While fall has finally arrived, it is not the only season that has come to Etowah. Fantasy football, though it may not include the roaring crowd and the live anticipation of the real sport, brings the competitiveness of football right into the palm of one’s hand. Etowah students are filling their rosters and gearing up to see if their favorite players will lead their self-made team to victory. 

“I like Fantasy Football because it gets me more interested in watching the NFL (National Football League), and I like to have a fun competition between friends,” Neal O’Connor, junior, said. 

Participants begin by creating or joining a league with others they wish to face off against before taking part in a draft to decide what their team is going to look like, using the stats and performances of real players to compete in a virtual NFL season. Many students at Etowah have taken up this past time with hopes of their team scoring the most points, which is based on how their players perform in real life games and claiming a victory over their opponents. Along with bragging rights, players who decide to wager money can win more by having the top scoring team in their league and receive an even bigger prize for the overall winner.  

“A lot of people really like that you can win money by just playing a game and being in a league,” Peyton Woodard, sophomore, said. 

The competition has only continued to grow in popularity as friends and family are pitted against each other to see who is able to construct the perfect team. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is that it follows real players’ games throughout the season, meaning participants can watch the games to see whether or not they created out a strong team. The scores are reset after each week for the opponents to face different people, making the game even more exciting, as one never knows what their next match up is going to be like.  

“The reason I like fantasy football is because it is very competitive, and you really can not lose,” Dominic Favela, freshman, said. 

While there are actual prizes from the official game owners, many participants come together in groups to make bets on who they think will win and what happens to the loser. While some have agreed to keep it simple with money, others have organized embarrassing or funny tasks for the loser to do, ranging from buzzing hair to being forced into a dog cage.  

“We decided to make the loser wash the car of everyone else in the league, which is like 15 cars,” Josh Faile, senior, said.  

Though it is a cutthroat competition, fantasy football is a fun way to celebrate the NFL season and bring together friends and family to enjoy a game of rivalry and excitement. Start a team today.