Super Bowl season is upon us once again. At the time of writing, there are four teams still in the running, and with a little over two weeks to go before the biggest sporting event of the year, nails are being bitten quite short. Across the country, fantasy football teams are being tinkered with, and stats are being analyzed as the quest for fantasy football glory reaches fever pitch. With your Super Bowl party already planned, it’s already time to turn your attention towards the next season. We’re talking the points and stats of your fantasy leagues rather than tailgates and game-day festivities. So lace up your boots and put your game face on because we are going to train you up in the ways of the team naming, so that you start the next football season with the best-named team in all the leagues. There’s no time like now to get ready for the 2023 NFL season.
The Importance of Fantasy Football Team Names
Come February 13th, 2023, the current NFL season will draw to a close, but that just means it’s time for people across the US to put their thinking caps on for their team names next year. Fantasy football team names are a chance for players to express their creativity and flair with words. It’s the ultimate punapalooza. Yet, there is also a weight of expectation that comes with it. The name you choose will stick with your fantasy football team for the entire season. So, you need to make the right choice and the right time. However, to make things easier for you, we’ve done some of the leg work and created what we feel is a definitive list of incredible team name options. You could either use them or take them as inspiration for your own name.
25 Funny Fantasy Football Team Names
When looking to pick your fantasy football team, the first instinct of many is to go for something funny. It is a fantasy team, after all. But where do you go with it? Do you go with a pun or a funny play on words? Maybe something topical? Perhaps you run with a combination of pun and player? Song titles are always a great choice because they tend to be catchy anyway, and when you apply funny fantasy football team name logic to it, well, you’re onto a winning formula. There is no shortage of possible names that play on the universal hatred for Tom Brady. There will quite likely be a couple on this list.
Check out the top funny fantasy football team names:
Whether you want to use a pun in your name or just got for something classic, maybe even timeless, there is no limit to what you can come up with by way of interesting football team names. Given that your fantasy team name will most likely be based around football, then it’s likely that player names will still get brought into things. The bigger the player, the more common their name will be found. So, for example, you will be sure to see a lot of teams named after Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, or Julio Jones. Related Reading: The Most Inspirational Football Quotes That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you want to be really creative with your names, you can always look outside the box.
These are the best fantasy football names to take inspiration from players themselves
25 Cool Fantasy Football Names
Coming up with a fun name for your team is not as easy as it seems. There is a lot of thought that needs to go into things. Besides just picking an inoffensive name – because who has time for that these days – you also want to consider your favorite teams and favorite players. Some people may spend ages selecting just the right name, but stick with it for years, if not forever. Others go through the process, again and again, each new season. Either way, picking a really cool fantasy football team name is something you will have to put time and effort into.
Need a little inspiration? Check out these cool fantasy football names:
25 Clever Fantasy Football Names
When searching for the best fantasy football team name, you can never go wrong with clever plays on words. Taking famous sayings or expressions is a great way to inspire your own team name. A handy tip is not just to create one but write out a shortlist and then condense it from there. You might even find a new name by combining some of your top-level name candidates.
Let’s take a look at some genuinely clever fantasy football team names:
20 Totally Inappropriate Fantasy Team Names
Depending on who is in your fantasy football league, you have quite some scope to be naughty with your creativity. But, let’s face it, you would be hard pushed to find something that didn’t have at least some degree of double entendre to it. There are, of course, some rules, and the fact that common decency that needs to apply. However, if you are so inclined, you can get pretty inappropriate with your team names should you so wish. Of course, you need to be more creative than just going with the chilly willy team, but with players like Nick Chubb and Aaron Rodgers, you can quickly put together some creatively inappropriate names. Of course, if you are in a league with your office or your family, who may be slightly more prudish than you, keeping your name tame could be a good thing. Just remember, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission.
Get unhinged with these totally inappropriate football team names:
25 of the Best Player Inspired Team Names
There are some players in the NFL whose name transcends the sport. For some, it’s because of a career legacy and greatness that will stand the test of time. Others, it’s because of a more instant feat, be it a single moment or a single season. A broken record or an unforgettable moment. From Patrick Mahomes to Mike Evans, Aaron Jones, and Nick Chubb, every player surely has a plethora of teams named in their honor. Whatever the reason, some names resonate deeper with fans than others. As a result, these are the names that will come up time and time again in fantasy leagues across the country. So, while we are here, let’s look at some of the best player-based fantasy football team name ideas.
Tom Brady
Aaron Jones
Ezekiel Elliott
Patrick Mahomes
Lamar Jackson
Matt Ryan
15 Covid Fantasy Football Team Names
Nothing has changed the world as quickly or as severely as the COVID-19 virus. The pandemic interrupted everything and continues to change the way we live our lives. Even football could not escape this disease’s cold embrace. So, now, as we gaze longingly at the light that sits at the end of the tunnel, it’s only natural for people to turn to humor. Some of the best fantasy football team names will try and work a COVID reference in there somewhere. Creating a name with such specific margins takes quite some creative flair. However, with everybody being stuck at home for so long, it was an excellent opportunity for people to get creative. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone like Patrick Mahomes features so readily.
Let’s take a look at some of the best covid related fantasy football team names:
What Is Fantasy Football?
