Fantasy football has been around since the early 1960s and has been a big part of the football season since then. Many football fans bring together some of their closest friends to create leagues and teams for the season. Football fans can play for free through the different apps available for fantasy football.
As mentioned, fantasy football began back in the 1960s when part owner of the then Oakland Raiders, Bill Winkenbach, created a league called the Greater Oakland Pigskin Prognosticators. According to a report by CBS sports, Winkenbach also created the first fantasy leagues for baseball and golf, he was known as “the father of Fantasy Sports.”
Fantasy football has evolved since the 1960s with the number of players available to draft, along with the number of points awarded to fantasy football players. In an article by CBS Sports, back then players would draft two quarterbacks, four halfbacks, two full-backs, four wide receivers or tight ends, two return men, two kickers, two defensive backs or linebackers, and two defensive ends. As far as points, CBS Sports states that 25 points were awarded for all offensive touchdowns, 25 points for field goals, 10 points for an extra point, and 200 points for special teams or defensive touchdowns.
Today, Fantasy Football players draft a total of 16 players, nine starting and seven benched; one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one flex player (can be a running back, wide receiver or tight end), one defensive team/special teams player, and one kicker. Of the seven players that would be benched, fantasy football players can draft from any position and can switch out the players as the new football week begins. As far as points go, fantasy football players are awarded points based on how the players in each position perform during the game.
Fantasy football was not as popular as it is today, since back then players had to go through different steps, now that everything is conducted online, it is a bit easier.
According to an article by ESPN, about 40 million people in the United States and 20 million people in India alone play fantasy football.
Many people from around the world such as Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Africa, Germany, the Philippines, Guatemala and Canada play fantasy football and according to ESPN they express that at times it could be difficult to switch players for the week or watch some of their starting lineup play due to the time difference.
You pull your hair out because you lose sometimes in the head-to-head battle with the guys because you couldn’t quickly make a change before the game,” Bryan Nicol, who lives in Cape Town, South Africa, told ESPN.
There are a variety of apps where football fans can create leagues and teams with their friends during the football season.
Some of the popular apps for fantasy football are CBS Sports Fantasy, ESPN Fantasy, NFL Fantasy Football, and Yahoo Fantasy Football.
Fantasy football is a great way for football fans to feel or be more connected to the NFL, as well as make new friends along the way.
Katrina Villarreal is a staff reporter and may be reached at [email protected].
