It’s fall, and that means it’s football season. We are in the thick of the season currently both at the college level and professionally. Here at Florida State, things are looking better than ever. Our team is currently ranked in the top five and is consistently featured in conversations relating to playoff contenders. I am trying something new this year: participating in a fantasy football league with my best friends (and roommates). We were seeing lots of TikToks about friend groups making leagues and we’re too competitive not to do it ourselves.
There were a few different strategies in play when it came to drafting our team. I tried to pick players based on which ones I knew and which ones had the best stats. One roommate drafted her players based on jersey color and another drafted almost all Miami Dolphins players. Only one roommate actually knew what she was doing and that’s probably why she’s winning our league. Even our roommate’s cat has a team! Fantasy football requires an even number of teams, so we let one team auto-draft and named it after the cat.
Sadly, fantasy football is only available for the NFL. The good news is that you can fill your team with all your favorite former FSU stars. I am always looking for former FSU players to add to my team. The Noles in the Pros segment at home football games has become one of my favorites because I get to see players I’ve picked for my fantasy team highlighted on the big screen! Sometimes I even look for players I might want to add for future weeks. Unfortunately, some of the former Noles were being outperformed and my competitive nature overruled my school spirit.
Sometimes football can be hard to understand. I grew up watching the sport, so I learned the basics early in life. What I didn’t really know was the positions of the players on the field. I knew a few positions like quarterback and kicker, but the ins and outs of running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers were a little bit lost on me. Once I decided I wanted to pursue a career in sports journalism, I tried to start learning more in-depth knowledge of the sport. I went from only watching college football to watching the NFL. Participating in fantasy football has given me an opportunity to learn a number of players and their positions.
One of the biggest benefits of hosting a fantasy football league is bonding with friends and roommates. When you’re in college, life can be hectic and busy. During the week, it can be hard to find time to hang out with your roommates and friends. Our fantasy football league brings us together even when we are busy. You don’t have to watch every second of the game, so we turn the volume down and work on homework together while watching. You get to participate in a group activity but also remain productive.
We’ve had so much fun watching games and working on our teams during the week. Roomie football watch parties are no longer limited to Saturdays. My apartment is a competitive household, so maybe a fantasy football league wasn’t our best decision. We might be a little too invested in something that started out as a fun way to get involved during football season, but we’re having fun and that’s what matters!
Despite the season already starting, it’s not too late to start your league. You can make your own league with ESPN Fantasy up until week six of the season. It’s not too late, but the clock is ticking if you want to join in on the fun!
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