With the beginning of the National Football League (NFL) season, a new year of fantasy football is under way. Fantasy football, an online competition of several teams, is a game where you build a roster of one quarterback, six playmakers, a defense and a kicker.

“You’re in a league where you draft NFL players with your friends and try to build the best roster,” Luke Fykes, junior, said. “Players get points based on their stats for the week as you go head to head with other [participants] in the league.”

Fantasy football is played by over 29.2 million players around the U.S., making it the highest played fantasy sport in the country, per statista.

“Football happens only on the weekend compared to basketball which happens throughout the week,” Merrick Walder, senior, said. “It gives you something else to root for besides your favorite team because you can [support] the players on your fantasy team.”

Fans play fantasy football not just to have fun, but also win money and bragging rights against their friends.

“It’s fun when I play with my friends while also being competitive with my football knowledge,” Fykes said.

There are multiple apps offering fantasy football, but ESPN is the most popular.

“I personally think the NFL Fantasy app is the best app because it is quick and easy compared to others,” Jake Finnegan, junior, said.

Many fantasy football players agree on a punishment for the last place participant of the league, and a reward for the winner of the league championship.

“[For my league] we get a big dog cage and the last place player gets locked in while the other league members dump a bunch of condiments and things on your head,” Finnegan said.

Doug Uccellini, JHS teacher, is looking to get another first place finish for this year’s season.

“I have been playing [fantasy] for 10 years now [including] two championships last year,” Uccellini said.

The most difficult part of playing fantasy football is drafting players that are projected to perform well and remain healthy all season. 

“[When drafting], I look at the most durable players that I root for. I don’t like to pick people I don’t root for like a player on the Jets,” Uccellini said. 

This year’s biggest bust is Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, while the biggest steal is Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua.

“Burrow has been terrible all year in every aspect of the game. I picked up [Nacua] on the waiver wire and he has been balling all year for me,” Fykes said.