The longing trend of fantasy football is what keeps people engaged in the professional game of NFL. Fantasy football consists of choosing players from NFL teams and making a team of your own to compete with a group of people. The object of the competition is to predict what players in the NFL will be performing well throughout the season to gain more points. The attraction of making your own team promotes more viewers to watch the NFL. Several students at FHC participate in fantasy football, creating their own leagues and compete against each other. I asked Jace Thornton and Will Kuiper questions about their individual league and fantasy football in general.

Q: Why do you participate in fantasy football?

Will Kuiper: “It is a fun way to play competitively against your friends and stay involved with a sport we all love.”

Jace Thornton: “It is a good way to compete with your friends every week, plus the trash talk is always an added bonus.”

Q: If you did not participate in fantasy football, do you think you would still watch the NFL?

Will: “No, not at all.”

Jace: “Not a chance.”

Q: What were strategies for choosing your team? Would you change your team if you could?

Will: “I am an elite drafter. I usually like to pick my running backs first then my wideouts and hope that there is still a quarterback available. I would change nothing about my team either. I am also elite in the trading game and have traded the perfect team.”

Jace: “Will likes to think that he is half decent at drafting, that just isn’t true. I would like to think I am a late-round sniper when it comes to drafting. I end up with 1st round talent in the 5th round or even later. I’ll often do mock drafts leading up to my actual draft so I can have an idea of where my target players fall. I would not change anything about my team. I am a fantasy football juggernaut.”

Q: How do you think fantasy football promotes the NFL?

Will: “I think that the NFL needs fantasy football to be successful.”

Jace: “I think fantasy football brings a lot more attention to the NFL and its players.”

Q: Do you take fantasy football seriously or is it more for enjoyment?

Will: “It is for enjoyment, but there are obviously bragging rights on the line, not to mention other bets that may be placed on the league.”

Jace: “Whoever says they don’t take fantasy football serious is lying. There is way too much on the line to not care. The humiliation of losing lasts a full year until you get a chance at redemption the following season.”

Q: What trades have you made this year and why?

Will: “Every trade I make is legitimately a money move. I’m elite and only make the trades that put me on the top.”

Jace: “I like to stay true to my original draftees so I have not made one trade this year. I have had a few legendary free agency pickups that are now weekly starters on my team. Everything I do is a well thought out move. Fantasy Football is like one long game of chess that I always find myself coming out on top of.”