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 2 · FSN-ROOT-1.0

NFL Week 2 Rooting Guide: Who Should Every Team Root For?

Pick your team for Week 2. 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 2?

Team

WEEK 2 ROOTING INTERESTS

New Orleans Saints fans: here’s who to root for

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

Current playoff odds27.8%7 meaningful outside-game impacts

Huge impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

CLECleveland Browns @ TBTampa Bay Buccaneers

ROOT FOR Cleveland Browns over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

+5.2 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Cleveland Browns wins31.3%Playoff odds

If Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins26.1%Playoff odds

Playoffs31.3%vs26.1%

Division28.6%vs22.2%

#1 seed0.3%vs0.4%

Reach SB0.4%vs0.6%

Win SB0.1%vs0.2%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

CARCarolina Panthers @ ATLAtlanta Falcons

ROOT FOR Atlanta Falcons over Carolina Panthers

+2.4 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Atlanta Falcons wins29.1%Playoff odds

If Carolina Panthers wins26.8%Playoff odds

Playoffs29.1%vs26.8%

Division26.0%vs23.0%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.1%vs0.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

GBGreen Bay Packers @ NYJNew York Jets

ROOT FOR Green Bay Packers over New York Jets

+1.6 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Green Bay Packers wins28.5%Playoff odds

If New York Jets wins27.0%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.5%vs27.0%

Division24.9%vs23.7%

#1 seed0.3%vs0.4%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 8:20 PM ET

INDIndianapolis Colts @ KCKansas City Chiefs

ROOT FOR Indianapolis Colts over Kansas City Chiefs

+1.4 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Indianapolis Colts wins28.7%Playoff odds

If Kansas City Chiefs wins27.3%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.7%vs27.3%

Division25.4%vs23.7%

#1 seed0.2%vs0.4%

Reach SB0.5%vs0.6%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

MINMinnesota Vikings @ CHIChicago Bears

ROOT FOR Minnesota Vikings over Chicago Bears

+1.2 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Minnesota Vikings wins28.6%Playoff odds

If Chicago Bears wins27.4%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.6%vs27.4%

Division25.6%vs23.7%

#1 seed0.6%vs0.2%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Thu 8:15 PM ET

DETDetroit Lions @ BUFBuffalo Bills

ROOT FOR Buffalo Bills over Detroit Lions

+1.1 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Buffalo Bills wins28.2%Playoff odds

If Detroit Lions wins27.1%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.2%vs27.1%

Division24.6%vs23.8%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.4%vs0.8%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

CINCincinnati Bengals @ HOUHouston Texans

ROOT FOR Cincinnati Bengals over Houston Texans

+1.1 pts Division odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Cincinnati Bengals wins25.0%Division odds

If Houston Texans wins23.9%Division odds

Playoffs28.0%vs27.7%

Division25.0%vs23.9%

#1 seed0.3%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Small edge small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

MIAMiami Dolphins @ SFSan Francisco 49ers

ROOT FOR San Francisco 49ers over Miami Dolphins

+0.8 pts Division odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If San Francisco 49ers wins24.5%Division odds

If Miami Dolphins wins23.7%Division odds

Playoffs27.8%vs27.8%

Division24.5%vs23.7%

#1 seed0.3%vs0.5%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

PITPittsburgh Steelers @ NENew England Patriots

ROOT FOR New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers

+0.4 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New England Patriots wins28.0%Playoff odds

If Pittsburgh Steelers wins27.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.0%vs27.6%

Division24.7%vs23.7%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.1%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 4:05 PM ET

LVLas Vegas Raiders @ LACLos Angeles Chargers

ROOT FOR Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders

+0.5 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Los Angeles Chargers wins28.0%Playoff odds

If Las Vegas Raiders wins27.5%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.0%vs27.5%

Division24.6%vs24.0%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.2%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.1%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

PHIPhiladelphia Eagles @ TENTennessee Titans

ROOT FOR Philadelphia Eagles over Tennessee Titans

+0.4 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Philadelphia Eagles wins28.0%Playoff odds

If Tennessee Titans wins27.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.0%vs27.6%

Division24.4%vs24.2%

#1 seed0.3%vs0.4%

Reach SB0.5%vs0.7%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Minimal impact small model edge Mon 8:15 PM ET

NYGNew York Giants @ LARLos Angeles Rams

ROOT FOR New York Giants over Los Angeles Rams

+0.3 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Giants wins28.0%Playoff odds

If Los Angeles Rams wins27.7%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.0%vs27.7%

Division24.4%vs24.3%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.7%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

SEASeattle Seahawks @ ARIArizona Cardinals

ROOT FOR Seattle Seahawks over Arizona Cardinals

+0.4 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Seattle Seahawks wins28.0%Playoff odds

If Arizona Cardinals wins27.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs28.0%vs27.6%

Division24.4%vs24.2%

#1 seed0.3%vs0.5%

Reach SB0.4%vs0.7%

Win SB0.2%vs0.2%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 4:05 PM ET

JAXJacksonville Jaguars @ DENDenver Broncos

ROOT FOR Jacksonville Jaguars over Denver Broncos

+0.3 pts Playoff odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Jacksonville Jaguars wins27.9%Playoff odds

If Denver Broncos wins27.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs27.9%vs27.6%

Division24.4%vs24.3%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.4%vs0.8%

Win SB0.1%vs0.3%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

WASWashington Commanders @ DALDallas Cowboys

ROOT FOR Washington Commanders over Dallas Cowboys

+0.2 pts Division odds for New Orleans Saints in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Washington Commanders wins24.4%Division odds

If Dallas Cowboys wins24.3%Division odds

Playoffs27.8%vs27.8%

Division24.4%vs24.3%

#1 seed0.4%vs0.3%

Reach SB0.6%vs0.5%

Win SB0.2%vs0.1%

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

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 2 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.