3 consideration. Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger should rise above anyway, but note that they do each have brutal fantasy playoff schedules. Second-tier wide receivers Dwayne Bowe and Derrick Mason could really shine with easy Week 15-16 schedules and win some fantasy championships for their owners this season.

Rushing Offenses

With a revamped offensive line and easy schedule, things are looking up for San Francisco’s Frank Gore, this year, and with Jacksonville’s easy rushing schedule, Maurice Jones-Drew will rise above the offensive mediocrity surrounding him. Kansas City and Seattle both have RBBC situations, but don't be afraid to take their backs at a discount, because they have easy schedules. The only thing Stephen Jackson has going for him besides his All-Pro talent is an easy schedule, but that's still enough to select him early in your draft. On the flip side, with Chester Taylor in town plus a tough rushing schedule, don't count on a huge bounce-back from Matt Forte this season. Rookies Jahvid Best and C.J. Spiller have tough schedules, so temper your expectations for them. Brandon Jacobs and Shonn Greene have tough schedules, but they are good enough to overcome the adversity.

Easiest Rushing Schedules:
Kansas City, Seattle, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Jacksonville

Easiest Rushing Playoffs:
Baltimore, Miami, Tennessee, Indianapolis, and Atlanta

Hardest Rushing Schedules:
Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, NY Giants, and NY Jets

Hardest Rushing Playoffs:
Cleveland, NY Giants, Chicago, San Diego, and Philadelphia

Passing Offenses

Kevin Kolb will be helped tremendously by his schedule, as he takes the reins of the Philly offense. All the other quarterbacks with easy schedules are second and third tier fantasy players, so easy schedules don’t help them much. With easy schedules, Larry Fitzgerald and DeSean Jackson could be the top fantasy receivers this year, despite each having new starting quarterbacks. Already excellent tight ends, easy schedules make Brent Celek, Kellen Winslow, and Zach Miller even more attractive at the tight end position. Carson Palmer and Chad Henne play on running teams anyway, but the stats of star receivers Chad Ochocinco and Brandon Marshall could tick down a bit due to tough schedules for Cincinnati and Miami. Randy Moss' schedule is also loaded with tough match-ups. Heath Miller and the Steelers have some easy match-ups early, and thankfully so, with Ben Roethlisberger suspended, but every one of their Week 12-16 match-ups rate as “hard”.

Easiest Passing Schedules:
Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Arizona, Oakland, and Philadelphia

Easiest Passing Playoffs:
Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Atlanta, Kansas City, and Indianapolis

Hardest Passing Schedules:
New England, Miami, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh

Hardest Passing Playoffs:
Pittsburgh, New England, Cleveland, Oakland, and Arizona

Defenses

One of the best ways to employ strength of schedule is in picking defenses, as great offenses consistently trump great defenses, at least from a fantasy perspective. Simply choosing units that face the worst offenses each week produces numbers equal to or superior to the elite defenses, making it possible to get top production by playing the match-ups instead of investing an early draft pick. Because streaming is the best way to go, you’ll want to keep this magazine (or these SoS pages, at least) handy all year long as a reference. One exception may be the New Orleans defense. With the turnovers and sacks they are sure to accumulate after working up a lead with their offense, you can draft them late and ride them virtually all year long, with only three tough match-ups on their slate. Otherwise, the most important thing to look at on draft day is the first few weeks. Draft the so-so defense with the best early schedule, then dump them. San Diego is the defense that fits that description this season, as five of their first six games are deemed “easy”. Then look into Miami, as they only have one “hard” match-up between Weeks 7 and 16. The Jets will be a very good fantasy defense, but do note that they have a tough start with Baltimore and New England in Weeks 1 & 2.

Easiest Schedules for Defenses:
St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, San Diego, and San Francisco

Easiest Playoffs for Defenses:
Miami, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Pittsburgh

Hardest Schedules for Defenses:
NY Giants, Washington, Dallas, Detroit, and Philadelphia

Hardest Playoffs for Defenses:
NY Giants, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minnesota, and Houston

Again, you must be logged in to download the PDF. Go HERE to register/log in and then HERE to download the PDF.

DONATIONS

RotoCommunity.com is under the AMDG Productions umbrella of entities. If you appreciate our work, please do consider donating so that we can cover costs and keep doing what we do. Seriously, if you could pay $10 for a 2-hour movie, $20 for a 2-hour dinner out, or $50 for a one-shot Aerosmith concert, you could toss $5 in our proverbial jar for a chart that will help you over the next two months and possibly even win money for you, right? DONATE.