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Do we take fantasy too seriously? Highs and lows of 'pretend' football
By Alessandro Miglio, special to SI.com
To some, fantasy football isn't just a game played during the NFL's regular season. Just ask the losers of the tattoo league, who are forced to permanently etch their shame on their flesh. Or one man whose bottom-of-the-league finish precipitated an embarrassing series of photos for a calendar. Whether you are battling for pride, money or a reprieve from the needle, fantasy football has quickly gone from niche to mainstream.
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According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, a record 41 million people now play fantasy sports in the United States and Canada alone, and fantasy football holds a major market share. Beyond North America, millions of players now span the globe as the fantasy football industry is experiencing rapid growth. With it comes a deluge of trash talk, exasperation, stress, elation and relief.
With the increased popularity of fantasy football, it’s no surprise that business is booming. Many have found that the fantasy football industry is valued in the billions; in 2013 Brian Goff of Forbes.com estimated that fantasy football was worth around $11 billion in revenue. To put that into perspective, the NFL’s revenue for 2012 was $9.5 billion.
My, how far Bill Winkenbach’s little game has come.
After horrible week off field, NFL marches on more popular than ever
A study prior to the 2012 season estimated fantasy football cost companies across the United States $6.5 billion in lost work, per Seana Smith of FoxBusiness.com. A firm more recently estimated that fantasy football could be costing employers double that -- $13.4 billion, according to Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz of The Chicago Tribune. Perhaps the calculation was doubled because of the assumption of play time during work hours. The former number was based on the supposition each fantasy owner spent an average of one hour per week on his or her fantasy team while on the job. The latter “conservatively” assumed two per week.
Fantasy owners start sweating early with the now-weekly Thursday night matchup starting just after the working day ends on the West Coast, quite the conundrum for owners stressing over lineup decisions. That is only the tip of the iceberg for fantasy owners curating lineups throughout the workweek. Before Sunday games are even over, owners begin to pore over available names and lineup decisions for the following week.
Of course, fantasy football itself should mostly be about having fun, right? It is a game within a game, after all. Why, then, do some owners take the game so seriously?
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Ravens kicker Justin Tucker gets it. His 24-point outburst against the Lions in Week 15 last year saved many fantasy seasons, and he knew it. The first thing he did after the game was congratulate his fantasy owners. But he also acknowledges the downside to fantasy football, especially from an NFL player's standpoint.
"The players benefit from the fans," Tucker said. "Fantasy football gets the fans more hyped up about football, but fans need to realize that the players drive the game itself. It should bring people closer to the game and its players. It’s supposed to be fun."
Minnesota Vikings WR Greg Jennings once mused on his experience and expressed his feelings about fantasy football at the SXSW conference, as recounted by Jeff Bercovici of Forbes.com:
At one point, he recounted playing a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers during a lull in his season and being screamed at by a fan for his low fantasy production. After scoring an 80-yard touchdown in the game, Jennings said, “I wanted to turn around and be like, 'Am I still sucking for you?' I remember sitting there and, like, I wanted to say something to a fan but I can’t let them know they got to me, because it’s fantasy football. But it’s probably the most serious game out there.”
Players have mixed feelings about fantasy, he said. Many like it for the way it extends their fan bases throughout the league. But fans' heightened enthusiasm has its downside. "It’s a unique deal where we mean more to a fan than we ever have,” he says. "I remember getting hurt and I’m leaving the stadium, and first thing a guys says to me is, 'Jennings, should I drop you from fantasy?' And you sit back like, ugh, really?"
His story touches on the outspoken fantasy owners who give other owners a bad name. Any time a player falls short of expectations, he can expect some level of abuse from fantasy owners, particularly on social media. Several players have taken to Twitter in recent years to voice their displeasure about fantasy football itself.
Public service announcement: I can care less about fantasy football. Key word fantasy. As long as we win I'm ... http://t.co/8mu7lqgOag
— Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson28) September 30, 2013
Not all football players are disdainful of this fake sport, however. Some embrace it with a passion, according to this piece from NFL.com, from Nov. 2009.
Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew -- famed not only for his on-field exploits, but for his love of fantasy football -- once joked former teammate Greg Jones sabotaged him because they were going head to head in fake football that week. Jones-Drew is perhaps fantasy football’s biggest proponent among the players, whose ranks have been growing in the fantasy football realm for years.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily make them good fantasy owners, as the article says:
"Matt Forte picked me before I had a chance to pick myself," [Chicago Bears placekicker Robbie] Gould said of his Chicago teammate. "He has half the Bears team."
Earlier this season, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck benched himself in favor of Brett Favre, thinking the Vikings' quarterback would have a huge day against the St. Louis Rams. Well, Favre threw for 232 yards and one touchdown, but Hasselbeck had a season-high four touchdown passes against the Jaguars.
And it's difficult not to be emotionally involved. Jets running back Leon Washington is clogging up a bench spot on his NFLPA-leading team, Jet Lizzle. He has been on injured reserve with a broken leg for nearly a month, but he hasn't had the nerve to cut himself.
“We don’t dislike fantasy football, just what comes of it sometimes,” Tucker said. “As football players, we are playing a game, but at the same time we are fighting for our livelihoods. Fantasy football is ‘pretend’ football. Our nature is to have skin like an armadillo, so we tend to ignore the negative stuff. But it’s nice to hear from fans in a positive way. There are two sides to the coin. If you’re going to take it so seriously, then you’re an idiot.”
There is certainly a disconnect between fantasy owners and players. As Cory Albertson -- a daily gaming savant who has won a ton of money -- puts it in an interview with Brad Reagan of The Wall Street Journal, athletes are "commodities" to be played on the stock market. Albertson seemingly has no negative connotations to his comparison, but the dehumanizing nature of fantasy sports is plain.
Fantasy Football Sleepers
Mohamed Sanu - Cincinnati Bengals
Mohamed Sanu could emerge as the go-to guy in Cincinnati’s vertical offense if A.J. Green is going to miss an extended period. Sanu even threw a 50–yard pass on a trick play in Week 2.
Bobby Rainey - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
He picked up 144 yards on 22 carries while filling in for Doug Martin in Week 2. Rainey is clearly capable of producing RB1 numbers when given ample carries.
Davante Adams - Green Bay Packers
Any Packers wideout who sees the field is worth consideration in Fantasy leagues. Adams caught five passes for 50 yards in Week 2 and may have surpassed Jarrett Boykin on the depth chart.
Donald Brown - San Diego Chargers
The fragile Ryan Mathews is dealing with a knee injury and Brown should see the bulk of carries in his absence. The starting RB on any team is worth consideration for a desperate owner.
Alfred Blue - Houston Texans
Arian Foster’s workload has been huge and Blue appears to be the next man up if something happens to the Texans’ workhorse. The LSU product picked up 40 yards on 11 carries in Week 2.
Damien Williams - Miami Dolphins
The Oklahoma product will move up the depth chart because of an injury to Knowshon Moreno. Williams should touch the ball 10-plus times per week. Moreover, Lamar Miller isn’t exactly the most established RB in the league.
Miles Austin - Cleveland Browns
The veteran receiver caught six passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in Week 2 and should continue to see a nice amount of targets. Austin isn’t anything special but he should quietly have a decent year statistically.
Matt Asiata, Minnesota Vikings
Asiata got the first chance to shine in Adrian Peterson’s absence. He was mediocre in Week 2, averaging only 2.8 yards per carry,.
Jerick McKinnon - Minnesota Vikings
McKinnon is an athletic freak who could get a chance at some point this season in the Vikings backfield.
E.J. Manuel - Buffalo Bills
Manuel might not be the best NFL QB, but he’s quietly emerging as an acceptable option for desperate fantasy owners. His chemistry with Sammy Watkins should help Manuel keep his job for the time being.
Kirk Cousins - Washington Redskins
With Robert Griffin III out for an extended period, fantasy owners will soon realize that Cousins has the tools, weapons and offensive scheme to emerge as a Top 10 QB.
