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 Week 6 Rooting Guide: Who Should Every 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

Carolina Panthers fans: here’s who to root for

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

Current playoff odds67.2%10 meaningful outside-game impacts

Huge impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

CHIChicago Bears @ ATLAtlanta Falcons

ROOT FOR Chicago Bears over Atlanta Falcons

+8.9 pts Division odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Chicago Bears wins68.3%Division odds

If Atlanta Falcons wins59.3%Division odds

Playoffs70.0%vs64.6%

Division68.3%vs59.3%

#1 seed0.9%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.5%vs2.4%

Win SB0.7%vs0.7%

High impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

PITPittsburgh Steelers @ TBTampa Bay Buccaneers

ROOT FOR Pittsburgh Steelers over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

+3.6 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Pittsburgh Steelers wins68.9%Playoff odds

If Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins65.3%Playoff odds

Playoffs68.9%vs65.3%

Division65.5%vs61.7%

#1 seed0.9%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.2%vs2.7%

Win SB0.6%vs0.8%

High impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

NYJNew York Jets @ NENew England Patriots

ROOT FOR New York Jets over New England Patriots

+3.2 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Jets wins69.7%Playoff odds

If New England Patriots wins66.5%Playoff odds

Playoffs69.7%vs66.5%

Division65.9%vs63.0%

#1 seed0.7%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.0%vs2.6%

Win SB0.7%vs0.7%

High impact Sun 4:25 PM ET

LACLos Angeles Chargers @ KCKansas City Chiefs

ROOT FOR Los Angeles Chargers over Kansas City Chiefs

+2.9 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Los Angeles Chargers wins69.7%Playoff odds

If Kansas City Chiefs wins66.8%Playoff odds

Playoffs69.7%vs66.8%

Division66.1%vs63.3%

#1 seed0.5%vs0.9%

Reach SB1.9%vs2.5%

Win SB0.7%vs0.7%

Meaningful impact Thu 8:15 PM ET

SEASeattle Seahawks @ DENDenver Broncos

ROOT FOR Seattle Seahawks over Denver Broncos

+2.0 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Seattle Seahawks wins68.0%Playoff odds

If Denver Broncos wins66.1%Playoff odds

Playoffs68.0%vs66.1%

Division64.7%vs62.2%

#1 seed0.9%vs0.8%

Reach SB2.5%vs2.4%

Win SB0.8%vs0.6%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

TENTennessee Titans @ INDIndianapolis Colts

ROOT FOR Tennessee Titans over Indianapolis Colts

+2.4 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Tennessee Titans wins69.0%Playoff odds

If Indianapolis Colts wins66.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs69.0%vs66.6%

Division64.7%vs63.3%

#1 seed0.9%vs0.8%

Reach SB2.2%vs2.5%

Win SB0.8%vs0.7%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

NONew Orleans Saints @ NYGNew York Giants

ROOT FOR New York Giants over New Orleans Saints

+1.6 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Giants wins67.8%Playoff odds

If New Orleans Saints wins66.3%Playoff odds

Playoffs67.8%vs66.3%

Division64.5%vs62.5%

#1 seed1.0%vs0.7%

Reach SB2.4%vs2.5%

Win SB0.7%vs0.8%

Meaningful impact Sun 9:30 AM ET

HOUHouston Texans @ JAXJacksonville Jaguars

ROOT FOR Jacksonville Jaguars over Houston Texans

+2.3 pts Division odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Jacksonville Jaguars wins64.5%Division odds

If Houston Texans wins62.3%Division odds

Playoffs67.7%vs66.4%

Division64.5%vs62.3%

#1 seed0.8%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.3%vs2.6%

Win SB0.5%vs1.0%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 8:20 PM ET

DALDallas Cowboys @ GBGreen Bay Packers

ROOT FOR Dallas Cowboys over Green Bay Packers

+1.3 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Dallas Cowboys wins67.9%Playoff odds

If Green Bay Packers wins66.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs67.9%vs66.6%

Division64.4%vs63.1%

#1 seed0.8%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.2%vs2.6%

Win SB0.7%vs0.7%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

BUFBuffalo Bills @ LVLas Vegas Raiders

ROOT FOR Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders

+1.1 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Buffalo Bills wins67.5%Playoff odds

If Las Vegas Raiders wins66.5%Playoff odds

Playoffs67.5%vs66.5%

Division63.9%vs63.2%

#1 seed0.8%vs1.0%

Reach SB2.5%vs2.3%

Win SB0.7%vs0.7%

Small edge small model edge Mon 8:15 PM ET

WASWashington Commanders @ SFSan Francisco 49ers

ROOT FOR Washington Commanders over San Francisco 49ers

+0.8 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Washington Commanders wins67.9%Playoff odds

