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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.

PICK YOUR TEAM

Who should you root for in Week 6?

WEEK 6 ROOTING INTERESTS

Las Vegas Raiders fans: here’s who to root for

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

Current playoff odds13.4%5 meaningful outside-game impacts
High impact
ROOT FOR Los Angeles Chargers over Kansas City Chiefs
+5.0 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Los Angeles Chargers wins17.7%Playoff odds
If Kansas City Chiefs wins12.7%Playoff odds
Playoffs17.7%vs12.7%
Division4.7%vs1.4%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
High impact
ROOT FOR Washington Commanders over San Francisco 49ers
+2.6 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Washington Commanders wins15.7%Playoff odds
If San Francisco 49ers wins13.0%Playoff odds
Playoffs15.7%vs13.0%
Division2.6%vs1.7%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Meaningful impact
ROOT FOR Arizona Cardinals over Los Angeles Rams
+1.9 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Arizona Cardinals wins14.9%Playoff odds
If Los Angeles Rams wins13.0%Playoff odds
Playoffs14.9%vs13.0%
Division1.5%vs1.9%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Meaningful impact
ROOT FOR Chicago Bears over Atlanta Falcons
+1.6 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Chicago Bears wins14.2%Playoff odds
If Atlanta Falcons wins12.6%Playoff odds
Playoffs14.2%vs12.6%
Division1.9%vs1.9%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Meaningful impact small model edge
ROOT FOR Seattle Seahawks over Denver Broncos
+1.2 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Seattle Seahawks wins13.8%Playoff odds
If Denver Broncos wins12.7%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.8%vs12.7%
Division2.1%vs1.6%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Small edge small model edge
ROOT FOR Carolina Panthers over Philadelphia Eagles
+0.9 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Carolina Panthers wins13.7%Playoff odds
If Philadelphia Eagles wins12.9%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.7%vs12.9%
Division2.2%vs1.4%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Small edge small model edge
ROOT FOR Baltimore Ravens over Cleveland Browns
+1.0 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Baltimore Ravens wins13.7%Playoff odds
If Cleveland Browns wins12.7%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.7%vs12.7%
Division1.7%vs2.1%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Small edge small model edge
ROOT FOR Jacksonville Jaguars over Houston Texans
+0.8 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Jacksonville Jaguars wins13.7%Playoff odds
If Houston Texans wins12.9%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.7%vs12.9%
Division1.8%vs2.0%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Small edge small model edge
ROOT FOR New York Giants over New Orleans Saints
+0.7 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If New York Giants wins13.6%Playoff odds
If New Orleans Saints wins13.0%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.6%vs13.0%
Division1.9%vs1.7%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Small edge small model edge
ROOT FOR Pittsburgh Steelers over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
+0.6 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Pittsburgh Steelers wins13.6%Playoff odds
If Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins13.1%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.6%vs13.1%
Division1.9%vs1.8%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Minimal impact small model edge
ROOT FOR New England Patriots over New York Jets
+0.4 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If New England Patriots wins13.5%Playoff odds
If New York Jets wins13.0%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.5%vs13.0%
Division1.9%vs1.6%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.1%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Minimal impact small model edge
ROOT FOR Tennessee Titans over Indianapolis Colts
+0.2 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Tennessee Titans wins13.5%Playoff odds
If Indianapolis Colts wins13.3%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.5%vs13.3%
Division2.1%vs1.8%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
Minimal impact small model edge
ROOT FOR Dallas Cowboys over Green Bay Packers
+0.4 pts Playoff odds for Las Vegas Raiders in the preferred-result branch
See the simulation impact
If Dallas Cowboys wins13.6%Playoff odds
If Green Bay Packers wins13.2%Playoff odds
Playoffs13.6%vs13.2%
Division1.7%vs2.0%
#1 seed0.0%vs0.0%
Reach SB0.0%vs0.0%
Win SB0.0%vs0.0%
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.

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.

NFL data via nflverse (CC BY 4.0) · College data via CollegeFootballData.com