The Fantasy Football League is taking over the Dixie State College campus—and men’s minds.
Fantasy Football is a game men of all ages like to play. It is a game of luck and strategy in choosing the right players to be on your team.
“Fantasy Football is all about the right players,” said freshman Connor Brown, a communication major from Las Vegas. “So if you don’t pick the right players, then you lose. And if you lose, then it really sucks.”
These leagues are about strategically picking the right players from NFL teams who will contribute and give you the most points.
“Most grown men don’t play football, so it is like a chance to prove your knowledge,” Brown said. “So it is kind of a big deal for people to get into it and win because then they feel like they are better than the people they are playing against.”
You can choose the system of how you play with the different leagues. With these systems, you can gain points for yourself by how many rushing yards your players get.
“You have specific players on your team, and if they perform well in the game then you get points,” said senior Justin Foreman, a communication major from St. George. “If they score a touchdown, then they will give you a certain amount of points.”
Foreman said the competition gets intense as the season goes on.
The players and teams you thought would do well and bring you home the trophy could let you down or be successful. It is a game of chance.
“You take a gamble with specific players,” Foreman said. “So you might be playing against somebody that doesn’t know anything about football and they beat you, so you get kind of mad.”
Sophomore D’Andre Mathews, a general education major from Las Vegas, said there are a ton of talented players people in each league are fighting for.
“You have to give a little and take a little,” Mathews said. “If you sacrifice a good quarterback, you have to go for a really good running back.”
The men say it is a fun game to play because they have something to look forward to during the season. It also brings on some friendly competition with their friends and family.
“It’s probably the most competitive thing there is in the world today,” said freshman Jef Young, a business major from Orem. “I mean, sure there is war going on, but between men in America, it is the most competitive sport.”
Sophomore Bubba Hill, a general education major from Syracuse, said he doesn’t know what gets men so excited about it, but whenever he sees his players’ score, he goes crazy. Hill said another reason is because he and his friends have been playing together for a long time, and that makes it competitive.
“It is just the nature of it,” Young said. “It is men owning other men.”
Fantasy Football is more than a game to some of these men. It is a lifestyle that fills their Sundays with non-stop football.
“I love it just because if my team isn’t on, I can watch the other teams that have my players,” Hill said. “It gives me another reason to watch [football].”
Hill said he doesn’t have one NFL team that he loves, but it makes him interested in all the games because he has players on different teams.
So is the Fantasy Football league a sport just designated for men?
“I know of girls that play it,” Young said. “It’s not really accepted yet, but it’s slowly getting there.”
Hill said he has never been in a league with a girl, although he has heard of some girls being in a league. He said he is pretty sure it is just strictly for guys. After the season is over, and each league has determined a winner, it is common for the winner to receive a reward.
“I am currently in a league with 12 other guys right now,” Young said. “We have a 4-foot trophy that we pass around every year. So whoever wins this year will get the trophy.”
Hill said they also have a T-shirt they pass around to the winners each year.
You can sign up and start your own Fantasy Football League at any sports website such as NFL.com, RTSports.com and ESPN.com.
