Chicago Bears Post NFL-Best +15 Rest Differential for 2026, Second-Highest Since 2002
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 17
Chicago Bears Post NFL-Best +15 Rest Differential for 2026, Second-Highest Since 2002
6 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 17
Chicago enters the 2026 season with a league-high +15 rest differential, meaning the Bears will have 15 more net days between games than their opponents across 18 weeks.
That mark is the NFL's second-best since 2002, trailing only the 2024 Ravens at +16, and reflects schedule spots where extra recovery time can matter on short weeks or against teams coming off byes.
Historical results are mixed: SumerSports research cited in the report found only 12 of the 25 teams with the best rest differentials since 2002 beat their preseason Vegas win totals.
Still, 4 of the top 5 teams in that sample outperformed expectations, suggesting the edge may be situational rather than a reliable predictor of season-long success.
With a huge rest advantage but a brutal schedule, which factor will ultimately decide the Bears' 2026 season?
Is 'rest differential' a true predictor of NFL success, or is it just the league's newest analytical fad?
As the NFL uses AI to build schedules, why are the rest imbalances between teams getting worse, not better?