A Philosopher's Take On Fantasy Football

Did I ever tell y'all that I'm a doctor?

Not the kind that can check your moles or ask you about your symptoms. And I definitely don't know what anyone is talking about on Grey's Anatomy.

But as a doctor of philosophy, I can tell you this: You really should join more fantasy football leagues.

You see, I've read the ideas of so many old, dead guys over the years. And before they ate dirt, they spent their lives studying the benefits of fantasy football.

… Kind of.

Jean Piaget never heard of terms like "redraft" or "PPR". Jerome Bruner never knew the stress of being on the clock after your favorite player just got sniped off the board. And Lev Vygotsky never saw Derrick Henry rush for 216 yards and 4 TDs in a single game during the fantasy playoffs.

But they did develop theories of "play". And these old dudes found that playing with our leaguemates and building imaginary worlds with complex scoring systems can actually make us smarter, more creative, and better problem solvers.

Who are we to ignore their life's work??

So as Fantasy Life's resident doctor, I'll leave you with this: Play is essential. Piaget, Bruner and Vygotsky would have wanted you to join more fantasy leagues when they were alive.

AND IT’LL PAD YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESUME …

It’s Time To Buy In On Fernando Mendoza

Just think, last summer, Fernando Mendoza was an afterthought in the college football landscape. A nondescript transfer to Indiana, all Mendoza did was lead the Hoosiers on an epic 16-0 run, completing 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 TDs on the way to winning the Heisman Trophy. He also threw in a gritty game-sealing TD run for the ages that locked down the first national championship for Indiana. All that before recently being the first pick in the NFL Draft of the Las Vegas Raiders. Everything seems to be going up for Mendoza and those who believed in him. A bright NFL future is in front of him.

UNest works the same way. You don't wait until your kid is 16 to start building their financial future. You start now, when time is your single greatest advantage. A tax-advantaged investment account that grows with your child, set up in under 10 minutes. The long game is always the smartest play, on the field and off it.

LEARN MORE

Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy and NFL gossip, news, memes and more from our merry band of football nerds …

😬 2026 might be the last chance this young QB gets. Perhaps a viable QB2 in SF?

📈 Updated dynasty rookie rankings. A TE rises post-A.J. Brown trade.

🤯 Is the league-winning Seahawks RB you need really … Zach Charbonnet?!

🪓 Gear up for your Guillotine Leagues™. Two must-draft players.

🚀 If his rookie year showed us anything, this WR is primed for a special season.

🤔 He may be the buzziest offseason RB, but he has company in the backfield.

🔥 Another day, another Luther Burden III highlight.

Ranking Every Running Back From RB13 To RB24

Ooooh, you want to draft Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson, do you?

Tough sh*t.

If you're not drafting within the first two minutes of the clock, you won't even stand a chance.

You need to focus your energy on the RBs going later in your drafts. That's where you can find RB gems that are available at any drop position.

But be careful. Every RB2 has at least one red flag attached to their name:

Travis Etienne's red flag: Alvin Kamara
Cam Skattebo's red flag: When stoppable forces meet a moveable objects
Jeremiyah Love's red flag: Jacoby Brissett's hubris
Kyren Williams' red flag: Blake Corum's shadow

Rather than wasting your time deciding on which RB2 you want to draft, Adam Pfeifer has done most of the legwork for you. Ain't it sweet?

RANKING EVERY RB2 FOR FANTASY FOOTBALL

Strategies For Your Startup Dynasty Draft

Sure, there's a sense of impending doom that comes with a "forever roster" in dynasty leagues. Forever is like … a long time!

But there's also a sense of freedom born out of infinite NFL seasons.

Because in dynasty leagues, there quite literally always is "next year".

Redraft folk will unfortunately abuse the phrase. "There's always next year", they say, with their tail between their legs after a losing season. But in dynasty, the draft strategies long outlive the current NFL season. And because you never lose your roster, the strategic options are plentiful.

That's why Sam Wallace is here to talk about dynasty start-up strategies and ways to break the "norm".

There are some strategies that have infiltrated the zeitgeist of dynasty start-ups, but Sam wants to help you break the mold.

Can you "reverse engineer a viable approach" with some old vets in your draft?

WHICH VETS SHOULD YOU TARGET IN A STARTUP DRAFT?

Published Jun 14, 2026, 7:00 AM ET