If San Francisco 49ers wins67.1%Playoff odds

Playoffs67.9%vs67.1%

Division64.1%vs63.6%

#1 seed1.3%vs0.8%

Reach SB2.1%vs2.5%

Win SB0.9%vs0.7%

Small edge small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

BALBaltimore Ravens @ CLECleveland Browns

ROOT FOR Baltimore Ravens over Cleveland Browns

+0.8 pts Division odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Baltimore Ravens wins64.0%Division odds

If Cleveland Browns wins63.2%Division odds

Playoffs67.3%vs67.0%

Division64.0%vs63.2%

#1 seed0.8%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.3%vs2.6%

Win SB0.7%vs0.7%

Minimal impact small model edge Sun 4:05 PM ET

ARIArizona Cardinals @ LARLos Angeles Rams

ROOT FOR Arizona Cardinals over Los Angeles Rams

+0.3 pts Playoff odds for Carolina Panthers in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Arizona Cardinals wins67.5%Playoff odds

If Los Angeles Rams wins67.2%Playoff odds

Playoffs67.5%vs67.2%

Division63.6%vs63.7%

#1 seed0.8%vs0.9%

Reach SB2.4%vs2.4%

Win SB0.6%vs0.7%

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+0.3 ptsPlayoff odds ATLAtlanta Falcons Philadelphia EaglesCarolina Panthers+9.8 ptsDivision odds BALBaltimore Ravens Tampa Bay BuccaneersPittsburgh Steelers+6.4 ptsDivision odds BUFBuffalo Bills New York JetsNew England Patriots+11.3 ptsDivision odds CARCarolina Panthers Chicago BearsAtlanta Falcons+8.9 ptsDivision odds CHIChicago Bears Arizona CardinalsLos Angeles Rams+6.2 ptsPlayoff odds CINCincinnati Bengals Cleveland BrownsBaltimore Ravens+8.3 ptsDivision odds CLECleveland Browns Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+3.5 ptsPlayoff odds DALDallas Cowboys New Orleans SaintsNew York Giants+7.1 ptsPlayoff odds DENDenver Broncos Los Angeles ChargersKansas City Chiefs+7.9 ptsDivision odds DETDetroit Lions Washington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers+5.3 ptsNo. 1 seed odds GBGreen Bay Packers Arizona CardinalsLos Angeles Rams+4.0 ptsPlayoff odds HOUHouston Texans New York JetsNew England Patriots+4.5 ptsPlayoff odds INDIndianapolis Colts Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+2.2 ptsPlayoff odds JAXJacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas RaidersBuffalo Bills+5.6 ptsNo. 1 seed odds KCKansas City Chiefs Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+8.2 ptsDivision odds LVLas Vegas Raiders Los Angeles ChargersKansas City Chiefs+5.0 ptsPlayoff odds LACLos Angeles Chargers Arizona CardinalsLos Angeles Rams+0.2 ptsPlayoff odds LARLos Angeles Rams Las Vegas RaidersBuffalo Bills+5.6 ptsPlayoff odds MIAMiami Dolphins Tennessee TitansIndianapolis Colts+0.1 ptsPlayoff odds MINMinnesota Vikings Dallas CowboysGreen Bay Packers+3.5 ptsDivision odds NENew England Patriots Las Vegas RaidersBuffalo Bills+13.0 ptsDivision odds NONew Orleans Saints Philadelphia EaglesCarolina Panthers+1.6 ptsPlayoff odds NYGNew York Giants Green Bay PackersDallas Cowboys+6.0 ptsPlayoff odds NYJNew York Jets New Orleans SaintsNew York Giants+1.3 ptsPlayoff odds PHIPhiladelphia Eagles Green Bay PackersDallas Cowboys+5.4 ptsPlayoff odds PITPittsburgh Steelers Seattle SeahawksDenver Broncos+3.2 ptsPlayoff odds SFSan Francisco 49ers Denver BroncosSeattle Seahawks+3.1 ptsDivision odds SEASeattle Seahawks Washington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers+4.5 ptsDivision odds TBTampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia EaglesCarolina Panthers+1.4 ptsPlayoff odds TENTennessee Titans Denver BroncosSeattle Seahawks+0.0 ptsPlayoff odds WASWashington Commanders New Orleans SaintsNew York Giants+1.9 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.