-2026 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2026 Draft Kit
There was a time when the Buffalo Bills D/ST was a top 5 fantasy unit. However, over the last couple of seasons they have declined to being more of a fringe-starter or streaming option. With defensive-minded head coach Sean McDermott gone, the chore of handling the defense now goes to defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who plans on making significant changes to McDermott's "bend-but-don't-break" scheme, which was designed to limit big passing plays but was vulnerable to the run. It remains to be seen what Leonhard's defense will look like, but the hope is that a more aggressive defense will be rewarded with more turnovers and sacks, which are great for fantasy. On the other hand, even with concerns about a learning curve, a difficult schedule limits their ceiling in standard formats. The Bills will battle the entire NFC North and AFC West, in addition to tough individual match-ups against the Texans, Ravens, and Chiefs.
The 2026 Dallas Cowboys D/ST looks to be a volatile fantasy unit with a high ceiling but a risky floor. Ranked as the 31st hardest in overall strength of schedule, they project as a high-upside streaming option or late-round draft flier rather than an elite, every-week starter. The front office heavily invested in revamping the defensive unit to improve upon their struggles from the previous season. Dallas brought in first-round edge rusher Malachi Lawrence and third-rounder Jaishawn Barham. The unit features a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker, who is tasked with tightening up a secondary and run defense that surrendered the sixth-most points in NFL history.
Ranked near the bottom of the position at #31 in consensus ADP, this defense is expected to struggle against a brutally difficult schedule. Arizona is projected to have one of the hardest schedules in the league, regularly facing top-tier offenses from the NFC West and AFC West. They will be underdogs in almost all of their early-season match-ups, limiting their fantasy floor and ceiling. The defensive unit failed to secure significant impact players in free agency and the draft. This raises serious concerns about their ability to generate turnovers or sacks. The unit ranked among the bottom of the league in 2025, recording just 30 sacks (No. 29) and allowing the third-most points (470) in the NFL. Avoid selecting the Arizona Cardinals D/ST in your draft. Target units with high-floor match-ups and better pass-rush metrics.
The Washington Commanders enter the 2026 fantasy season as a low-end, match-up-dependent D/ST, typically going off the board outside the top 25. With a consensus rank around #30 in early drafts, they should only be rostered as streaming options during highly favorable match-ups rather than set-and-forget starters. Since the floor of this unit is volatile, you will want to target them only when they play against weaker, turnover-prone offenses. The team is in a highly competitive NFC East, and match-ups against high-powered offenses like the Philadelphia Eagles significantly lower their weekly ceiling.