9781422283004

He’s not the only one. By 2015, more than 56 million people were playing some form of fantasy sports, with football being the dominant sport. Fantasy sports were creating fun, competition, and increased in- terest in the game and its players. In 2015, however, another form of the game also

Wayback Machine! Fantasy football history.

caused enormous controversy. Newer “daily” games were turning fantasy into an unpleasant reality. How- ever, time will tell whether that is a blip in the rise of fantasy or the crack in the mirror that takes away the fun. In the meantime, read on to find out how to play, and how something that’s not “real” has become the biggest thing in football. “I can’t even imagine watching the NFL with- out having some fantasy interest now,” says Michael Fabiano, senior fantasy analyst on NFL.com. “People feel like they’re more a part of the game, more a part of the NFL, because they manage those players they see on TV. Before fantasy football, you were rooting for the team you’ve always followed. Now, you’re fol- lowing every team.”

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