As fantasy drafts approach, excitement for a long-awaited NFL season mounts for students participating in this year’s fantasy football across the country. After one of the longest off-seasons ever, the NFL has finally returned with the hopes of a full season being completed

Fantasy Football is an online game in which the participants act as general managers for their virtual NFL teams. There is a draft prior to the season in which participants select their rosters by choosing available NFL players. After drafting their teams, the competitors face off throughout the 17-week NFL season until one team emerges victorious.

A lot of research goes into choosing a fantasy football team. For many people, this is taken very seriously and they spend countless hours reading different players’ projected seasons and tendencies in order to maximize success during the season, many participants research the tendencies of NFL players and teams.

“I do research on players, who their opponents are, who their teammates are, mainly for quarterbacks and receivers because quarterbacks need receivers who can catch and receivers need quarterbacks who can throw,” sophomore David Diamond said.

Once the draft is complete, players manage their teams on a weekly basis. It is important to make necessary changes every week due to changing circumstances in the NFL. For example, a star running back who happens to be facing a team with a strong run defense decreases in value for that week. In contrast, an average running back facing a team with a sub-par run defense goes up in value.

Additionally, the competitors negotiate trades with other managers in their league. In many cases, a team is strong in one area but weak in another. By negotiating trades with other competitors, managers are able to improve certain aspects of their teams.

As well as being a fun way to follow the football season, fantasy football provides an opportunity for students to engage in good-natured competition.

“I am very passionate [about my team) because it’s fun and it’s especially fun when it is competitive,” sophomore Ari Platt said.

This 2020 season is especially exciting for sports fans after such an abnormal year where they have missed the opportunity to watch sports over the past several months.

“It’s great to have football back, especially having so many months without sports to watch during the quarantine,” sophomore Jonah Gross said. “The NFL’s return is also exciting because it means I can play fantasy football which is something I love because it is a fun way to compete with friends.”