With the 2025 NFL schedules released and thoroughly dissected, analysts have had ample time to assess every team’s path through the season. One critical element that continues to gain attention is rest advantage, identifying which teams benefit from extra recovery time and which are dealt a tougher hand. In a recent article, Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports broke down the biggest rest disparities across the league.
The Miami Dolphins emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries. Sullivan notes that Miami has the second-largest rest advantage in the NFL at plus-11, just behind the Detroit Lions, who sit at plus-13.
Miami Dolphins will have three games where they enjoy more rest than their opponents, with the most notable edge coming in Week 13. That week, the Dolphins return from their bye to face the New Orleans Saints, coming off a demanding divisional game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Landing that kind of advantage late in the year is ideal. Week 13 often marks the start of the final push for playoff positioning, and teams need every possible edge to secure critical wins. A fresher roster could separate Miami from the pack in a fiercely competitive AFC East, potentially determining whether they sneak into a wild card spot or win the division outright.
Health is another factor that makes this advantage meaningful. Several key players on the Dolphins, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and linebackers Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb, have battled injuries in recent years. Additional rest later in the season could be vital to keeping them on the field when it matters most.
Not every team catches a break like this, and Miami has a real opportunity to make the most of it. When the schedule gifts you with favorable conditions, it’s up to the team to turn those into wins. If the Dolphins stay healthy and capitalize on these advantages, they could be in a strong position to return to the playoffs and build on last season.
The rest advantage is defined as the number of extra days off one team has over its opponent before a game. For example, if one team is coming off a bye and the other played the previous week, the team with the bye holds a plus-7 advantage, while the other enters with a minus-7 disadvantage.
Extra days of rest can be a true game-changer. Teams that are fresh have time to recover physically, sharpen their preparation, and enter games with more energy. On the flip side, squads that just endured a physical contest may struggle to regroup and match the intensity of a well-rested opponent. Late in the season, that gap becomes even more impactful.
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