Niles Paul - Washington Redskins
Paul caught eight passes for 99 yards in Week 2 and did everything possible to impersonate Jordan Reed. The converted wide receiver has TE1 ability while Reed is sidelined.
Silas Redd - Washington Redskins
Redd has been on the radar ever since he beat out Lache Seastrunk for a roster spot in training camp. He picked up 41 yards on eight carries in Week 2 and could have a bigger role going forward.
Larry Donnell - New York Giants
Through two weeks, Donnell has been Eli Manning’s new favorite target. He has 12 catches for 137 yards and a TD through two games.
Andre Caldwell - Denver Broncos
Caldwell is clearly ahead of Cody Latimer on the depth chart and anyone catching passes from Peyton Manning is worth monitoring. Keep an eye on the veteran receiver.
Santonio Holmes - Chicago Bears
Holmes is still only 30-years-old and has emerged as a legitimate option for Jay Cutler in the Bears’ offense. He could have a nice bounce-back season if injuries open up more targets for Holmes.
Levine Toilolo - Atlanta Falcons
The 6-foot-8 Stanford product is a red-zone threat and could emerge as one of Matt Ryan’s favorite targets. He’s a boom-or-bust fantasy option each week, as his stats are dependent on TDs.
Stevie Johnson - San Francisco 49ers
Stevie Johnson, San Francisco 49ers - Johnson had three-straight 1,000-plus yard seasons but saw a major decline in 2013. He appears comfortable in his new home and should re-emerge as a fantasy option.
Brian Hartline - Miami Dolphins
Hartline is always a forgotten man, but he could emerge as a target monster if Ryan Tannehill continues to check down. He’s not someone to rush out and pick up, but he’s the type of player that would thrive on a different team.
Blake Bortles - Jacksonville Jaguars
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars – Bortles might not start for the Jags anytime soon, but keep an eye on the situation. Once Bortles gets his chance, he’s the type of strong-arm QB who could rack up garbage-time passing yards.
However, plenty of positives can come out of fantasy football. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright, along with his brother, Trey, founded a charity fantasy football league called Big League Impact to benefit basic needs charities. In 2013, the league (initially launched as Waino's World of Fantasy Football) raised over $120,000, benefiting Water Missions International and a St. Louis-area food bank. The league will expand to several other MLB cities, spearheaded by big names like Clayton Kershaw in Los Angeles, Max Scherzer in Detroit and Freddie Freeman in Atlanta, with seats starting at $3,000 for the upcoming season.
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Fantasy football can also serve as a welcome departure from the harsh reality. At the annual awards ceremony for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and Fantasy Sports Writers Association this past winter, ESPN fantasy guru Matthew Berry recounted a story about someone who escaped his sorrow over a lost loved one with a brief weekly immersion in the fantasy football realm. The industry's godfather went on to say he has received countless emails over the years about how fantasy football has helped people get through tough times.
University of Rochester neuroscientist Renee Miller -- an avid fantasy gamer herself -- pontificated on the possible reasons behind escapism in fantasy sports.
"I think we feel good about ourselves when we’re learning -- I hope that as an educator -- but I really do think that continually pushing our brains to accumulate new information and to store and use it in a way that might be profitable or productive is really essential to mental health and well-being,” she said. “In the face of death or divorce or loss of any kind -- whether it be a job, a person or a relationship -- I think that fantasy sports can fill that role of finding something new to believe in and rely on and feel good about yourself for."
Celebrities at NFL Games
Jon Bon Jovi with Bill Belichick
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots on Dec. 21, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Jonny Lee Miller and son Buster
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots on Dec. 21, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Shad Moss (Bow Wow)
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots on Dec. 21, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Steve Wilkos
New York Jets vs. New England Patriots on Dec. 21, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Lyle Lovett
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 21 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Ariana Grande
Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers on Sept. 4, 2014 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Pitbull and Ne-Yo
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 27, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Pharrell Williams
Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers on Sept. 4, 2014 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Will.i.am
Oakland Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins on Sept. 28, 2014 at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Snoop Dogg
San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears on Sept. 21, 2014 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Mitt Romney
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills on Dec. 1, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Mark Wahlberg with Tom Brady
New England Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders on Sept. 21, 2014 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Ice Cube
Oakland Raiders vs. Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 19, 2014 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
Denzel Washington
Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants on Sept. 8, 2014 at Ford Field in Detroit.
