With the NFL season underway, many people are excited. Some may not even have any interest in the teams playing, but they still tune in anyway.  More than likely, these people have fantasy players to watch. 

Whether it is new league format or just a traditional league with friends, family and co-workers, many people participate in fantasy football season.

“It’s a way to stay involved with sports in a competitive way with friends without actually playing,” said senior Allie Baddley, reigning champion of her league.

You do not have to be involved with something physically in order to compete, and fantasy sports are a great example of that. 

To some, fantasy football is a tradition.

“My friends and I have been playing for a long time,” said senior Alex Pauley.  “It’s become a tradition with some stakes involved for the loser, particularly funny to everyone else except them. It’s just a way to stay connected with some of my other friends that go to other schools and we have fun trash-talking each other on Sundays.”

Recently, new programs such as DraftKings and FanDuel were brought to the fantasy sports world as well. Members are able to make teams for a week at a time, so no there are no ties to any single player for an entire season. The upside to these programs allow someone to take a week off as well, just in case you do not have time to set a lineup by Sunday.

These one-day leagues allow for fans to start over on each Sunday, so they are not tied into a season-long league with injured and suspended players.

“(Last year) was like a nightmare,” said junior Jake Hymowitz. “I thought I was going to have a great season with Adrian Peterson at number one.”

Peterson was suspended indefinitely last season after federal charges were brought against him. He was reinstated in June of this season and is back helping fantasy owners each week.

This season will be a year for a new fantasy champions to claim bragging rights in their respective leagues for an entire year. There will be another year of anger, gloating and that one person in every league who never changes their roster all season and ends up making the playoffs.

There is definitely a new year of fantasy sports upon us.