For many students at Miami Palmetto Senior High, football season does not just mean cheering for the Miami Dolphins or keeping up with college scores. Instead, it also means Fantasy Football, the nationwide pastime that has become just as much about bragging rights with friends as it is about touchdowns and field goals.
Across all grade levels, MPSH students are running their own Fantasy Football leagues. These leagues combine strategy and statistics with group chats, friendly rivalries and unique punishments for those who finish last.
MPSH freshman Nate Pelz said he first joined a fantasy league when he was in third grade, and he has been hooked ever since. His draft picks reflect that, as he selects players based on their performance statistics.
“There’s this wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, and I really liked him a lot based on his performance, so I picked him,” Pelz said.
For Pelz, the best part of fantasy football is the competition within his friend group. His league ensures the season remains entertaining with unique punishments for every loser.
“It keeps things competitive and fun,” Pelz said.
MPSH sophomore Bento Rossi said his strategy is more data-driven, though he still makes room for favorite players.
“Usually [I choose players] because of stats, but I have some players I chose because I like them,” Rossi said.
He said the experience is about more than just numbers.
“[It’s about] the friendships, the group chat, the memories and the emotion that fantasy brings to football,” he said.
Rossi’s league also adds weekly stakes, with the lowest scorer having to make a TikTok chosen by the group.
“It keeps everybody engaged,” Rossi said.
For juniors, the competition only grows. MPSH junior Owen Dean uses multiple apps to make lineup decisions and predict who will perform best each week.
“I look at the app and see who’s projected to do well, and I also look at the ESPN app to see what team they’re playing,” Dean said.
Still, he admitted the social side is what resonates most with him.
“It’s just fun to talk with your friends about it, especially when you play them,” Dean said.
Seniors often have the most experience with fantasy football, and MPSH senior Sebastian Garrido has seen his league evolve since he started freshman year.
“It makes watching football more entertaining because I have certain players I want to watch,” Garrido said.
His league rotates punishments each year that have become memorable fixtures in their friend group.
“Loser has done a buzz cut freshman year, a funny begging challenge junior year and this year we’re still deciding,” Garrido said.
While the punishments add excitement, students believe the real appeal to the game is the sense of community. Fantasy football turns ordinary National Football League games into events shared across group chats, classrooms and even lunch tables. Wins and losses become conversation starters, and the shared competition creates bonds that last beyond football season.
At MPSH, fantasy football is a way for students to combine their love of sports with the friendships that define high school. Whether it is drafting star players, checking projections late at night or watching a friend film an embarrassing TikTok after a bad week of predictions, fantasy football has made the fall semester more lively for many students across all grades.
“Honestly, it’s just a lot of fun,” Dean said. “It’s not just about football, it’s about being able to talk and laugh with your friends.”
