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WEEK TWO BREAKOUT: What Matters Most?
- Bryce Johnson
- Sep 9, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 1, 2025
"...‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ― Luke 10:27 (NIV)
What Matters Most?
If you're like me, you enjoy the entire Fantasy Football experience. All summer, we research players, do mock drafts, and study Fantasy strategies. There are numerous layers to Fantasy Football, including various statistics and metrics, unique formats to understand, multiple perspectives on the same player, and differing philosophies on the best way to construct a team.
While conducting our research, we may examine a wide receiver's target share, a running back's volume and average number of carries, or a quarterback's rushing yards per game. Some Fantasy analysts talk about average depth of target, red zone usage, or efficiency metrics.
Particular Fantasy analysts emphasize some aspects of Fantasy Football more than others, such as rookies, the waiver wire, trading, or running back depth vs. wide receiver depth.
When we're constructing our rosters, there are many factors to consider, such as a player's injury history, draft capital in the NFL Draft, age, and their head coach. When deciding who to put in our starting lineup, we factor in matchups, projected points, and their previous performance.
With all that said, it's no wonder that when people first get into Fantasy Football, it can seem overwhelming, confusing, and complicated. It's easy to start asking:
· What am I supposed to do?
· Why is this so hard?
· Where do I start?
· How do I simplify the main point of Fantasy Football and the role of a Fantasy manager?
What matters most?
You ready? It's groundbreaking―SCORE FANTASY POINTS! It's that simple, but not always easy.
Of course, we must take the first step, which is saying "YES" to playing Fantasy Football and joining a league, and then understanding that Fantasy Football boils down to scoring as many Fantasy points as possible. That's it!
Yes, all of those factors we discussed earlier and the different elements of Fantasy all matter and have their place, but it's all through the lens of scoring Fantasy points! Our goal is always to score points and keep scoring.
We don't need to overcomplicate it or allow all the Fantasy information or Fantasy strategies to overwhelm us, but instead remember what matters most.
If we're honest, sometimes faith, the Bible, and following Jesus can also seem confusing and complicated. Factors such as theological arguments, differing denominations, and varied worship styles can contribute to this. Sometimes we allow the size and depth of the Bible and all the commands and strategies for living right, or words like glory, sanctification, Sabbath, prayer, or holiness to overwhelm us.
It's easy to start asking:
· What am I supposed to do?
· Why is this so hard?
· Where do I start?
· How do I simplify the main point of following Jesus and the role of a Christian?
What matters most?
You ready? LOVE GOD AND LOVE PEOPLE! It's that simple, but not always easy.
The first step we must take is saying "YES" to Jesus and joining the family of God by recognizing our sin and our need for a Savior and believing that Jesus is the One who saves us. We believe that the Gospel, or the Good News, is that He lived a perfect life, died on our behalf, and because of His resurrection, we can be made right with God and live eternally with Him.
In the Bible, John 3:16 (ESV) tells us, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
When we surrender our lives to Him and become a follower of Jesus, what now? What are we supposed to do? Where do we start? What matters most? Well, our new life with Jesus boils down to loving God and loving people.
We're told in Matthew 22:36-40 that when Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment in the Law, He replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Everything else flows from these two things, so our goal is always to love and keep loving!
Yes, all of those aspects, "strategies," understanding of theology, and the different elements of the Christian faith all matter and have their place, but it's all through the lens of the Gospel and loving God and loving people! That's what we want to emphasize!
In Fantasy Football, the more we play, the more we understand what works and what doesn't, and we deepen our knowledge of the activity. Even as we implement more strategies and grasp what stacking and handcuffing are, we can't forget that what matters most is scoring Fantasy points.
Likewise, the more we follow Jesus and focus on Him, the more we understand the Bible and the best way to live. Our love for Him will result in trust, willing obedience, enabling us to follow His other commands. We'll begin to experience sanctification (becoming like Jesus) and pursue holiness and implement spiritual practices like prayer, worship, and fellowship. We'll also bring God glory by the way we love Him and others.
As we step into this year's Fantasy Football season, let's not complicate things, but stay grounded in what matters most―scoring Fantasy points! As we take our next step with Jesus, let's not complicate things but stay grounded in what matters most…the Gospel and loving God and loving people.
Heavenly Father, I admit sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the Bible and obeying each command. I'm thankful that, as I love You and love people, I'll do Your will and obey Your Word. I need Your strength, power, and love to do so. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
What aspects of Fantasy Football tend to overwhelm you?
When you first started playing Fantasy, what was the most complicated or confusing part?
What distracts you or holds you back in Fantasy?
How does focusing on what matters most help you during the season?
What about the Bible or following Jesus tends to overwhelm you?
Why does loving God and loving people allow you to obey all the other commandments too?
Why is it so important to stay grounded in the Gospel, loving God, and loving people when things get complicated or confusing?
When studying the Bible and incorporating spiritual practices such as serving, fellowship, or worship, why is it essential to do so through the lens of the Gospel, which emphasizes loving God and loving people?
What does it practically look like to love God?
What does it practically look like to love people?
Don't watch football alone! Invite someone from your league over on Sunday...and enjoy the games together.
Hall of Fame receiver Don Hutson holds the NFL record for most points in a quarter, scoring 29 points during the second quarter of a 1945 game.
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