For many football fans, watching a game is only part of the experience. Fantasy football gives fans the opportunity to create their own team of NFL players and compete against friends, family, and other participants, also known as managers, throughout the season.
Fantasy football is built around a draft. Each manager selects players to build a roster, choosing from offensive and defensive positions. Players are ranked before the draft based on how highly they are expected to be selected.
If a manager does not want to make every selection themselves, many online leagues also offer an “Autodraft” option that automatically selects players.
Each week, managers set a starting lineup with nine starters. A common lineup has nine starters: one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one kicker, and one team defense. Some leagues also include a flex position, which can be filled by a running back, wide receiver, or tight end, but not a quarterback.
Once the games begin, real NFL players earn fantasy points for their performances. Runs, passes, catches, touchdowns, and other plays can add to a player’s fantasy score. The points from the players in a manager’s starting lineup are added together at the end of the week.
Fantasy football is played as a weekly match up. One manager’s team competes against another manager’s team, and the team with the most fantasy points wins that week’s match up. The following week, managers face a new opponent and have another opportunity to improve their record.
The fantasy football week typically runs from Thursday through Monday, following the NFL schedule. This gives managers several days to see how their teams are scoring and follow check up on performances.
“Fantasy football really makes every part of watching football more fun, it gives you more of a reason to care,” varsity football player Gabriel Miller said.
Fantasy football leagues are often free to join, making it easy for friends and families to create their own competition. With a draft, weekly lineups, trades, and nerve-racking match ups, fantasy football adds a whole new level of strategy and thrill to watching the NFL.
