Fantasy Football for Beginners

New to fantasy football? You're in the right place. Fantasy football is a fun, competitive game where you build a virtual team of real NFL players and compete against friends or others based on how those players perform in actual games.

What Is Fantasy Football?

You draft a team of NFL players and earn points each week based on their real-life performance — yards gained, touchdowns scored, passes thrown, etc. Each week, you face another team in your league, trying to outscore them.

How Do You Play?

1. Join a League: Leagues usually have 8–14 teams. You can join friends or public leagues online.
2. Draft Players: Take turns selecting NFL players to build your team. It's like assembling your own football squad.
3. Set Your Lineup: Each week, choose which players to start. You get points based on their performance.
4. Compete Weekly: You play against another team in your league each week. Highest score wins!
5. Make Moves: Drop/add players, make trades, and adjust your team during the season.
6. Playoffs & Championship: Most leagues have playoffs at the end of the NFL regular season to determine the champion.

Basic Terms to Know

• Roster: Your team of NFL players
• Lineup: The players you choose to start each week
• Bench: Backup players you keep for depth
• Waiver Wire: Free agent pool where you can pick up unclaimed players
• Trade: Swap players with other teams in your league
• Bye Week: Each NFL team gets one week off — plan accordingly!

How Scoring Works

Your players earn points based on their stats. For example:

• 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards
• 1 point per 25 passing yards
• 6 points for a touchdown
• 0.5 or 1 point per reception (depending on league settings)
• -2 points for an interception or lost fumble

Each league may have slightly different scoring rules, so it's good to check your settings.

Why People Love Fantasy Football

• It makes every NFL game more exciting
• It's a great way to stay in touch with friends and coworkers
• You don't have to be an NFL expert to play and win
• It brings strategy, competition, and fun into your football season

Ready to Start? You can join a league on popular sites like ESPN, Yahoo, or Sleeper. Most platforms are free, and the mobile apps make it easy to play from anywhere.