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The Minnesota Vikings' 2026 schedule reveals a challenging opponent lineup, particularly with the Detroit Lions facing the easiest schedule in the NFL. A late-season loss affected the Vikings' strength of schedule, leaving them with tougher matchups.
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
The NFL will release the 2026 schedule in mere days, and when the Minnesota Vikings learn their opponents, theyâll inevitably see that the Detroit Lions have the easiest docket of opponents in the league.
One late-season result quietly altered Minnesotaâs 2026 opponent slate.
Thatâs the word from Sharp Football Analysis, a website that crunches strength-of-schedule numbers each year. Minnesota was one loss away from having the easiest schedule in the NFL. No cigar.
Itâs the strength-of-schedule portion of the offseason.

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) brings down Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium, collapsing the pocket with force and timing. Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave finishes the sack as âs defensive front consistently disrupted Detroitâs passing rhythm. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The Vikings' 2026 schedule includes a challenging lineup of opponents, influenced by a late-season loss.
A late-season loss prevented the Vikings from having the easiest schedule in the NFL, altering their opponent slate.
The Detroit Lions are projected to have the easiest schedule in the NFL for the 2026 season.
The NFL is expected to release the 2026 schedule in the coming days.

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Sharp: Vikings Have 16th Hardest Schedule; Lions Have Easiest
According to Sharp, this is the pecking order for the easiest schedules, with No. 1 as the easiest:
Sharp on his SOS model: âBy leveraging projected win totals and current season data, Warren Sharpâs strength of schedule model provides a more accurate and insightful tool for assessing team schedules and forecasting performance. Historical data confirms these results. Year in and year out: Teams that are predicted to have the easiest schedule are far more likely to finish with winning records. Teams that are predicted to have the hardest schedules are far more likely to finish with losing records.â
âThe vast majority of teams forecast to have winning records and predicted to have easier than average schedules finish the season with winning records. The vast majority of teams forecast to have losing records and predicted to have harder than average schedules finish the season with losing records. Are Warren Sharpâs strength of schedule projections accurate? Short answer: YES.â
The Vikings destroyed the Lions in Week 17 last year. Had that not occurred, the story about Minnesotaâs 2026 schedule would be wholly different.
The Five-Game Win Streak
So, what happened? Once upon a time, after an embarrassing loss at the Seattle Seahawks in November 2025, Minnesota held a 4-8 record, with eyes on last place in the NFC North, an easy 2026 schedule, and the possible draft pick of running back Jeremiyah Love or safety Caleb Downs.
Then, the club got hot by doing these things:
Yes, Minnesota went on a five-game winning streak, finishing with a winning record after a 4-8 start and coming one win away from winning the NFC North.

Detroit Lions center Graham Glasgow (60) stands over the football awaiting the snap against the Minnesota Vikings during second-quarter action at U.S. Bank Stadium, surveying the defensive front pre-play. Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Glasgow prepares to initiate the play as both lines settle into position. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Had the Vikings lost to the Lions in Week 17, theyâd have one of the easiest 2026 schedules in the business, if not the easiest.
Home Opponents
The order of the Vikingsâ schedule is not known, but the opponents have been readily available since mid-January.
Hereâs who the Vikings will play at U.S. Bank Stadium:
The Bills havenât played in Minnesota since 2018, when rookie Josh Allen stunned the Vikings with one of the most unexpected upsets of the season.
Miami shares a similar scheduling quirk. The Dolphins also havenât visited Minnesota since 2018. The Vikings could finally face Tua Tagovailoa â now with the Falcons â after he missed their 2022 matchup at Hard Rock Stadium when he quarterbacked the Dolphins.
Indianapolis, however, has a unique history with the Vikings. The Colts will make their third consecutive trip to Minnesota, with the memory of their epic 2022 collapse still vivid.
Road Opponents
And for your possible trip around the country as a die-hard fan:
Assuming both are healthy, Drake Maye and Tyler Shough are two quarterbacks to watch. Vikings fans could get their first live look at Maye, whom Minnesota reportedly considered in the 2024 draft, and will also see Shough in a Saints uniform.

Detroit Lions fans erupt with energy inside Ford Field, filling the stands with noise and motion during first-quarter action against the Minnesota Vikings in a heated divisional clash. Nov 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA: The crowd creates an early-game atmosphere as the Lions host Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.
The road trip to San Francisco presents a trickier challenge. The Vikings havenât played there since 2021, and their history at that stadium hasnât been favorable.
Meanwhile, New Orleans stirs up old scar tissue for Vikings fans. Even seventeen years later, the sting of that NFC Championship Game still resonates whenever the two teams meet.
Overall, accept a middle-of-the-road schedule per difficulty â which would have been much easier if not for Minnesotaâs December and January surge.