Matchups are often a deciding factor for fantasy owners making lineup decisions between two or more players, but gauging the difficulty of each player's opponent can be tricky. That's where the Harris Index come in -- providing fantasy owners with a schedule-independent way to assess how strong opponents really are.
Each week, I'll update the Harris Index and offer a few nuggets about possible starts and sits based on the numbers. But please scroll down and play with the chart, sorting by various columns to discover which opponents are best and worst for your players to face.
Finally, please realize that this index is just one instrument I use in creating my weekly ranks. To get a direct sense of which players I think you should start and sit, please consult those rankings.
Here are some players I have identified as good or bad matchups using the data in the chart:
Quarterbacks
Good matchup: Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I rated McCown 15th among QBs this week, a high-water mark for the season. He's scored 19 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks as Mike Evans becomes a celebrity, but that's only part of the appeal. Facing a Chicago Bears defense that tacks more than five fantasy points onto opposing QBs makes him an interesting play for those who are desperate or who start two QBs in their format.