NFL Bye Weeks 2023-2024: Schedule, Teams & Printable
The NFL is as much a game of strategy as it is of athletic prowess. While teams pit their skills against each other on the field, fans and fantasy league players face their own sets of challenges, particularly when it comes to bye weeks.
The 2023 NFL season brings some interesting variations in the bye week schedule, affecting not just the teams but also fantasy football strategies and fan plans.
Understanding NFL Bye Weeks
Before we delve into the specifics for 2023, let’s revisit what a bye week means in the NFL. Every NFL team gets one week off during the regular season “bye week.” This break gives coaches the opportunity to reassess and refine their game plans, while players can recover physically and mentally.
New Twists in 2023
The 2023 season presents a bye-week schedule that stretches from Week 5 to Week 14, with no byes in Week 8 or Week 12.
The number of teams getting a break varies each week, ranging from as few as two teams to as many as six.
Key Points to Note
- There will be two weeks when as many as six teams have a bye: Week 7 and Week 13.
- Week 6 and Week 14 will only see two teams each taking a break.
- The NFL often schedules a bye week for teams playing international games to alleviate the travel burden.
Your 2023 NFL Bye Week Calendar
Here is a quick rundown:
| WEEK | TEAMS |
|---|---|
| Week 5 | Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Week 6 | Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Week 7 | Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans |
| Week 8 | N/A |
| Week 9 | Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers |
| Week 10 | Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles |
| Week 11 | Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints |
| Week 12 | N/A |
| Week 13 | Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants |
| Week 14 | Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders |
2023-2024 NFL Bye Weeks Schedule by Team
| Team | Bye Week |
|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 14 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 11 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 13 |
| Buffalo Bills | 13 |
| Carolina Panthers | 7 |
| Chicago Bears | 13 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7 |
| Denver Broncos | 9 |
| Detroit Lions | 9 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6 |
| Houston Texans | 7 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 11 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 9 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 10 |
| LA Chargers | 5 |
| LA Rams | 10 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 13 |
| Miami Dolphins | 10 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 13 |
| NY Giants | 13 |
| NY Jets | 7 |
| New England Patriots | 11 |
| New Orleans Saints | 11 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 |
| Tennessee Titans | 7 |
| Washington Commanders | 14 |
NFL Bye Week Schedule Printable 2023
Click on the Print or Download icon below to download a printable version.
Implications for Fantasy Football
Fantasy football players need to pay close attention to this schedule. With bye weeks running until Week 14, your fantasy playoffs could be affected by key players being unavailable.
Strategy 1: Draft a balanced team that spreads out bye weeks among your starters.
Strategy 2: Be proactive in the waiver market during the weeks with more teams on bye.
For the Fans
If you’re a fan planning to attend games or set up game-day parties, knowing the bye weeks can help you make your plans well in advance. For example, Week 8 and Week 12 have no bye weeks, offering a full slate of action.
Bye weeks are an integral part of the NFL season that offer strategic depth for teams and fans alike. While the teams use it to rejuvenate and strategize, fans can use this schedule to get an upper hand in fantasy leagues or plan their game-day activities.
In a season that continues to offer 17 games per team, these bye weeks could very well be the breather that makes or breaks a season. So mark your calendars, set your line-ups, and let the games begin!
Happy NFL Season 2023!
