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AI has become a part of all walks of life, and that includes fantasy football.
As the NFL’s popularity has grown, so has football fans’ desire to play fantasy football and run their own teams. Super Bowl champion Nick Foles told Fox News Digital that AI has helped him get into fantasy football in his post-playing career.
“(AI has) intrigued me to actually do fantasy football because now I have all the information. I’m at the beginning stages, so you get to see the genesis of me starting to play fantasy football because of this,” Foles told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) makes a throw during the third quarter of an NFC Divisional playoff football game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 13, 2019. (Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports)
“So I’m actually at the beginning stages like a newbie out there, but it intrigued me that they have this WatsonX AI in it to make these decisions because, beforehand, I’m like I don’t have time to research all these players to build a fantasy team, but now with it, it allows that.”
Foles compared using AI in fantasy football to how an NFL general manager has different departments that acquire information for him.
“You are the general manager of your own fantasy football team, but beforehand you didn’t have information a general manager has, like Howie Roseman for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has this entire staff that the Eagles are paying that does sports analytics, free agents, rookies, whatever it may be,” Foles said.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Nick Foles (9) throws the ball as New York Giants linebacker Jaylon Smith (54) pursues during the first half at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Jan. 1, 2023. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)
The ESPN Fantasy Football App has more than 12 million players, and Foles said the IBM features within the app makes it a more enjoyable process.
“But it makes it a more enjoyable process with more information to where hopefully you make better decisions and you have a great outcome. But as we know in football injuries happen, different things happen, offenses change, defenses change, but I think it’s an amazing tool to help the users make better decisions and learn more about the game honestly,” Foles said.
The new AI models from IBM arm fantasy football players with information to help them buy low and sell high on players in trades, and predict which players might boom or bust depending on their matchup that week.
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Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles is seen before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 16, 2024. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
Foles played 11 seasons in the NFL, and was named Super Bowl LII MVP for his incredible performance with the Eagles in their Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. The one-time Pro Bowler played five seasons with the Eagles (two different stints), one season with the then-St. Louis Rams, one with the Kansas City Chiefs, two with the Chicago Bears, one with the Jacksonville Jaguars and one with the Indianapolis Colts.
Across 71 games (58 starts), Foles had a 29-29 record with a career completion percentage of 62.4%, throwing for 14,227 yards and 82 touchdowns with 47 interceptions.
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