Warren SharpAug 30, 2026
Sharp's schedule-rest analysis cites projected win totals for the Bills' toughest AFC opponents and names teams expected to reach the playoffs in 2026, arguing the 2026 schedule is the least equitable in NFL history with the Bears most helped and the Chargers most hurt.
Published in writing · Sharp Football AnalysisRead the original
What Warren Sharp said
The 2026 NFL schedule is the least equitable in NFL history across most key metrics.
- Where it was published
- Sharp Football Analysis
- The piece
- 2026 NFL Schedule Rest Disparity: Teams Helped & Hurt
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| Season Win Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
How each call scored
11 checkable claims — 6 playoff picks and 5 season win totals — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 4.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Los Angeles Chargers · 2026 season · wins3 calls from 3 pundits between 4 wins and 10.3 wins. Warren Sharp said 10.3 wins. the room's median is 9 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Playoff Picks6 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“Denver plays six straight games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year: the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“Denver plays six straight games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year: the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs
“Denver plays six straight games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year: the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jacksonville Jaguars to make the playoffs
“Denver plays six straight games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year: the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs
“Denver plays six straight games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year: the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“Denver plays six straight games against teams expected to make the playoffs this year: the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Season Win Totals5 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
New England Patriots to finish with 9.7 wins
“9.7-win Patriots: the Bills' first game sees no rest edge, but the second game sees the Bills with a +3 day rest edge after Thanksgiving”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Denver Broncos to finish with 9.7 wins
“9.7-win Broncos: the Bills have a +1 day rest advantage for the Christmas game”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Chargers to finish with 10.3 wins
“10.3-win Chargers: Buffalo is +3 days of rest off a mini-bye”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kansas City Chiefs to finish with 10.4 wins
“10.4-win Chiefs: rest is identical, but this is a short-week home game on Thursday”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Baltimore Ravens to finish with 11.2 wins
“11.2-win Ravens: Buffalo has +7 days of rest out of their bye”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role.Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots.Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Ross Jackson · Playoff Picks · New Orleans Saints · Miss 0
Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Minnesota Vikings · Miss 0
Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Carolina Panthers · Hit 100
Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. They also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.Chris Brockman · Playoff Picks · Pittsburgh Steelers · Hit 100
Brockman argued the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Foxborough, meaning the Patriots will finish as the No. 1 seed, and called their shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. They also declared the Bears a team of destiny who will win the NFC, said the Steelers will end their playoff win drought, and that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.