There’s been a lot of shakeup in the AFC this offseason, including the addition of national champion head coach Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers have one of the most favorable NFL strength of schedules rankings for the 2024 season, but what about the other 15 teams across the AFC?
With training camps underway, let’s examine how the AFC stacks up in terms of schedule for the upcoming season.
Ranking the AFC Teams by Strength of Schedule
1) Los Angeles Chargers (2nd overall)
The Chargers bottomed at 5-12 in 2023 and will face a last-place schedule in 2024. New head coach Jim Harbaugh probably won’t mind as he attempts to revamp Los Angeles’ roster.
The Bolts have to go up against the AFC North, which means we’ll get another edition of the Harbaugh Bowl. But they’ll also play the NFC South, where they could steal a few wins if everything breaks right.
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- Home: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans
- Away: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Browns, Steelers, Patriots, Falcons, Panthers, Cardinals
2) Cincinnati Bengals (4th overall)
After narrowly missing the playoffs with Jake Browning under center in 2023, the Bengals will return with a healthy Joe Burrow next season. Cincinnati faced arguably the league’s most challenging schedule last year but will catch a break in 2024.
While the AFC North is one of the NFL’s most competitive divisions, the Ravens, Steelers, and Browns’ upcoming schedules rank among the league’s 10 most challenging.
The Bengals will play five prime-time games next year, including Thursday nighters against Baltimore and Cleveland.
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- Home: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Broncos, Raiders, Patriots, Eagles, Commanders
- Away: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers, Titans, Cowboys, Giants, Panthers
3) Indianapolis Colts (8th overall)
The Colts nearly snuck into the playoffs in Shane Steichen’s first season as head coach and will try to make the dance with second-year QB Anthony Richardson returning from injury.
General manager Chris Ballard grabbed promising edge rusher Laiatu Latu and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, giving Indy potential weapons on both sides of the ball.
MORE: Pro Football Network’s Top 100 NFL Players of 2024
The Colts will need every advantage they can get, as division-rival teams like the Texans and Titans used free agency to upgrade their rosters with outside additions.
- Home: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Dolphins, Bills, Steelers, Lions, Bears
- Away: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Jets, Patriots, Broncos, Giants, Packers, Vikings
4) Kansas City Chiefs (9th overall)
Andy Reid and the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs will kick off the 2024 season with an AFC Championship Game rematch against the Ravens in Week 1. Kansas City will be on TV for a whopping eight standalone games next year.
While the Chiefs faced one of the most challenging playoff schedules in NFL history during their Lombardi run, their regular-season slate ranked in the middle of the pack.
In 2024, Patrick Mahomes and Co. will play the AFC North, which is always challenging. But games against the NFC South and their own AFC West — where none of the Chargers, Raiders, or Broncos present a realistic threat — should be reprieves for Kansas City.
- Home: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Texans, Saints, Buccaneers
- Away: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders, Steelers, Browns, Bills, Falcons, Panthers, 49ers
5) New York Jets (12th overall)
The Jets are all-in on 2024, a virtual requirement when your quarterback is 40 years old. Aaron Rodgers’ return has New York on the ascent, as does Buffalo’s offseason talent purge.
The NFL ensured that Gang Green would be on our screens next season. The Jets received six prime-time games, including a must-watch Monday night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1.
- Home: Patriots, Dolphins, Bills, Texans, Colts, Broncos, Rams, Seahawks
- Away: Patriots, Dolphins, Bills, Jaguars, Titans, Steelers, Cardinals, 49ers, Vikings
6) Jacksonville Jaguars (16th overall)
Jacksonville collapsed down the stretch in 2023, losing five of its last six games while blowing its AFC South lead and eventually missing the playoffs together.
The Jaguars’ division has seemingly overnight become one of the most competitive in the league. Did GM Trent Baalke and HC Doug Pederson do enough over the offseason for Jacksonville to rebound next year? Adding LSU wideout Brian Thomas Jr. to replace Calvin Ridley will help, but the Jags have their work cut out.
- Home: Texans, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Jets, Packers, Vikings, Browns
- Away: Texans, Colts, Titans, Dolphins, Raiders, Bills, Eagles, Bears, Lions
7) Miami Dolphins (17th overall)
Few teams lost more talent during the 2024 NFL offseason than the Dolphins, who saw DT Christian Wilkins, G Robert Hunt, EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel, and others walk out the door in free agency.
Miami papered over many of its holes with smart, modestly priced deals and will now try to win its first AFC East title since 2008. A regular-season finale against the Jets could decide the division, just as the Dolphins’ Week 18 loss to the Bills did in 2023.
- Home: Bills, Patriots, Jets, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders, Cardinals, 49ers
- Away: Bills, Patriots, Jets, Texans, Colts, Browns, Rams, Seahawks, Packers
8) Denver Broncos (18th overall)
The Broncos are entering a potential reset year after opting to take on the majority ($53 million) of Russell Wilson’s dead money in 2024. However, Sean Payton might not see it that way, especially after selecting Oregon QB Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick.
