Fantasy Football Losers From The NFL Schedule Release: The Cardinals Can't Catch A Break
Adam Pfeifer breaks down the biggest fantasy football losers from the 2026 NFL schedule release.
After highlighting some fantasy football winners following the NFL schedule release, we unfortunately have to point out some losers.
Of course, this isn’t the end-all, be-all. As I stated in the previous article, so much can (and will) change over the next few months. But as we stand in mid-May, here are a few players who have some possible concerns regarding their upcoming schedule.
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Fantasy Football Losers From The 2026 NFL Schedule Release
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have one of the most difficult schedules of any team in football.
And to make things worse, they aren’t exactly eased in.
Arizona opens the year getting absolutely smacked in the mouth, facing the Chargers, Seahawks, 49ers, Giants (yay?), Lions, Rams, Broncos, Cowboys and Seahawks. I mean, that is about as brutal as it gets, especially for a team coming off a 3-14 record. Of course, things can change that might make this stretch less daunting. But you’re looking at five games against a defense that ranked top-10 in points per drive allowed a season ago, with Seattle and Denver undoubtedly ranking as top-three overall defensive units in the league.
Jacoby Brissett enjoyed a fun resurgence from Week 6 on last year, averaging 280.5 passing yards and 19.4 fantasy points per game. His play (and sheer passing volume) elevated the entire Arizona offense’s fantasy production, but this schedule makes it unlikely we see an encore. And if the Cardinals struggle like they should to open the season, it is fair to wonder if they give Gardner Minshew or even Carson Beck a look.
Saquon Barkley | RB | PHI
Look, I’m not telling you to avoid drafting Barkley because there are a few troubling aspects of his schedule. That would be foolish. However, it could serve as a potential tie-breaker between Barkley and a closely ranked running back.
Barkley took a somewhat expected step back last season, though I’m not sure many anticipated him finishing outside the top-12 running backs. The Eagles' sudden decline in run-blocking played a major factor, as Barkley saw his yards before contact per attempt plummet from 2.64 to 1.36 last year. While it won’t be to the level of his MVP-caliber 2024 campaign, I do expect Barkley to bounce back this season, especially if Philadelphia’s offense as a whole gets back on track. But if the run-blocking doesn’t improve, the return to glory may be more difficult, especially down the stretch.
During Weeks 15-16, also known as the most important weeks of the fantasy season, Barkley faces the two best defenses in the NFL: the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans. Both games are at home, but on very short weeks, going from a Week 15 Saturday contest to a quick Thursday turnaround. That is absolutely brutal during the fantasy semi-finals and championship weeks, especially considering the Texans and Seahawks ranked top-seven in fewest YBC/ATT allowed last year, while ranking first and third in defensive rush success rate, respectively.
Don’t be at all surprised if Barkley closes the fantasy season on a cold note.
Kyle Monangai | RB | CHI
Monangai enjoyed a successful rookie campaign, earning not just a backup role behind D’Andre Swift, but a position as a co-star in Chicago’s backfield. From Week 11 on, Monangai’s role expanded, as the rookie logged 43% of the snaps, handled 42% of the rush attempts and accounted for 44% of the team’s rush attempts from inside the five-yard line. Ben Johnson established the run in his first year in Chicago, and over the course of the season, the Bears posted the third-lowest pass rate when within three points (55%). Chicago’s defense wasn’t great, but it forced enough turnovers that didn’t force them to abandon the run.
After winning the NFC North, the Bears now have a first-place schedule, which could force them into more pass-heavy game scripts. Matchups against offenses like Buffalo, Philadelphia, Green Bay, New England, Jacksonville and Detroit (twice) could lead to more reliance on the right arm of Caleb Williams, and less on the run game. The Bears allowed the fourth-most yards in football, but also led the league with 33 turnovers. If that normalizes, this will be a below-average defense, making Monangai less likely to see 13-15 carries in games Swift is active.
He’s still perfectly fine to draft in fantasy leagues. But I expect fewer games where he has standalone value in 2026.
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