Imagine: you’re not even eighteen and you’re managing a professional NFL team. At the start of the football season, you participate in a virtual draft and handpick players you want to have on your team. Before each week of the season, you analyze game trends and player performance, and then choose your starting lineup in order to ensure that your team is the best in your league.
Fantasy football, an online game played by 29.2 million people in the United States, gives participants the chance to do exactly that. Fantasy football allows users to take on the role of a team manager, drafting players based on their real-life performances during the NFL season. Points are added to your total when players score touchdowns, make interceptions, sacks or field goals.
Each week, you compete head-to-head against another player in your fantasy league to see whose team scores the most points. At the end of the regular season, the top half of the league advances to the fantasy football playoffs, where match ups become single elimination.
One of the best parts about fantasy football is the draft day traditions. At the start of each season, participants hand-select players for their team. Some leagues host their drafts online, while others make it an annual tradition to meet-up and do it in person.
“We try to make poker nights and draft nights on the same day” said Rohan Vellanki (‘27). “We all pick a day that works for everyone and we all dress up in suits or polos, and after the draft we play poker.”
This year, the most popular first round draft pick was San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffery, affectionately known as “CMC” by fantasy football fans. “Everyone wanted CMC at the beginning of the year because he is a receiving back,” says Srihith Thathiparthi (‘25).“He’s probably the best receiving back in the game right now.”
But, with injuries this year, such as bilateral Achilles tendinitis, McCaffery’s value has dropped exponentially. Injuries are common in the NFL, and fantasy football players are often left disappointed when their first-round picks are forced to sit out.
Moreover, fantasy football is much more than just an online game that allows you to immerse yourself into the weekly excitement of the NFL. It also helps many reconnect with old friends and family. “I play with my high school friends,” said former NFL player and current South history teacher Mr. Joe Porter. “They all live around the country, so we can’t really meet up anymore.We just do a group text.”
Getting into a fantasy football league is a simple process. Begin by creating an account on one of many online fantasy football platforms, where you can either join a public league or create one with your friends. “I just called and texted everyone asking if they wanted to join. They were all down so we set it up on ESPN fantasy,” said Thathiparthi. Some other popular fantasy football platforms include Yahoo, CBS, and NFL.
At the end of the season, many leagues assign playful “punishments” to whoever ends in last place.
“We’re doing a dog cage punishment,” said Vellanki. “Whoever loses has to get in a dog cage and have different kitchen ingredients poured on them, and they have to just endure all of it. They can’t escape.”
Whether you want to strategize over creating an optimal lineup for your team, or simply enjoy laughing alongside your friends, the fantasy football season is always full of surprises.
