CMU students talk fantasy football as season is in full swing
We can’t all be in the NFL, but we sure can fantasize about it.
Fantasy football, ever growing in popularity, gives users the chance to pick and manage a team comprised of football players in the NFL. By managing their teams, one is allowed to draft, trade, add or drop players, change rosters and make a league pick.
Many Central Michigan University students participate in fantasy football leagues for fun, money and bragging rights.
Jackson freshman Raquel Sayre said once the football season rolls around, fantasy football seems to be the most popular topic amongst her male friends.
“I always hear my guy friends talk about their fantasy football teams. I have never gotten one, but it sure does seem to be all the hype for most guys during this time,” she said.
Each league is made up of groups of people with points allocated for player performance, touchdowns, rushing yards, field goals, sacks and other elements of a regular football game. A point amount is set for each point, and the team with the most points ultimately wins.
Midland sophomore Matt Ehler is a frequent fantasy football player, and he has money on his mind. Ehler said he has high hopes of winning his league this season.
“I definitely check my league all the time to make sure I have the best players on my league,” he said. “I’m sure by the end of the season I will be on top, and I will have all that money in my pocket.”
Ehler said he’s confident in his team, primarily because he has star quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints starting.
“My best pick is probably Drew Brees, because he consistently gets me more than 15 points a game,” Ehler said. “I always play with three receivers just because you never know who is going to have a break out game.”
Unionville graduate student Stacie Keipinger attempted to play fantasy football years ago, but her team didn’t perform well, leaving her with no motive to try again.
“Years ago, a group of my friends just randomly decided to give fantasy football a try. So I thought I would try to play, but I didn’t really know what I was doing,” she said. “I was just picking players at random. I did not have a strategy at all. By the end of the season, the group fell apart and I did not have a reason to continue.”
In order to win, many players, including Tecumseh sophomore Brendan Diroff, strategize to assemble the best teams in their league.
“I always go with running backs over receivers. My players have the best offense (and) are run by the fastest-paced coaches, which basically means they are the highest in offensive plays,” he said. “I check at least five times a week.”
Two years ago, Diroff’s strategy paid off. He not only won his league, but he earned the $150 purse.
“It felt great to win and to be $150 richer,” Diroff said.
