Whether you're playing with friends, family, co-workers or strangers, winning in fantasy football is even sweeter when you do it while rocking a clever team name. Fantasy football managers will be inundated with plenty of draft advice as leagues start to plan their drafts for July and August. While building a winning fantasy team is also important, the advice below will help address the other key aspect of your 2023 fantasy football experience: how to craft an epic team name.
You'll notice that many of the best names don't fit neatly into only one of the categories below, so think outside the box rather than checking off boxes.
Player Puns and Wordplay
There are multiple strategies for coming up with an epic fantasy football team name, but one common method is by using player puns and wordplay related to a player's name. You want your team name to be associated with at least one player on your team, though tying the name to multiple players on your roster is even better. Just make sure to stay flexible and avoid the faux pas of naming your fantasy team after a player who isn't on your roster.
Many top players' names lend themselves to wordplay by sounding similar to or the same as other words. "Lights, Kamara, Action" is an oft-used team name, though Alvin Kamara's battery charges may leave you searching for a different team name outlet in 2023. Other punnable players include Ja'Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Hurts, and Joe Burrow. It's a shame the careers of George Kittle and former NFL wide receiver Dwayne Bowe didn't overlap, denying fantasy managers the name "Kittle: Taste Dwayne Bowe," though the 49ers tight end can still be featured in mash-ups with the Skittles brand.
Pop Culture Mash-ups
In addition to using brands, mash-ups of player names with celebrities, shows, movies and other pop culture references are also popular. You can always go for a tried and true pop culture mash-up like "How I Metcalf Your Mother," but contemporary pop culture references are even better. It's too bad Marcus Mariota won't be on many fantasy teams this year considering the Super Mario Bros Movie recently came out, though meme stocks are still big enough in the cultural zeitgeist that you can get away with "GME to the Mooney."
There's more than enough quality content out there for you to fit your team name to the players you draft rather than the other way around, but if you somehow end up with Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift and Zach Ertz, "Taylor Swift's Ertz Tour" is there for the taking as artist Taylor Swift continues her Eras Tour.
Team-Specific Themes and Memorable Catchphrases
Fantasy team names can also revolve around your favorite football teams rather than specific players, especially if you draft your favorite team's defense or land multiple players from one team. Many NFL teams have traditions, chants, or catchphrases that can be referenced in fantasy team names by their fans. For instance, a Packers fan could call their team "The Cheeseheads," while a Philly fan who drafts their favorite team's prolific defense could use "Fly Eagles D, Fly." Saints and Bengals can reference the catchphrases Who Dat and Who Dey, respectively.
Inside Jokes and Friendly Banter
Make sure to know the context of your league when crafting your team name; what's appropriate for your high school buddies may not fly in your work league. For example, a team name centered around Cooper's K-Kupps is both office-appropriate and topical, but one about C-Kupps is best left on the cutting room floor. A league full of Super Smash Bros or Metroid enthusiasts may appreciate a Ridley reference, while fans of reality TV and non-Packers NFC North teams can celebrate Green Bay finally entering a rebuilding phase with "Love Is Blind."
Inside jokes from your personal life offer good team name source material in leagues with friends, and you can even reference past success with a clever team name or build in some trash-talk against leaguemates. Examples of those respective approaches from the classic FX show The League are "The ThreePetes" and "Pete Top, Kevin Bottom." When using your team name to engage in friendly banter, remember to make sure any trash talk doesn't cross the line from friendly ribbing into something hurtful.
Fresh Names For 2023
Now that we have decoded the secrets of an epic fantasy football team name, here is some fresh material involving players entering the league in 2023:
- Bijan Mustard
- The Bryce is Right
- Abanikanda Forever
- Finely Aged Charbonnet
- Across the Strouderverse
Fantasy football is not the only thing on the horizon. Check out the best Sports Betting Sites before placing your NFL bets!
