Three years ago, if you’d suggested that I’d someday play Fantasy Football, I would have laughed in your face. I hated football. I hated that it was on our TV every Sunday. And I especially hated that my husband had the RedZone channel – you know, the one that plays nothing but commercial free football for eight hours straight every Sunday? Yeah, that one.
I finally came to the conclusion that if you can’t beat them, join them. So I joined an all-girls Fantasy Football league with a bunch of friends. Some liked football, others identified with me. I figured at least I’d find a little entertainment out of our nonstop football Sundays. And I ended up with so much more than I expected. We laughed. We enjoyed the rivalries that grew between us. And – gasp – I talked to my husband about football.
So, I thought I’d share a few things that I’ve come to learn about Fantasy Football with my fellow moms. Maybe you can join a league with friends – or start your own! It’s a great reason to have friends over on Sunday after church. Let the kids play together while you tally points and try to keep the trash talk to a minimum when you’re playing against your husband.
- Research. Figure out which players are going to be chosen early in the draft. Make sure your top choice isn’t on the injured list. There are a number of websites available to make the research phase a lot easier for you, but FFToolbox.com is my go-to.
- Team names. This is almost as important as the draft. You need an awesome team name. Whether you stay conservative or go with one of the less appropriate names I’ve seen, choosing “Skeeter’s Mom” or “Heather’s Team” just isn’t an option.
- Drafting. This is the beginning of Fantasy Football, when you’ll choose the players on your team. The number of each position you draft varies per league, so be sure to check your settings. Each team takes turns selecting members until all the spots are filled. You can practice this step ahead of time by running a Mock Draft through your league to ease some pre-draft nerves.
- Regular Season. This is when the real Fantasy Football games start. You’ll be paired against one other person in your league every week to see whose team scores the most points. Each player you have on your roster will earn points based on their performances, so you’ll have to choose carefully who plays and who sits on your bench. You can also drop and add players throughout the season if someone just isn’t performing for you.
When all else fails, remember this is just for fun. If you want to draft Tom Brady because he’s just so pretty, do it. If JJ Watt’s muscles make you swoon, grab the Houston Defense. {Go Texans!} If you don’t like someone due to their arrest record, cut them. Do what works for you!
Have you played Fantasy Football? What are your tips and tricks?
