Fantasy football has become so popular at Redwood that there are leagues dedicated to specific class periods.  For example, junior Cameron Brady’s league consists primarily of students in his architecture class.

“We decided as an architecture class that we’re all into football, and so we decided to make a league and in class we talk about our teams,” Brady said.  “It makes for a fun, competitive atmosphere.”

The prize for winning differs from league to league.  Some play for bragging rights while others play for monetary gain.  Yes, fantasy football is often a form of gambling.

“In my league, we have a $10 pool,” Brady said.  “It makes the game more fun and gives an incentive to try hard.”

Every football fan knows that when the school year begins, so does the NFL season – and more importantly, so does the fantasy football season.

Each year prior to the start of the NFL regular season, several well-respected sports analysts rate every player in the NFL and predict how many fantasy points each player will earn in the upcoming season.

NFL players receive fantasy points based on how well they perform in real life.  Fantasy points are based on several statistics including number of touchdowns, number of yards a player runs or throws, and a defensive squad’s ability to prevent its opponents from scoring.

A fantasy league typically consists of 8-12 people who at a predetermined time draft teams online.  Each league has its own rules and guidelines, but typically participants in the league are paired up each week to play each other.  The player in each matchup with the greater sum of fantasy points wins the game that week.  At the end of the season, the players with the best records move on to the playoffs, and eventually, the person with the best record wins.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of fantasy football is how it affects how people watch real football.  Participants in the online game look at football in a new light.  Many are more aware of injuries, trades, matchups, and statistics.

According to junior Peter Joyner, fantasy football inspired him to watch more NFL games, and observe them more closely.

“Playing fantasy changed the way I watch football because I pay more attention to my players and their stats rather than watching my favorite team just for fun,” Joyner said.

Some students even purchase television deals such as Redzone and the NFL Package so they can watch more NFL games.

“Fantasy football completely affects how I watch NFL games… I’m even getting the NFL package because of fantasy football so that I can track my players,” Brady said.