If you’ve ever wondered what fantasy football is, it’s only the most satisfying way to turn your dream football team into a reality. Instead of cheering from the sidelines, everything from lining up players to game strategy lies with you.
Think of yourself as a self-acclaimed football coach with the opportunity to manage your virtual team to success. You get to compete with other teams and maybe even bag some real money wins when you gather enough points—without necessarily coming in first. Sure, knowing what DFS football is may seem difficult to comprehend for newbies, but let me simplify things.
So, what is fantasy football? The fantasy aspect involves putting together a virtual team of football players. Reality kicks in because you’re nabbing real-life players who play real NFL games.
Your team earns fantasy points based on how these players perform in their actual NFL games each week. If you outscore your opponents, you win cash prizes and do it all over again the following week. Fascinating, right?
With a $23.9 billion market size, fantasy football is the biggest fantasy sport. DraftKings and FanDuel are two of the largest fantasy football platforms, boasting 8 and 6 million users, respectively.
Drafting
Draft day is one of the best days for football fans. Most of the work is done for you because experts rank all the players needed to fill out your team. But you can totally draft players yourself by analyzing player projections, cheat sheets, ownerships, matchups, injury situations, etc.
All this happens within a salary cap, so you’d need a
FAAB waiver wire strategy
to balance picking the best players without burning through your budget. Here’s what a typical draft chart looks like.
| Pick | Player | Position | Team | BYE | Average Draft Position (ADP) | Selection | Average Auction Value (AAV) |
| 1 | Deshaun Watson | QB | Hou | 0 | 30 | N/A | 35.6 |
| 2 | Lamar Jackson | QB | Bal | 0 | 10 | N/A | 10.5 |
| 3 | Kyler Murray | QB | Ari | 0 | 43 | N/A | 48.5 |
| 4 | Tom Brady | QB | TB | 0 | 60 | N/A | 69.3 |
| 5 | Russell Wilson | QB | Sea | 0 | 34 | N/A | 42.3 |
Point Scoring
Players earn points for different plays, including touchdowns, runs, passes, and catches. For instance, 25 passing yards get 1 point, while a 50-plus-yard field goal gets 5 points.
Discover our must-see DFS betting sites
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Min. $5 deposit req. Tickets for MLB, NBA, and NHL contests Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org (CT). 18+ in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. 1 per new DraftKings customer. Min. $5 deposit req. 1 $4 ticket for an MLB contest, 1 $3 ticket for an NBA contest, and 1 $3 ticket for an NHL contest rewarded. Ticket rewards are single-use site credits valid for use on eligible DraftKings contests. Ticket rewards expire 14 days (336 hours) after being issued. Terms: www.draftkings.com/promotions. Ends 4/30/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
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Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369)
Strategy is what fantasy football is all about, and you must polish your act if you hope to win. I’ve outlined a few tips for drafting and winning, especially if it’s your first time:
Understand why you’re taking a player:
Don’t just add a player because everyone is talking about him and you like him. Research the player, their talent, potential role, and fit to your fantasy team because every pick counts!
Don’t be a slave to rankings:
As I said, it’s good to heed what the experts have to say in terms of player projections. But do your own research and also trust your gut to draft the most valuable player for your team
Take the time to understand what PPR or half point means or the difference between a snake draft and an auction draft, etc.
Anchor your team with an ACE QB:
A solid QB is what you need to get those points in every week! They are usually the top-scoring players.
It can happen that all three players you want in round 3 are taken. Always have a backup, like having several RBs to pick from in case your original lineup falls through.
If you get to know what daily fantasy football is, you’ll understand that it has its upsides and downsides. Should you decide to go ahead with it, take the good with the bad as outlined below:
Pros & Cons
- Boosts your knowledge of the NFL
- Encourages social interaction by joining different leagues and meeting new people
- The joy of being right when your gut feeling and strategy pay off
- Provides stress relief and unmatched entertainment
- Researching players can be time-consuming
By now, you should have a clear idea of what DFS football is all about. You have the chance to draft your own virtual squad of NFL football stars and compete with other teams. All while making new friends in the process! What’s not to love?
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Min. Deposit: $20
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Min. $5 deposit req. Tickets for MLB, NBA, and NHL contests Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org (CT). 18+ in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. 1 per new DraftKings customer. Min. $5 deposit req. 1 $4 ticket for an MLB contest, 1 $3 ticket for an NBA contest, and 1 $3 ticket for an NHL contest rewarded. Ticket rewards are single-use site credits valid for use on eligible DraftKings contests. Ticket rewards expire 14 days (336 hours) after being issued. Terms: www.draftkings.com/promotions. Ends 4/30/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
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Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369)
Fantasy football is when you create a virtual team of professional football players from across the NFL. From there, you compete with other teams in different leagues and win cash when you earn the most points.
Underdog, DraftKings, and FanDuel are leading platforms if you’re wondering
what are the best fantasy football sites. They offer exciting bonuses, numerous contests, and flexible price points, to mention a few.
Fantasy football encourages social interaction, provides a chance to win money, and is lots of fun.
