How does the FSN NFL rooting guide work?

FSN measures how each other game in the current week changes a team’s simulated playoff, division, No. 1 seed and Super Bowl outcomes, then ranks the results that help most.

Why is my team’s own game not included?

Winning your own game is already the most direct way to improve your position. The rooting guide focuses on the other games fans should care about.

Do NFL rooting interests change every week?

Yes. Rooting interests rebuild with the FSN season forecast as standings, tiebreak paths and game probabilities change. Weekly snapshots preserve the pre-week picture.

2026 NFL · WEEK 6 · FSN-ROOT-1.1

NFL Rooting Guide: Who Should Your Team Root For?

Pick your team for Week 6. FSN ranks every other unplayed game by how much each result helps your playoff path—using the same 5,000 full-season simulations behind the Playoff Predictor.

Playoff Control Center →Playoff Predictor →Game Simulator →

PICK YOUR TEAM

Who should you root for in Week 6?

Team

WEEK 6 ROOTING INTERESTS

Seattle Seahawks fans: here’s who to root for

Your own game is excluded. Winning that one is still the best possible rooting strategy.

Current playoff odds79.4%10 meaningful outside-game impacts

Huge impact Mon 8:15 PM ET

WASWashington Commanders @ SFSan Francisco 49ers

ROOT FOR Washington Commanders over San Francisco 49ers

+5.4 pts Division odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Washington Commanders wins11.7%Division odds

If San Francisco 49ers wins6.4%Division odds

Playoffs79.3%vs79.4%

Division11.7%vs6.4%

#1 seed6.2%vs3.9%

Reach SB14.5%vs15.1%

Win SB7.4%vs7.6%

High impact Sun 4:05 PM ET

ARIArizona Cardinals @ LARLos Angeles Rams

ROOT FOR Arizona Cardinals over Los Angeles Rams

+2.7 pts Playoff odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Arizona Cardinals wins81.6%Playoff odds

If Los Angeles Rams wins79.0%Playoff odds

Playoffs81.6%vs79.0%

Division7.9%vs7.0%

#1 seed4.1%vs4.3%

Reach SB15.6%vs14.9%

Win SB8.0%vs7.5%

High impact Sun 8:20 PM ET

DALDallas Cowboys @ GBGreen Bay Packers

ROOT FOR Dallas Cowboys over Green Bay Packers

+2.7 pts Playoff odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Dallas Cowboys wins80.9%Playoff odds

If Green Bay Packers wins78.3%Playoff odds

Playoffs80.9%vs78.3%

Division7.3%vs7.1%

#1 seed4.1%vs4.4%

Reach SB16.3%vs14.0%

Win SB8.3%vs7.0%

Meaningful impact Sun 9:30 AM ET

HOUHouston Texans @ JAXJacksonville Jaguars

ROOT FOR Houston Texans over Jacksonville Jaguars

+2.0 pts Division odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Houston Texans wins8.4%Division odds

If Jacksonville Jaguars wins6.4%Division odds

Playoffs79.6%vs79.3%

Division8.4%vs6.4%

#1 seed5.3%vs3.6%

Reach SB16.5%vs14.2%

Win SB8.7%vs7.0%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

LACLos Angeles Chargers @ KCKansas City Chiefs

ROOT FOR Kansas City Chiefs over Los Angeles Chargers

+2.2 pts Playoff odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Kansas City Chiefs wins79.7%Playoff odds

If Los Angeles Chargers wins77.5%Playoff odds

Playoffs79.7%vs77.5%

Division7.3%vs6.4%

#1 seed4.3%vs4.0%

Reach SB15.2%vs14.0%

Win SB7.5%vs8.2%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

TENTennessee Titans @ INDIndianapolis Colts

ROOT FOR Tennessee Titans over Indianapolis Colts

+1.8 pts Playoff odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Tennessee Titans wins80.8%Playoff odds

