When sophomore Benji Berry climbed onto a Hawkins cafeteria table and yelled, “Oi oi oi baka,” while his friends filmed, he wasn’t trying to create a scene. He was paying the price for finishing last in his fantasy football league.
From TikTok punishments to draft-day rivalries, fantasy football has become not only one of Westminster’s fiercest traditions, but also a shared obsession across schools everywhere.
Fantasy football is like a video game version of real football except you play with real players. Each league member drafts a team of NFL players, and every week, their team earns points based on how those players perform in real games. This includes touchdowns, passing yards, and rushing yards. Fantasy teams face off against each other, and the team with the higher score wins. The season continues until the league playoffs, where the top teams compete for the championship, often with prizes for the winner and humorous punishments for the loser.
“You get a roster of real football players, compete against one other person in the league, and collect points for different statistics,” said statistics teacher Dr. Neema Salimi.
But why is fantasy football so popular with teens? Salimi thinks it could be the parallel to running a real team.
“It lets you run a football team in a very low-level kind of way,” said Salimi. “People like to compare statistics and argue about who’s good, and it adds excitement because you’re competing against yourself.”
He added that while fantasy success doesn’t equal real coaching success, the fantasy boom helped usher analytically minded people into actual football jobs.
Overall, to Salimi, fantasy football and other fantasy sports in general are “a form of bonding” and “what buddies do with each other.”
On campus, fantasy football is everywhere: in locker rooms, in classrooms, and in every hallway after Monday night games. Berry has been playing fantasy football since second grade and now competes in a league with a large group of classmates.
“It’s pretty competitive,” said Berry. “We have people scouting and preparing for the draft, which is determined by luck and randomized.”
The group also embraces weekly consequences.
“Usually it’s whoever scored the least amount of points,” he said. “I had to stand on a table in Hawkins and yell crazy stuff. That’s what makes fantasy football very stressful for me— but it’s fun to see your friends do all the punishments.”
Despite the stakes, BerryBenji insists the game brings people together. “It definitely brings us all closer because it’s [the fantasy football league] the one main thing we all have in common.”
Senior Noah Rohn traces his league’s origin to 9th grade.
“We started in ninth grade as a fantasy baseball league, then switched to football the next fall,” said Rohn. “Punishments are part of the appeal. They definitely make it more fun. It puts something on the line— not just the buy-in. There’s something to laugh at after you win or something to be embarrassed about once you lose.”
His all-time favorite punishment was Jack Velarde posting a video making his grilled cheese sandwich. Rohn estimates there are about 12 people in his league and probably more than six or seven leagues across campus.
“[The shared obsession] gives students something to do in the fall,” said Rohn.
Everyone likes to compare fantasy lineups and outcomes. Across those different leagues, it’s also become a way for students to connect. Whether they’re swapping trade advice in the halls or joking about embarrassing punishments after class, fantasy football has become something everyone can talk about.
Punishments have gone national on Instagram and TikTok, and even Salimi has seen a version up close.
“My brother-in-law’s league makes the loser do stand-up comedy,” said Salimi. ‘It did not go well.”
He’s fine with the trend when it stays safe and good-natured.
“As long as it’s done in good fun and not dangerous, it’s a form of bonding.”
Fantasy football has even entered the classroom. During Janterm, Salimi teaches Mathematics of Fantasy Sports.
“Students draft teams, compete in fantasy football, and grades depend on how well they do in competitions,” said Salimi.
Overall, it’s a fun way for students to learn more about math using something they already care about: fantasy football.
What began as a casual hobby has turned into a campus-wide tradition, linking stats, strategy, and friendship. For Westminster students, fantasy football is less about winning, touchdowns, or trophies and more about the stories, laughter, and memories that last long after the season ends.
Edited by Margaret Sands