Denver received a late (Week 14) bye. Over the final four weeks of the regular season, it will have to face three contenders: the Colts, Bengals, and Chiefs.
- Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Browns, Steelers, Colts, Falcons, Panthers
- Away: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Jets, Saints, Buccaneers, Seahawks
9) Las Vegas Raiders (23rd overall)
The Raiders have a path to the playoffs after finishing 8-9 last season. An underrated defense added Christian Wilkins, but Las Vegas didn’t find a quarterback in the draft after signing Garder Minshew II in free agency.
While the Raiders can beat up on the Chargers and Broncos, they’ll still need to get past the Chiefs to win the division. Meanwhile, claiming a Wild Card spot in a tight AFC while playing a bottom-third schedule won’t be an easy task for Vegas.
- Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Browns, Steelers, Jaguars, Falcons, Panthers
- Away: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Ravens, Bengals, Dolphins, Saints, Buccaneers, Rams
10) Baltimore Ravens (24th overall)
Baltimore will get another shot at Kansas City after their 17-10 AFC title game loss in January. Fresh off his second MVP award, Lamar Jackson will face Mahomes to open the 2024 NFL campaign.
The Ravens had an eventful offseason, losing 60% of their offensive line plus contributors like RB Gus Edwards, WR Odell Beckham Jr., EDGE Jadeveon Clowney, LB Patrick Queen, and S Geno Stone.
A step back isn’t out of the question for Baltimore, especially given the team’s demanding schedule. However, John Harbaugh and Jackson always seem to have found a way.
- Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Broncos, Raiders, Bills, Eagles, Commanders
- Away: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers, Texans, Cowboys, Giants, Buccaneers
11) Tennessee Titans (26th overall)
The Titans are going for it in Brian Callahan’s first season as head coach. Tennessee went on a spending free this offseason, adding RB Tony Pollard, WR Calvin Ridley, C Lloyd Cushenberry, and CBs L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie.
Will those additions be enough for the Titans to compete in 2024? Or are they simply looking for a definitive answer on second-year QB Will Levis?
- Home: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Patriots, Jets, Bengals, Packers, Vikings
- Away: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Dolphins, Bills, Chargers, Bears, Lions, Commanders
12) Pittsburgh Steelers (28th overall)
The Steelers were left for dead after Week 15, but a three-game winning streak with Mason Rudolph center propelled Pittsburgh into the playoffs and kept Mike Tomlin’s non-losing-season streak alive.
Can they keep rolling in 2024? The Steelers’ post-bye schedule is beyond difficult. Seven of their final nine opponents made the playoffs last season, and that doesn’t include the Bengals, who are expected to be Super Bowl contenders next year.
- Home: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Chiefs, Chargers, Jets, Giants, Cowboys
- Away: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Raiders, Colts, Eagles, Commanders, Falcons
13) Cleveland Browns (29th overall)
Cleveland faced a tough schedule in 2023 and won’t be spared during the upcoming season. Kevin Stefanksi’s effort against that slate of opponents — while working through myriad injuries at QB and other critical positions — earned him his second Coach of the Year award last year.
- Home: Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Cowboys, Giants
- Away: Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Broncos, Raiders, Jaguars, Eagles, Commanders, Saints
14) Houston Texans (30th overall)
C.J. Stroud and the Texans took advantage of one of the NFL’s easiest schedules last season, winning the AFC South before advancing to the Divisional Round.
Things won’t be quite as simple in 2024. But Houston earned an A for its free agency efforts after trading for WR Stefon Diggs and RB Joe Mixon and signing veteran EDGE Danielle Hunter.
The Texans were exciting enough to land a Christmas Day matchup against the Ravens.
- Home: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Bills, Dolphins, Ravens, Bears, Lions
- Away: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Jets, Patriots, Chiefs, Packers, Vikings, Cowboys
15) Buffalo Bills (31st overall)
Buffalo’s salary cap crunch forced the team to let go of many of its established veterans, including WRs Diggs and Gabe Davis, CB Tre’Davious White, and DBs Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.
Josh Allen’s presence means the Bills’ window is never closed, but a step back wouldn’t be surprising, especially given how difficult this schedule is.
- Home: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Jaguars, Titans, Chiefs, Cardinals, 49ers
- Away: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Texans, Colts, Ravens, Rams, Seahawks, Lions
16) New England Patriots (32nd overall)
Good luck, Pats. Any argument against New England drafting a rookie quarterback started with the club’s lack of weapons. But the Patriots’ daunting schedule is also a factor and could force Mayo to start veteran Jacoby Brissett over Maye to begin the year.
- Home: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Texans, Colts, Chargers, Rams, Seahawks
- Away: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Titans, Jaguars, 49ers, Cardinals, Bears