If Indianapolis Colts wins79.0%Playoff odds

Playoffs80.8%vs79.0%

Division6.8%vs7.3%

#1 seed3.6%vs4.4%

Reach SB14.9%vs15.1%

Win SB8.1%vs7.5%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

CHIChicago Bears @ ATLAtlanta Falcons

ROOT FOR Atlanta Falcons over Chicago Bears

+1.4 pts Division odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Atlanta Falcons wins7.9%Division odds

If Chicago Bears wins6.5%Division odds

Playoffs79.1%vs79.7%

Division7.9%vs6.5%

#1 seed4.5%vs3.9%

Reach SB15.0%vs15.0%

Win SB7.4%vs7.8%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

NYJNew York Jets @ NENew England Patriots

ROOT FOR New York Jets over New England Patriots

+1.3 pts Division odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Jets wins8.2%Division odds

If New England Patriots wins6.9%Division odds

Playoffs78.8%vs79.6%

Division8.2%vs6.9%

#1 seed5.0%vs4.0%

Reach SB15.4%vs14.9%

Win SB6.9%vs7.8%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

PITPittsburgh Steelers @ TBTampa Bay Buccaneers

ROOT FOR Pittsburgh Steelers over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

+2.3 pts Super Bowl trip odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Pittsburgh Steelers wins16.1%Super Bowl trip odds

If Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins13.8%Super Bowl trip odds

Playoffs79.1%vs79.7%

Division7.4%vs6.9%

#1 seed4.2%vs4.3%

Reach SB16.1%vs13.8%

Win SB8.0%vs7.1%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

CARCarolina Panthers @ PHIPhiladelphia Eagles

ROOT FOR Carolina Panthers over Philadelphia Eagles

+1.0 pts Playoff odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Carolina Panthers wins79.8%Playoff odds

If Philadelphia Eagles wins78.8%Playoff odds

Playoffs79.8%vs78.8%

Division7.0%vs7.5%

#1 seed3.9%vs4.7%

Reach SB14.7%vs15.4%

Win SB7.7%vs7.4%

Small edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

BALBaltimore Ravens @ CLECleveland Browns

ROOT FOR Baltimore Ravens over Cleveland Browns

+0.9 pts No. 1 seed odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Baltimore Ravens wins4.5%No. 1 seed odds

If Cleveland Browns wins3.7%No. 1 seed odds

Playoffs79.3%vs79.6%

Division7.4%vs6.9%

#1 seed4.5%vs3.7%

Reach SB15.4%vs14.4%

Win SB8.1%vs6.8%

Small edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

NONew Orleans Saints @ NYGNew York Giants

ROOT FOR New York Giants over New Orleans Saints

+0.9 pts Division odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Giants wins7.6%Division odds

If New Orleans Saints wins6.6%Division odds

Playoffs79.3%vs79.7%

Division7.6%vs6.6%

#1 seed4.3%vs4.1%

Reach SB15.3%vs14.6%

Win SB7.5%vs7.7%

Small edge small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

BUFBuffalo Bills @ LVLas Vegas Raiders

ROOT FOR Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders

+0.6 pts Division odds for Seattle Seahawks in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Buffalo Bills wins7.4%Division odds

If Las Vegas Raiders wins6.7%Division odds

Playoffs79.4%vs79.5%

Division7.4%vs6.7%

#1 seed4.3%vs3.9%

Reach SB14.9%vs15.4%

Win SB7.6%vs7.6%

ALL 32 TEAMS

Top rooting interest at a glance

This server-rendered table gives every fan base’s strongest current outside-game rooting interest. Use the picker above for the full slate.