For many sport-loving Americans, playing fantasy football is a rite of passage. But what is it really? There is far more to picking a team than just plucking a group of players and giving them a funny name. In reality, fantasy football is a game of numbers. It’s all about the stats and the analysis. It’s a tactical game that takes commitment and understanding. Of course, you can do it the first way, just for a laugh, but you need to make sure you are in a league with similar-minded individuals. Fantasy football leagues are generally run in small groups with friends or colleagues. However, online leagues are gaining traction. A standard fantasy football league runs for an entire season. It starts with a draft and ends at the Super Bowl. Just like a regular football season. Everybody in the league participates in the draft and claims their players. At the end of the season, the winner is declared, and the ‘game’ is over. However, there are several different types of football leagues.
Head to Head Leagues
A head-to-head league works much like the NFL. Two teams play each other, with the winning team getting points. These points accumulate during the season to determine their league position. The team with the highest points total at the end of the season wins the league.
Total Points League
This league works the same way as the head-to-head league. However, instead of getting points for winning, each team simply accrues the points their players amass each week. This makes it less about winning or losing and more about total player performance.
Dynasty Leagues or Keeper Leagues
In keeper or dynasty leagues, players participate in a draft, but they keep their players at the end of the season. The difference between the two is that in keeper leagues, teams can elect to retain a certain number of players. In Dynasty leagues, all non-retired players are retained, and drafts are held for rookies coming into the league for the first time.
Daily / Short Leagues
Online football options have seen the advent of short games. These are weekly or even daily games that people can play. These are leagues run by corporations on a large commercial scale. While still technically fantasy football, it strays pretty far from the original concepts.
Pirate Leagues
Not only is this the best possible name for a league, but the premise of the play is also pretty cool. Each week, two teams play against each other, the winning team gets either win points or total points, but in true swashbuckling style, the winner also gets to claim a player from the vanquished team.
Guillotine Leagues
These are the most ruthless leagues. Each week the team with the lower points total is completely eliminated. It’s like big brother but with football stats. It’s a league for those that know the stuff and take it very seriously. One mistake can have very costly consequences.
How Are Points Accrued?
Points are gained or lost during the game based on how each individual player performs. As with the league format, you can set your own points scoring system. However, the ‘standard’ that you will see used most frequently looks like this:
1 point for 25 passing yards4 points for a passing touchdown1 point for 10 rushing yards1 point for 10 receiving yards6 points for a receiving or rushing touchdown-2 points for every interception thrown or fumble lost1 point for each extra point made2 points for rushing or receiving 2-point conversion2 points for passing 2-point conversion3 points for each 0-39 yard field goal4 points for each 40-49 yard field goal5 points for each 50+ yard field goal2 points per turnover gained by the defense1 point per sack by the defense2 points for a safety by the defense6 points for each touchdown scored by the defense2 points for each blocked kick
So, for example, if you have Jonathan Taylor in your team and he gets 100 receiving yards in a game, your fantasy team gets 10 points. If Nick Chubb is also in your team and gets 50 rushing yards and a touchdown, then you will get an additional eleven points. Then, if Matt Ryan is your quarterback and throws for 250 yards and 3 TDs, you get an additional 22 points.
How to Pick a Fantasy Football Team
While the team structure can vary from league to league, the standard construct looks like this:
QuarterbackRunning Backs (2)Wide Receivers (2)Flex (either a running back, wide receiver, or tight end)Tight EndKickerTeam Defense/Special TeamsBench (this can vary, but the premise stays the same. Bench players will not score any points)
Most commonly, a fantasy team is built up with some form of a draft—either a traditional round-robin or under the principles of a salary cap. Each manager gets to pick their players. Once a player has been claimed, they cannot be selected by any other team in that league. The draft continues until everybody has filled out their team. With fantasy football being a game of stats and numbers, it is vital that you go into a draft with a plan. First, you need to understand how the process works and ideally have a five-round plan. The first five rounds are when the biggest and best players in the league will be logically up for grabs.
What Players to Prioritize in a Fantasy Draft
It can be easy to fall into the trap of going for a quarterback right from the first round, snagging someone like Josh Allen or Aaron Rodgers. However, the way the numbers work, a quarterback is not your primary concern in the early round(s). Instead, look to get your running backs, and a high-grade wide receiver positioned early. They are the primary positions, and you need to make sure you get strong and reliable players. With the rate that new quarterbacks are coming into the league and dominating, finding a sleeper in the later rounds should not be a problem. For example, Rodgers might be dropping down the QB ranks, but he will still be a solid choice who will give you points. However, a player on the decline, such as Julio Jones, will likely see you struggle. This season Jones put up just 25% of the yards he did in 2018, 60% of his 2019 season, and 50% of his 2020 season. That’s a rapid decline that will cost you in a fantasy league.
Final Thoughts on Fantasy Football Team Names
There you have it. A comprehensive list of the best fantasy football team names we can think of. There is undoubtedly enough inspiration there for you to create a name that is fitting of both your sense of humor, love for the game, and collection of drafted players. Are you a long-term fantasy league participant, or maybe contemplating your first dip in the draft for the 2023 season? Either way, we would love to hear your stories—a chronicle of your greatest success or maybe a summary of your biggest disappointment. The comments are open, and we always love to hear from you.