Gerard Butler
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers on Dec. 7, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Bryan Cranston
New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 21, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Method Man
New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders on Sept. 7, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Seth Myers
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans on Oct. 20, 2014 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
Jeff Daniels
Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants on Sept. 8, 2014 at Ford Field in Detroit.
Aaron Bruno and Drew Stewart of AWOLNATION
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 27, 2014 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Ice-T and Coco
New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders on Sept. 7, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of Little Mix
Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions on Oct. 26, 2014 at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Cimorelli
Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 21, 2014 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Mike Epps
Washington Redskins vs. Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 6, 2014 at FedExField in Landover, Md.
Jimmy Buffett with Jimmy Graham
New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 21, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Nick Lachey
New York Jets vs. Chicago Bears on Sept. 22, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Chad L. Coleman
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Guy Fieri
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants on Oct. 19, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Eric Stonestreet
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos on Nov. 30, 2014 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Erin Heatherton
New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders on Sept. 7, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Chris Cornell and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden
Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers on Sept. 4, 2014 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Bobby Cannavale and David Zayas
New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins on Dec. 1, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Jesse James Decker
New York Jets vs. Detroit Lions on Sept. 28, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Laura Linney
New York Jets vs. Chicago Bears on Sept. 22, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Tom Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Mike Gossin of Gloriana
Tennessee Titans vs. New York Jets on Dec. 14, 2014 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.
Mario Batali
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Trace Adkins
Denver Broncos vs. San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 19, 2014 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver.
Carrot Top (Scott Thompson)
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 7, 2014 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Melissa Gorga of ''The Real Housewives of New Jersey''
New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders on Sept. 7, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Evan Jonigkeit and Zosia Mamet
New York Jets vs. Detroit Lions on Sept. 28, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Jon Secada
Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 21, 2014 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Eli Young Band
Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 9, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Lilian Garcia
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Lee Ann Womack
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 27, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Michael Rapaport
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Campbell Brown
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Lindsay Ell
Houston Texans vs. Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 2, 2014 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
Lee Greenwood
Tennessee Titans vs. Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 14, 2014 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.
Steve Wariner
Tennessee Titans vs. Cleveland Browns on Oct. 5, 2014 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.
John Rzeznik
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots on Oct. 12, 2014 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Patrick Monahan of Train
San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears on Sept. 21, 2014 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Samira Wiley
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Sway Calloway
Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans on Sept. 14, 2014 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
Pablo Schreiber
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
James Lesure
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 12, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Amanda Shaw
New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 5, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Evan Jonigkeit and Josh Helman
New York Jets vs. Chicago Bears on Sept. 22, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Donna Vivino
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Nick Sandow with Jace Amaro
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Of course, not everyone takes fantasy football so seriously. Pierre Becquey, ESPN’s fantasy editor, says the vast majority of unique fantasy players play in just one league on ESPN's site. That isn’t to say they don’t have teams on other sites like Yahoo!, NFL.com or CBS Sports, but statistics point to a larger casual audience. The more serious subset of fantasy footballers seems to be a vocal minority in a game that is ultimately about fun and community.
"Before Facebook or MySpace or Friendster, there was fantasy football. It was a way to interact with people with whom you would otherwise have no business interacting," Berry said. "It’s supposed to be fun."
So where is fantasy football headed? Will the loud minority of rabid fans take over, or will owners evolve to become more sophisticated and level-headed with time?
“I play [fantasy football] because I think it’s fun, adds an interesting aspect to following football on Sundays,” said Tucker. “You can follow players on completely different teams. But you’ve got to play responsibly.”
The clutch kicker nailed another one.
