It’s best to take the 2023 NFL schedule one week at a time, but it is fun to look ahead, especially with the season just getting started. There is a lot to unpack week-to-week. As you navigate it all throughout the fantasy football season, I’ve made a cheat sheet to help along the way. It’s got everything you need to know inside the jam-packed 2023 NFL schedule.
Below you will find every prime-time matchup, bye week teams, revenge game matchups, and even some notable player birthdays. Whatever it takes to get an edge, right? Feel free to let this all guide you through the next four to five months on your way to a fantasy football championship.
Analyzing the 2023 NFL Schedule for Fantasy Football
Week 1
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Monday Night Football: Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets
Miscellaneous Notes
Three rookie quarterbacks will make their first regular season starts
- Bryce Young CAR @ ATL, C.J. Stroud HOU @ BAL, Anthony Richardson IND v. JAX
- Rookie QB Clayton Tune could start for the Arizona Cardinals @ Washington Commanders
Week 2
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday Night Football: Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots
Monday Night Football: New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers || Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Miscellaneous Notes
Sunday, Sep. 17 is QB Patrick Mahomes’ 28th birthday. The Kansas City Chiefs play the Jaguars in Jacksonville. This is a rematch of a AFC Divisional Round matchup from last season.
Rookie quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and C.J. Stroud face off as the Indianapolis Colts travel to Houston to play the Texans.
Week 3
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers
Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Las Vegas Raiders
Monday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers || Los Angeles Rams @ Cincinnati Bengals
Miscellaneous Notes
The top two drafted rookie running backs, Bijan Robinson (8th overall) and Jahmyr Gibbs (12th overall) will compete when the Detroit Lions host the Atlanta Falcons.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams game is a Super Bowl 56 rematch.
Week 4
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers
Sunday Morning Game (London): Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Jets
Monday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks @ New York Giants
Miscellaneous Notes
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions game is the first matchup between the two since the Lions beat the Packers in Week 18 last season, knocking them out of playoff contention.
Ezekiel Elliott will face the Dallas Cowboys for the first time, on the road, as running back for the New England Patriots.
Adam Thielen will face the Minnesota Vikings for the first time, at home, as wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers.
Week 5
Bye Week Teams
Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders
Sunday Morning Game (London): Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills
Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers
Monday Night Football: Green Bay Packers @ Las Vegas Raiders
Miscellaneous Notes
Running backs Javonte Williams and Breece Hall are set to take the field when the New York Jets travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. Both running backs are returning to the field in 2023 after season-ending knee injuries. Breece Hall suffered his against the Denver Broncos last season.
Sunday, Oct. 8 is tight end George Kittle’s 30th birthday. He plays in prime time Sunday night when the 49ers host the Cowboys.
Week 6
Bye Week Teams
Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday Morning Game (London): Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans
Sunday Night Football: New York Giants @ Buffalo Bills
Monday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Chargers
Miscellaneous Notes
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, quarterback Jimmy Garropolo, and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers all spent significant time with the New England Patriots. They’ll host their former team this week.
Week 7
Bye Week Teams
Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Jacksonville Jaguars @ New Orleans Saints
Sunday Night Football: Miami Dolphins @ Philadelphia Eagles
Monday Night Football: San Francisco 49ers @ Minnesota Vikings
Miscellaneous Notes
Sunday, October 22 is National Tight End Day.
This is the first of two Bye Weeks that consist of six teams without games.
Week 8
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills
Sunday Night Football: Chicago Bears @ Los Angeles Chargers
Monday Night Football: Las Vegas Raiders @ Detroit Lions
Miscellaneous Notes
This is the last week of fantasy football matchups before the NFL Trade Deadline (Tuesday, October 31st).
First and second overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, will face off against each other for the first time when the Houston Texans head to Carolina to face the Panthers.
Sunday, Oct. 29 is wide receiver Darnell Mooney’s 26th birthday. He and the Chicago Bears travel to Los Angeles to play the Chargers.
Week 9
Bye Week Teams
Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday Morning Game (Germany): Miami Dolphins @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday Night Football: Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals
Monday Night Football: Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Jets
Miscellaneous Notes
Darren Waller will face the Las Vegas Raiders for the first time as tight end of the New York Giants.
Tyreek Hill will face the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time as wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins.
Sunday, Nov. 5 is wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s 31st birthday. He and the Baltimore Ravens play host to the Seattle Seahawks.
Week 10
Bye Week Teams
Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Carolina Panthers @ Chicago Bears
Sunday Morning Game (Germany): Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots
Sunday Night Football: New York Jets @ Las Vegas Raiders
Monday Night Football: Denver Broncos @ Buffalo Bills
Miscellaneous Notes
Two of the top-three fantasy quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, are both on Bye.
D.J. Moore will face the Carolina Panthers for the first time as wide receiver for the Chicago Bears.
Week 11
Bye Week Teams
Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens
Sunday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos
Monday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City Chiefs
Miscellaneous Notes
The Monday Night Football matchup between the Eagles and Chiefs this week is a Super Bowl 57 rematch.
David Montgomery will face the Chicago Bears for the first time, at home, as running back for the Detroit Lions.
Week 12
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Thanksgiving Day
- Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
- Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys
- San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks
Friday Night Football: Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets
Sunday Night Football: Baltimore Ravens @ Los Angeles Chargers
Monday Night Football: Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings
Eight teams will play before our regular Sunday slate: six on Thanksgiving Thursday and two on Black Friday. Making lineup decision, especially in regards to players with a questionable injury tag, will take a lot of consideration.
Week 13
Bye Week Teams
Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs @ Green Bay Packers
Monday Night Football: Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Miscellaneous Notes
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Justin Fields are on Bye this week. That’s three of the top-six quarterbacks. The good news is that managers with either of these quarterbacks on their roster will have 12 straight weeks with them locked into their lineup.
The Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers this week. This is an NFC Championship rematch from last season.
Running back Jamaal Williams and the New Orleans Saints host the Detroit Lions. Williams led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns last season.
Week 14
Bye Week Teams
Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
Monday Night Football: Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants || Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins
Miscellaneous Notes
This is typically the final week of the fantasy football regular season.
Sunday, Dec. 10 is quarterback Joe Burrow’s 27th birthday. The Cincinnati Bengals host the Indianapolis Colts.
Week 15
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas Raiders
Sunday Night Football: Baltimore Ravens @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Monday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs @ New England Patriots
Miscellaneous Notes
This is the beginning of the fantasy football playoffs, typically the quarterfinals round.
Sunday, Dec. 17 is running back J.K. Dobbins’ 25th birthday. The Baltimore Ravens travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars.
Week 16
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams
Saturday Night Football: Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers || Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Charges
Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos
Monday Night Football: New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles || Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs
Miscellaneous Notes
This is the second round of the fantasy football playoffs, typically the semifinal round.
Sunday is Christmas Eve and Monday is Christmas Day. Happy holidays!
Week 17
Prime Time Games
Thursday Night Football: New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
Saturday Night Football: Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys
Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings
Monday Night Football: NO GAME
Miscellaneous Notes
This is the final round of the fantasy football playoffs, the championship
There is NO Monday Night game. The fantasy football season will end with the Packers/Vikings matchup on New Year’s Eve night.
The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Cincinnati this week. This is an AFC Championship rematch from last season.