TeamRoot forAgainstImpact

ARIArizona Cardinals Los Angeles ChargersKansas City Chiefs+0.1 ptsPlayoff odds ATLAtlanta Falcons Philadelphia EaglesCarolina Panthers+7.4 ptsPlayoff odds BALBaltimore Ravens Tampa Bay BuccaneersPittsburgh Steelers+4.8 ptsDivision odds BUFBuffalo Bills New York JetsNew England Patriots+13.1 ptsDivision odds CARCarolina Panthers Chicago BearsAtlanta Falcons+6.7 ptsPlayoff odds CHIChicago Bears Denver BroncosSeattle Seahawks+3.6 ptsPlayoff odds CINCincinnati Bengals Cleveland BrownsBaltimore Ravens+6.7 ptsDivision odds CLECleveland Browns Kansas City ChiefsLos Angeles Chargers+3.6 ptsPlayoff odds DALDallas Cowboys New Orleans SaintsNew York Giants+5.9 ptsPlayoff odds DENDenver Broncos Los Angeles ChargersKansas City Chiefs+11.3 ptsDivision odds DETDetroit Lions Los Angeles ChargersKansas City Chiefs+2.8 ptsPlayoff odds GBGreen Bay Packers Arizona CardinalsLos Angeles Rams+5.3 ptsPlayoff odds HOUHouston Texans Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+4.4 ptsPlayoff odds INDIndianapolis Colts Buffalo BillsLas Vegas Raiders+3.7 ptsPlayoff odds JAXJacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas RaidersBuffalo Bills+8.7 ptsNo. 1 seed odds KCKansas City Chiefs Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+7.4 ptsDivision odds LVLas Vegas Raiders Tennessee TitansIndianapolis Colts+2.8 ptsPlayoff odds LACLos Angeles Chargers New York JetsNew England Patriots+0.1 ptsPlayoff odds LARLos Angeles Rams Atlanta FalconsChicago Bears+3.6 ptsPlayoff odds MIAMiami Dolphins Washington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers+0.1 ptsPlayoff odds MINMinnesota Vikings Washington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers+4.7 ptsNo. 1 seed odds NENew England Patriots Las Vegas RaidersBuffalo Bills+15.0 ptsDivision odds NONew Orleans Saints Los Angeles ChargersKansas City Chiefs+1.9 ptsPlayoff odds NYGNew York Giants Green Bay PackersDallas Cowboys+8.8 ptsDivision odds NYJNew York Jets Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+1.5 ptsPlayoff odds PHIPhiladelphia Eagles New Orleans SaintsNew York Giants+7.2 ptsPlayoff odds PITPittsburgh Steelers Cleveland BrownsBaltimore Ravens+3.1 ptsDivision odds SFSan Francisco 49ers Denver BroncosSeattle Seahawks+4.8 ptsDivision odds SEASeattle Seahawks Washington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers+5.4 ptsDivision odds TBTampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia EaglesCarolina Panthers+1.8 ptsPlayoff odds TENTennessee Titans Denver BroncosSeattle Seahawks+0.0 ptsPlayoff odds WASWashington Commanders Green Bay PackersDallas Cowboys+1.6 ptsPlayoff odds

WEEKLY ARCHIVE

Rooting guides change as the playoff picture changes

Saved weekly checkpoints let fans revisit what helped their team at that point in the season.

Week 1 →Week 2 →Week 3 →Week 4 →Week 5 →Week 6 →

WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT

It measures the impact instead of guessing at rooting interests

For each unplayed Week 6 game, FSN looks at the season simulations where the away team won and the simulations where the home team won. Then it compares what happened to every other team’s playoff path.

The ranking gives playoff qualification the most weight for bubble teams. For strong contenders, division and No. 1 seed leverage becomes more important. Super Bowl paths remain a smaller secondary signal so the guide does not tell a 5–8 team to root for an exotic championship path instead of the result that actually helps it reach January.

Because these are Monte Carlo estimates, very small differences can move from refresh to refresh. FSN explicitly labels those as small or minimal rather than pretending a tenth of a percentage point is destiny.

FAQ

NFL rooting interests, explained

Why isn’t my team’s own game listed?

Because winning your own game is already the strongest direct way to improve your position. This tool answers the harder question: what should you want to happen everywhere else?

Does “+4.7 points” mean the result guarantees my playoff odds rise by exactly 4.7 points?

No. It is the difference between two conditional Monte Carlo branches in the current forecast. It is a useful estimate of leverage, not a guaranteed future update.

Will the rooting guide update after games are played?

Yes. The live guide follows the current unplayed slate. Weekly archive pages preserve the checkpoint from that week so later results do not rewrite what fans were supposed to root for beforehand.