Way back in the early 1990s, NFL fans had only a couple of ways to access information and commentary on their favorite sport. Scores and statistics printed in the papers and coverage provided in broadcast media held sway over what ordinary people knew, and that made the level of understanding across the population somewhat basic.
Unsurprisingly, a lot has changed in the interim, and average NFL fan saviness has increased exponentially thanks to a combination of widespread fantasy football uptake and access to in-depth analytics provided via online platforms. It’s perfectly reasonable for amateurs to have a detailed discussion about in-depth talking points like expected points added (EPA) and yards per route run (YPRR), because the internet has democratized access to information, and football is one of the beneficiaries.
The generational change in how much knowledge and strategic understanding NFL fans have has come about in a couple of ways, so let’s talk about them to better understand the legacy of fantasy football and analytics.
