LATEST UPDATE: Wednesday, May 13th – PRE-RELEASE TRACKER The official 2026 NFL Bye Weeks will be revealed tomorrow, Thursday, May 14th, during the full schedule release at 8:00 PM ET. We are ready to track every team’s week off as it happens. Use our blank “Live Tracker” printable below to follow along.
The 2026 NFL Bye week schedule is one of the most critical pieces of information for fantasy football planning and travel scheduling. Every year, the 32 NFL franchises are assigned one week off between Week 5 and Week 15 to recover, regroup, and prepare for the playoff push. Below is our live-updated tracker and our signature “low-ink” printable PDF.
How Do NFL Bye Weeks Work?
NFL bye weeks are a scheduled week during the 18-week regular season where a team does not play a game. Every team receives exactly one bye week. The league spreads these out across the middle of the season to ensure competitive balance and to provide television partners with a consistent slate of games each weekend. For players, it’s a vital time for physical recovery; for fans, it’s a week to focus on fantasy bench depth.
2026 NFL Bye Week Schedule (By Week)
Note: Table is updated post 2026 NFL Schedule release.
| Week | Dates (Oct–Dec) | Teams on Bye |
| Week 5 | Oct 8 – Oct 12 | Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Week 6 | Oct 15 – Oct 19 | Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings |
| Week 7 | Oct 22 – Oct 26 | Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills |
| Week 8 | Oct 29 – Nov 2 | Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, LA Rams, Seattle Seahawks |
| Week 9 | Nov 5 – Nov 9 | Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Week 10 | Nov 12 – Nov 16 | Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans |
| Week 11 | Nov 19 – Nov 23 | Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints |
| Week 12 | Nov 26 – Nov 30 | Denver Broncos, LA Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders |
| Week 13 | NO BYES | Thanksgiving Week (Full 32-Team Action) |
| Week 14 | Dec 10 – Dec 14 | Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers |
*Note: Teams playing in the NFL International Series often have their bye weeks scheduled immediately following their overseas travel to account for time zone recovery.
2026 NFL Bye Week Schedule (By Team)
Find your team’s 2026 week off in the alphabetical list below.
| Team | Bye Week | Team | Bye Week | |
| Arizona Cardinals | Week 8 | Las Vegas Raiders | Week 8 | |
| Atlanta Falcons | Week 5 | Los Angeles Chargers | Week 12 | |
| Baltimore Ravens | Week 7 | Los Angeles Rams | Week 8 | |
| Buffalo Bills | Week 7 | Miami Dolphins | Week 12 | |
| Carolina Panthers | Week 14 | Minnesota Vikings | Week 6 | |
| Chicago Bears | Week 5 | New England Patriots | Week 14 | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Week 10 | New Orleans Saints | Week 11 | |
| Cleveland Browns | Week 9 | New York Giants | Week 14 | |
| Dallas Cowboys | Week 10 | New York Jets | Week 9 | |
| Denver Broncos | Week 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | Week 9 | |
| Detroit Lions | Week 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Week 5 | |
| Green Bay Packers | Week 5 | San Francisco 49ers | Week 14 | |
| Houston Texans | Week 6 | Seattle Seahawks | Week 8 | |
| Indianapolis Colts | Week 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Week 9 | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Week 8 | Tennessee Titans | Week 10 | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Week 10 | Washington Commanders | Week 12 |
Printable 2026 NFL Bye Week Tracker (PDF)
Don’t wait for the final list to start organizing your season. Download our 2026 NFL Bye Week Live Tracker. This “low-ink” minimalist grid is designed for fans who want to save more on ink and have room to write.
Recommended 2026 NFL Planning Resources
Maximize your season prep with our complete suite of 2026 NFL schedules and trackers. All resources feature our signature “low-ink” minimalist design for easy home printing.
Internal SportsBrackets.net Hubs
- 2026 NFL Schedule Grid (PDF): Our master layout for the entire 272-game regular season.
- 2026 NFL International Series Tracker: Complete dates and kickoff times for games in London, Munich, Madrid, Paris, Rio, and Mexico City.
- NFL Team Identity Guide: Official team colors (hex codes), stadium names, and logos for all 32 franchises.
- 2026 NFL Divisional Alignment: A quick-reference list and printable PDF of every team by conference and division.
- Individual Team Schedules: Visit our team hubs for team-specific printable schedules and local TV broadcast info.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: When are the 2026 NFL Bye Weeks announced? A: The official bye weeks for all 32 teams will be released as part of the full schedule reveal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET.
Q: What is the earliest bye week in 2026? A: NFL bye weeks typically begin in Week 5. Teams playing in early international games (like the Week 1 game in Australia) sometimes request early byes, but the league generally keeps them in the mid-season window.
Q: Why do some weeks have more teams on bye than others? A: The NFL balances byes based on the television schedule and stadium availability. You will often see “Massive Bye Weeks” (6+ teams off) during the middle of the season (Weeks 9-12) to ensure the Week 18 finale has all 32 teams in action.
Q: How do bye weeks affect Fantasy Football? A: Bye weeks are the biggest hurdle for fantasy owners. You must ensure you have roster depth to cover your starters’ “off weeks.” Our printable tracker is the best tool for identifying which weeks your star players will be sidelined.
