Feeling Fatigued and Depleted

A study was conducted by Sportsbookreview.com using a proprietary metric that “relies on scientific research and schedule data to identify the most taxing spots across the NFL season.”

The headline of the article reads, “2025 NFL Fatigue Index: Ranking All 32 Teams By Travel, Rest and Schedule Quirks,” and goes on to explain which teams will experience the most fatigue throughout their season and which teams will face the most grueling schedules.

The fatigue score for each team is based on “travel distance, rest days, time zone changes, circadian misalignment, altitude, and progressive wear and tear.”

Based on this data, the Rams, Chargers, Seahawks, Raiders, and Commanders have the highest fatigue score, while the Panthers, Patriots, Saints, Titans, and Browns have the lowest.

The study also notes that the Eagles have the most short-rest games on the schedule, the Chiefs have an NFL record seven games in prime time, and the Vikings will become the first team in NFL history to play back-to-back international games in two different countries.

It’s fascinating to consider how fatigue will factor into the upcoming season for each team in the NFL, and there is no question that when a team is depleted, banged up, worn out, and tired, it hurts their on-field performance.

So, how will teams prepare for and combat this? Will players find ways to rest and do what’s necessary to recover and replenish? Or will they remain fatigued and try to keep going, resulting in potential injuries and giving less than their best?

The best players know how to stay refreshed and refueled and understand the importance of downtime in the offseason and even during the busy season.

When it comes to our lives, we might not be getting hit on the field and traveling to games all over the country, but we know what it’s like to be fatigued and depleted.

We might not know our official “fatigue score,” but chances are we do know the activities, challenges, and parts of the year that tend to wear us down.

Similar to NFL teams, questions like these arise:

How will we combat the fatigue and prepare for it?

Will we find ways to rest and do what’s necessary to recover and replenish?

Or, will we remain fatigued and try to keep going, resulting in potential “injuries” and giving less than our best?

Do we understand the importance of downtime and staying refreshed and refueled?

Many of us are feeling like we’re at less than full strength today, and may need to admit to being weak, banged up, worn down, burned out, and just not at our best.

Although it’s a tough spot to be in when our schedule is packed, we’re going from “one game to the next,” and the hits keep coming, we don’t have to remain feeling fatigued and depleted.

Instead, we can pause and get refreshed by following Jesus’ example in the Bible. He got tired during His earthly ministry and “often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (Luke 5:15-16); sat down to rest (John 4:5-6); slept (Matthew 8:23-24); and encouraged His disciples to “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).

We can do those same things when we need to be replenished. Thankfully, when we seek God, His strength and power are available to us, and we can enjoy His presence and trust Him to provide for us.

Isaiah 40:29 (AMP) says, “He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might He increases power.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 (ESV) tells us to “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!”

Psalm 73:26 (AMP) declares, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the rock and strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

We know that times of fatigue are inevitable, and in some seasons, our “fatigue score” is higher, making it hard to operate at less than full strength. As a result, there’s no way we can muster up enough strength on our own to keep going.

When we reach this point, it’s time to recognize we’re depleted and acknowledge our weaknesses. But, instead of remaining stuck in that state (or always returning to it), we can prepare better by resting and recovering, continually finding our refreshment in the Lord.

Today, let’s rest in Jesus and depend on His everlasting power. As the Bible says, “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might” (Ephesians 6:10; AMP).

I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me strength when I am weak. Please help me to rely entirely on You when I feel depleted instead of trying to operate in my strength. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.