3 things to watch for when Colts' 2026 NFL schedule is announced

Although we know who the Indianapolis Colts' opponents are for this season, their full 2026 NFL schedule will be announced on Thursday, May 14.

On paper, the Colts have one of the easier strength of schedules in football, but how the schedule shakes out can impact the difficulty of it as well.

So as schedule leaks continue to drop and once the full 17-game schedule is announced, here are three things to keep your eyes on that could impact how the 2026 season unfolds.

When is the Colts' bye week?

I imagine that every team is hoping that their bye lands somewhere in the middle of the season, but that won't be the case for everyone. The earliest bye is Week 5, which then means a team must play 13 consecutive weeks to close out the regular season. On the flip side, the latest bye week comes in Week 14. Ideally, the Colts' bye will land in the Week 8-11 range, helping to split the season into two halves.

Colts' rest advantage or disadvantage

Sometimes it's not who you play, but when you play a team. How many of the Colts' opponents are coming off their bye week or a Thursday night game the week prior? Do the Colts face any of their opponents on a short week of rest? Are opponents coming off of or in the midst of an extended road trip when facing the Colts? Having the rest advantage means more time to recover and prepare for the upcoming game. Over the course of a season, that can add up.

Any long home or road stretches

Sometimes, the most difficult part of the schedule can be when a team is on the road three out of four games. Or conversely, a time to capitalize and bank some wins can come during a stretch of home games. Also, will the Colts spend more time on the road or at home in December and January, during the crunch time of the NFL season?