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.
The Rise of Contextual Metrics
A basic scoreline shows exactly what happened in a game, but it does little to explain why it happened or what led to a given outcome. Fantasy football and analytics answer these secondary questions, with the emphasis on contextualizing performance metrics rather than just looking at top-level figures.
First, there’s the move from seeing skill as the defining factor of a player to having their abilities assessed situationally within a live game context. So now, you’ll see fans pouring over stats like snap share and air yards to get a better sense of whether a skilled player is actually putting their on-paper abilities to use in the field.
Likewise, fans can use NFL sports odds to get real-time updates on how teams are likely to fare against one another, and how in-play wagering might hint at the ebb and flow of a game beyond the moment-to-moment action on screen or as the commentators call it. Analytical thinking becomes baked into how fans view games, whether or not they’re involved in fantasy leagues or sports betting.
The Broadening of Viewing Habits
Another facet of modern fans brought into being by fantasy football and analytics is their taste for watching more games, as opposed to only being interested in those featuring their home team. Fans with fantasy teams to manage began watching games between two out-of-market teams simply because they owned a third-string running back or wanted to observe an offensive line mismatch.
Similarly, the strategic edge was honed by fans paying attention to offensive schemes to get an edge in fantasy leagues, learning the difference between Shanahan-style zone-run schemes and heavy 12-personnel usage, while also tuning into coaching habits for an even deeper connection with the game’s tactical choices.
So, with fantasy football bringing context to football data, and analytics showing fans how to interpret the stats available, it’s inevitable that their interpretation of NFL games became more intelligent. Plenty of people still enjoy the sport completely casually, of course, but there’s always that analytical angle available to those who want it.
