HomeFeaturesOn the Scene with Nadine › A Girl's Guide to Fantasy Football
 
 
 

Television personality and AZfoothills.com columnist Nadine Toren is scouring the area, finding savvy Valley features, bringing readers “on the scene.” Every day she’ll introduce you to celebrities, athletes, and give you an inside look into local events and hot spots. She'll touch on topical issues, and keep AZ fans posted on all the big talkers around town.

american-football

Sorry guys...we're getting in on the fun.  Yep, lovely ladies want some fantasy time too--that's why we're breaking down the basics of Fantasy Football.  

Before I begin, I want to sincerely apologize to all boyfriends and husbands for what you're about to read. 

September 11th, 2011--it's the moment your man’s been waiting for.  Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year for manly men, when they dust off their game-day gear and rock their favorite NFL jersey, whether it be a Lion, Tiger, or Bear—oh my!  That Sunday, 13 NFL games will debut as part of the league's opening weekend, as guys sit glued to their TV, beer in hand.  But besides cheering on their hometown team, many will root for particular players that make up their Fantasy Football league, and turns out, girls can get in on the fantasy fun too.  While this might make some testosterone boil, welcoming ladies into your football realm can be a bonding activity among couples (and a good way for single women to meet men).  That’s right; we’re raining on your parade…if you let us.  My beloved BF kindly allows me to partake in some football Sunday festivities--of course when it’s not a boys-only rendezvous at our local sports bar.  And truth be told, I actually enjoy being included.

Whether or not your man wants to believe it, more than 1-million women play fantasy football, and the popularity among females is growing.  In fact, I’m hearing more and more about couple-teams taking on other lovebirds in Yahoo! and ESPN.com Fantasy leagues.  Problem is, many ladies aren’t quite sports-savvy, despite wanting to get in the NFL spirit.  So consider this your girly guide to Fantasy Football; no doubt, you’ll impress your sporty stud. 

Simply put, Fantasy Football is a season-long competition where you draft your own team and compete with teams compiled by other people.  You earn points based on all your players’ real-life and real-time performance. 

The first step is creating a league, usually made up of 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 fantasy teams.  Consider yourself a team owner—you select your players until all predetermined roster slots are filled.  As a team leader, you’ll choose a starting lineup for each game, sign replacement players, and make necessary trades.  The end of Fantasy season rolls around the final weeks of the NFL’s normal season, when a playoff tournament often determines the league winner.

So where to begin?  You can choose your players based on anything from skills to good looks.  Your team generally consists of at least 2 quarterbacks, 3 running backs, 3 wide receivers, 2 tight ends, 1 kicker, and 2 defensive units. 

Each week you’ll submit a starting lineup.  (Choose this based on your players’ recent performance—consider injuries, match-ups, etc.)  Most likely, this will include 1 quarterback, 2 running backs, 2 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 1 kicker, and 1 defensive unit. 

While scoring systems vary among leagues, touchdowns often result in 6 points for the scoring player, and if the TD is the result of a passing play, the QT gets awarded the same. 

Field goals count as 3 points for the kicker, but some leagues offer more points if the field goal goes longer.  (For example, 40 yards = 4 points and 50 yards = 5 points.)  Kickers also get 1 point for extra points after touchdowns, and 2 points for a player scoring a 2-point conversion.

Offensive players also gain points based on receiving, passing, and rushing yardage, like getting 1 point for every 25 yards passing.

On the flip side, offensive players can also lose points by throwing an interception (-2), or fumbling the ball (-1).