Football season has finally crept up on us, and if you’re anything like me, you may feel a little clueless. Differentiating from the actual football season and ESPN’s Fantasy Football League can make it even harder. My boyfriend is always talking about his fantasy football team, and my Sundays are now being filled with conversations surrounding Drake May and Stefon Diggs, but don’t worry, I’ve picked up on a thing or two, so let me break down the basics for all of my fellow fantasy football WAGs:Â
Scoring: If you really want to keep up with the game, the most important thing to know is how teams actually score points, so you know the perfect moments to celebrate!
There are four ways your team can score points, with touchdowns being the main one worth 6 points, but there are other chances too. After a touchdown, they can kick for an extra point, and field goals offer the chance to score 3 points. If your team manages to force a safety on the other team, then that’s worth 2 points.Â
Offense: Offensive positions are there to score points and move the ball through the field. Offense is made up of seven different positions, including the core offense and the offensive line, each with their own roles and responsibilities to make the magic happen.Â
- Quarterback – To start off our core offense, the quarterback leads the plays by passing or handing off the ball. He also has the option to run with it.Â
- Running Back – The running mostly runs with the ball, however he is also able to block and catch passes.Â
- Wide Receiver – The wide receiver is responsible for running specific predetermined routes in order to open up and receive passes from the quarterback.Â
- Tight End – The Tight End finishes off the core offense positions. He is a versatile player who blocks to help complete runs as well as catches passes.Â
- Center – The center is a part of the offensive line. He starts the play when he snaps the ball behind him through his legs to the quarterback. The center is also responsible for blocking his opposing defenders.
- Guards – Guards are the players who stand on either side of the center while blocking for running as well as passing plays.Â
- Tackle – The final offensive position is responsible for protecting the quarterback from opposing defenders who are rushing the edge of the field.Â
Defense: Defensive positions are responsible for interrupting the flow of the opposing team’s offense and putting pressure on their quarterback with the intention of stopping runs. There are five positions, including the defensive line, linebackers, and the defensive backs who do their best to keep the opposing team in check.Â
- Defensive Tackle – The defensive tackle is in charge of pressuring the opposing quarterback and stopping the running game from inside the defensive line.Â
- Defensive End – The defensive end is responsible for rushing the quarterback and preventing outside runs by forcing the plays to stay within the line.Â
- Linebackers – There are both middle and outside linebackers in the defensive line. Their purpose is often just to tackle the opposing team and stop the runs while causing them to drop passes.Â
- Cornerbacks – Cornerbacks play opposite to wide receivers and are meant to cover them while preventing passes.Â
- Safeties – The last position is known as safety. They are usually the last line of defense for their team and are responsible for supporting against the run. There are two types of safeties, including “Free Safety” and “Strong Safety”.
Fantasy Football: Fantasy football is like curating your own dream team. You draft real players to your team from a list of real NFL stars playing their actual position, and every week they earn you points for things like touchdowns, catches, and yards, and the fantasy team with the most points each week wins their matchup. Cheering on his fantasy football team is the perfect opportunity to get involved in his interests, even if you’re not a total football pro.
Now you’re all set to pick your own team and enjoy Sundays just as much as he does this fall!