The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for the 2025 season, and under head coach Kevin O’Connell, the team appears poised for improvement. They’ve brought in several fresh faces through the 2025 NFL Draft, and their current focus is on addressing any lingering roster needs and preparing for a season that ideally goes further than last year’s.
While the Vikings are concentrating on what they can control, like team development and strategy, a new report suggests that their 2025 schedule could pose a significant challenge. Though they have no say over their matchups, the strength of their opponents may be a hurdle. A recent study indicates that Minnesota is facing one of the most difficult schedules in the league this year.
Vikings Projected to Have a Tough 2025 Schedule, According to Study
On Sunday, May 4, Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis released his rankings of the toughest NFL schedules for 2025. By using projected win totals from Vegas oddsmakers, Sharp calculated the strength of schedule across all 32 teams.
According to his analysis, the San Francisco 49ers are expected to have the easiest path this season, followed by the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints. On the other hand, the Vikings rank fifth in terms of schedule difficulty—trailing only the Eagles, Lions, Browns, and Giants. Having a fellow NFC North rival on that list doesn’t offer much comfort for Minnesota.
Sharp explained that projected win totals take into account current team strength, including offseason additions, injuries, and coaching shifts. Because these projections are developed by sportsbooks aiming to forecast performance, they tend to be fairly reliable indicators.
Vikings’ 2025 Opponents Revealed
The Vikings will play home games against the Falcons, Ravens, Bears, Bengals, Lions, Packers, Eagles, and Commanders. Their away schedule includes the Bears, Browns, Cowboys, Lions, Packers, Chargers, Giants, Steelers, and Seahawks.
So, how much weight should be given to this schedule forecast? Sharp’s data from last season shows a trend: only two of the ten teams facing the toughest schedules made the playoffs in 2024. In contrast, seven of the ten teams with the easiest projected schedules ended the season with winning records, and six of them secured playoff berths.