NFL fantasy football calendar 2026-27
Draft season is behind us — now the dates that decide fantasy seasons are the in-season ones: the bye-week stretch, the NFL trade deadline (Nov 10), the Thanksgiving tripleheader (Nov 26), the fantasy playoffs, and Super Bowl LXI (Feb 14, 2027). Here's the rest of the 2026-27 season on one calendar. New to salary-cap DFS? Start with the fantasy football hub.
The rest-of-season calendar
NFL International Series — rest of 2026
Oct 11 – Nov 22, 2026Six games left: Eagles–Jaguars (Oct 11, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London), Texans at Jaguars (Oct 18, Wembley, London), Steelers–Saints (Oct 25, Stade de France, Paris), Bengals–Falcons (Nov 8, Bernabéu, Madrid), Patriots–Lions (Nov 15, FC Bayern Munich Arena, Munich), and Vikings–49ers (Nov 22, Estadio Banorte, Mexico City). Morning ET kickoffs in Europe mean earlier lineup locks.
Event details →Bye-week stretch
Weeks 5–14 (no byes in Week 12)Every team gets one bye between Week 5 and Week 14. Week 11 is the crunch — six teams off (Falcons, Browns, Packers, Rams, Patriots, Seahawks). Weeks 13 (Ravens, Colts, Raiders, Jets) and 14 (Cardinals, Cowboys) close it out.
Event details →NFL trade deadline
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 — 4:00 p.m. ETThe last day real NFL teams can trade — watch for role changes that move fantasy value overnight.
Event details →Your fantasy league's trade deadline
Typically Weeks 11–13 (mid-to-late November) — check your leagueNot a fixed date: redraft leagues usually close trading a few weeks before the fantasy playoffs, and platform defaults vary and can be changed by your commissioner.
Thanksgiving week
Nov 25–27, 2026 (Week 12)Thanksgiving Eve: Packers at Rams (Wed, Nov 25). Thanksgiving tripleheader (Thu, Nov 26): Bears at Lions, Eagles at Cowboys, Chiefs at Bills. Black Friday: Broncos at Steelers (Nov 27). Every team plays in Week 12 — no byes.
Event details →Fantasy playoffs
Typically Weeks 15–17 (mid-December – early January)The most common playoff window for season-long leagues; some leagues start a week earlier or play into Week 18. Check your league's settings.
Christmas games
Dec 24–25, 2026Christmas Eve: Texans at Eagles (Thu, Dec 24). Christmas Day tripleheader (Fri, Dec 25): Packers at Bears, Bills at Broncos, Rams at Seahawks. These fall in Week 16 — the semifinal round in a Weeks 15–17 fantasy playoff.
Event details →Week 18 — end of the regular season
January 9–10, 2027The final regular-season weekend; individual game dates and times are set late, based on playoff implications.
Event details →NFL playoffs
Jan 16 – Jan 31, 2027Wild Card Weekend Jan 16–18, Divisional round Jan 23–24, AFC and NFC Championship Games Jan 31.
Event details →Super Bowl LXI
Sunday, February 14, 2027The season finale, back at SoFi Stadium for the second time.
Event details →The Fantasy Football Expo 2027
Dates TBA (not yet announced)Next summer's Expo hasn't been dated yet — watch the official site.
Event details →Draft Nation 2027
Dates TBA (not yet announced)The National Fantasy Football Draft Day weekend's 2027 dates and venue haven't been announced — check the official site.
Event details →Scott Fish Bowl 17 (charity)
Dates TBA (not yet announced)The charity fantasy tournament benefiting Fantasy Cares; SFB17 details haven't been posted yet.
Event details →Earlier this season
- The Fantasy Football Expo — July 24–26, 2026, Canton, OH
- Scott Fish Bowl 16 — summer 2026, online + live drafts
- Draft Nation's National Fantasy Football Draft Day — August 20–22, 2026, Circa, Las Vegas
- NFFC Las Vegas live drafts — early September 2026
- NFL Kickoff — Wednesday, September 9, 2026, Seahawks vs. Patriots in Seattle
- International games so far — Melbourne (Sep 10), Rio de Janeiro (Sep 27), London (Oct 4)
Between league weeks: NFL daily fantasy on Runtiva
The dates above are mostly about your season-long league. Runtiva is the other kind of fantasy: daily fantasy — salary-cap NFL contests you enter fresh each week, no season-long commitment. Whether your redraft team is cruising into the playoffs or already out of it, you can play a new NFL slate every week on Runtiva, with live scoring through every game window. Free and paid contests are both live now — download the app to get started.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 NFL trade deadline?
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET, per the NFL's 2026-27 important dates. Your fantasy league's trade deadline is separate — it's set in your league settings and usually lands a few weeks before the fantasy playoffs.
When are the fantasy football playoffs in 2026?
Most season-long leagues play their fantasy playoffs in Weeks 15–17, which runs from mid-December into early January 2027. Some leagues differ, so check your league's settings. The NFL's own Week 18 is January 9–10, 2027.
Which weeks have NFL byes in 2026?
Byes run from Week 5 through Week 14, with no byes in Week 12 (Thanksgiving week). Week 11 is the heaviest, with six teams off: the Falcons, Browns, Packers, Rams, Patriots, and Seahawks.
What NFL games are on Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026?
Thanksgiving Day (Nov 26) is a tripleheader: Bears at Lions, Eagles at Cowboys, and Chiefs at Bills, with Packers at Rams on Thanksgiving Eve and Broncos at Steelers on Black Friday. Christmas Eve has Texans at Eagles; Christmas Day (Dec 25) has Packers at Bears, Bills at Broncos, and Rams at Seahawks.
When and where is Super Bowl LXI?
Sunday, February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Have the 2027 fantasy football events been announced?
Not yet. As of October 10, 2026, dates for the 2027 Fantasy Football Expo, Draft Nation 2027, and Scott Fish Bowl 17 haven't been announced — check each organizer's official site.
How does Runtiva fit into fantasy football?
Runtiva is daily fantasy — salary-cap NFL contests you enter week to week, separate from your season-long league. So you can keep running your redraft team through the fantasy playoffs and still play a fresh NFL slate every week on Runtiva, with live scoring through every game window.