The NFL schedule for the 2026 season has been revealed, and there are lots of matchups worth talking about. Here, the Yahoo Fantasy Football crew chooses the games they’re most excited to watch for the upcoming campaign. See which matchups Justin Boone, Matt Harmon, Scott Pianowski and Joel Smyth are looking forward to.
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Reigning Super Bowl MVP returns to face former team
Chiefs at Seahawks, Week 7: It’s not often a Super Bowl MVP leaves his team in free agency, but that’s exactly the scenario Kenneth Walker III finds himself in after signing with the Chiefs. Even more exciting, is the fact he gets to face his former club on the road in Seattle. Whether it was the decision to not re-sign him or the committee backfield the coaching staff kept deploying him in, there doesn’t seem to be any love lost between Walker and the Seahawks’ management. When asked about the matchup this season, Walker told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show “I would dap up all my teammates, but that’s about it”.
From a fantasy standpoint, it never hurts to have a little added motivation going into a game and I even factor that in slightly to my rankings and projections when a player encounters a team he used to be on. Walker is also coming off the hottest streak of his career, averaging 128.5 scrimmage yards per outing over his final six games (including the postseason). However, the Seahawks’ run defense will be up for the challenge. They allowed the third-fewest rushing yards and the second-fewest rushing touchdowns in 2025. Let’s hope Walker breaks a long run and gets to have a Marshawn Lynch-style celebration as he dives into the end zone. — Boone
No love lost between these two rivals on Sunday night
Cowboys at Giants, Week 1 (SNF opener): No better way to start than the beginning. We’ll all be heavily invested in the Cowboys offense from a fantasy standpoint, so it’s key to get an early look at that unit. We don’t have many questions about it but nevertheless, seeing how George Pickens is used in concert with a fully healthy CeeDee Lamb is a big variable as he proceeds to play on the franchise tag. The bigger questions are on the other side of the ball.
The Giants’ offense is one I can’t quite wrap my mind around just yet. On one hand, there are several interesting young players who might be values in drafts, including Year 2 players in Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. The entire unit is getting a facelift with a new coaching staff under John Harbaugh and looks poised to move toward more heavy and 12-personnel packages. At the same time, they might be playing the early season without or certainly minus a fully healthy Malik Nabers. The star receiver is what can take this from a solid unit to a strong one. His status is one I’ll be closely monitoring all throughout the summer. — Harmon
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High-scoring affair between two NFL powerhouses on tap
Bills at Rams, Week 5 (MNF): If this game doesn’t get your blood pumping, consult your doctor immediately. It’s a prime-time matchup between the last two MVP winners (Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford), and we’ve recently seen these teams have a pinball affair. The Bills and Rams met in Week 14 of 2024, with Los Angeles holding on for an exhilarating 44-42 victory. Josh Allen did his Superman thing for Buffalo that day (three touchdowns passing, three touchdowns rushing) while the Rams racked up 457 yards and five touchdowns of their own (the other TD scored on special teams). Puka Nacua put on a 12-162-1 clinic, Kyren Williams had 31 touches and scored twice, and Stafford threw for 320 yards and two scores, en route to a 132.6 rating. I don’t see how the teams are that much different now; little wonder there’s a 53.5 point total set for this Monday night showdown. Get your popcorn ready. — Pianowski
Jackson vs. Burrow matchup (health pending) in primetime
Ravens at Bengals, Week 17 (TNF): For years, the Lamar Jackson versus Joe Burrow prime-time games have fed families and fantasy football managers. Shootout after shootout has come with Ja’Marr Chase averaging 29.5 fantasy points over his last four with both QBs over 20 PPG. Prior to last season, Jackson was averaging 25.3 per game versus Cincinnati, one of the best marks by a player against a team in the NFL, but struggled mightily in the matchups last season, ultimately only throwing the ball 12 times in their Week 15 win. If both quarterbacks can stay healthy, I’d expect them to go back to their shootout ways and light up the scoreboard.
This time, the Bengals will finally host Baltimore in a primetime matchup, after the last four being played in Baltimore. A New Year’s Eve fantasy championship is what dreams are made of, as the two favorites in the division will square off to decide NFL playoff standings and fantasy championships. — Smyth