I sat next to my father helping him draft his fantasy team for the first time. This wasn’t his first time playing fantasy football, but he has always used autopick or, on one occasion, hurriedly calling me from the freeway to draft his team (we won the championship that year by the way). He ran into the standard rookie bumps and bruises: “Running back or Quarterback first? When do I take my kicker? How many wide receivers do I need?” But, by the end of the draft he was a seasoned pro, even audaciously looking at schedules and determining the best matchups for his backups when the starters had a bye. My father and I had a true bonding experience that no doubt is shared by the millions of others who play fantasy football.
The moment was interrupted briefly when the news report of Arian Foster and his pulled hamstring flashed across the television. He announced via twitter that his hamstring would be “ok” for game one and that people asking about his fantasy status are “sick.” At first I chuckled at the comment, but as the commentators and pundits seemed to agree with Foster’s assessment, I became more perplexed. Arian Foster is a name because of fantasy football. The Houston Texans are not the most recognized team in football. On the field, they are a dynamic up and coming football team with realistic playoff hopes, but as a national brand, they aren’t there yet. However, ask any person that has sat in a draft war room about Arian Foster and you can see smiles on faces and eyes light up. To thousands of fantasy football enthusiasts, Arian Foster not only made them money or earned them bragging rights, but also reaffirmed their personal belief that they are football geniuses. The thrill of fantasy football is finding that gem that wins a championship and in the 2010 season, Foster was the Hope Diamond. Foster has a fan base that extends nationwide by people who may have never seen him play a game. Instead of calling these people “sick” he should instead embrace his popularity like so many of his contemporaries.
Maurice Jones-Drew is one such peer of Arian Foster that has embraced his fantasy football stardom. He hosts a radio show that focuses on fantasy football and has written articles for major sports outlets regarding fantasy football. MJD has won many fantasy leagues for fans in the past and if you ask him, he would tell you to draft him first. Because MJD has embraced the fantasy football phenomenon, he probably has a stronger fan base than the team he plays for. The Jaguars rarely receive national attention, but MJD absolutely does.
In the business of the NFL it is important for a player to grow his name brand since every player is one bad play away from his career ending. Arian Foster, whether he likes it or not, is a man idolized by the fantasy community, so why waste time insulting a group of fans that adore him? Surely the fantasy owners are not more petulant than those fans in visiting stadiums that spew hate. Assuage the fears of that group and they will continue to embrace him. Parlay that good will into other things. By growing his star power through fantasy football, he can increase the attention on his team. He can bring awareness to causes he is passionate about by extending his reach on twitter. People, who normally would have no reason to root for Foster, find themselves rooting for him because of fantasy football. Regardless of what Foster may think, he is a fantasy football icon and I wouldn’t hesitate to take him first in my league, but then again, maybe I’m just sick.