Raw Data with Rob Collie4 Feb 2025

The Data Gene Transforms Non-Football Fans into Fantasy Football Devotees, w/ Adam Harstad

What happens when you mix fantasy football, data analytics, and a little bit of chaos? You get a conversation that refuses to follow a straight line—but somehow lands exactly where it needs to. Rob Collie welcomes back fantasy football guru Adam Harstad for his third appearance on Raw Data, alongside first-time guests Heather Zimmer and Molly Ferguson, two self-proclaimed newcomers who are anything but casual. They dive into the unexpected ways fantasy football rewires your brain, from strategic obsession to the unshakable belief that your lucky jersey actually controls the game.

Adam breaks down the numbers behind the game—how expected points added (EPA) became the gold standard of football analytics and why your gut feeling about a "bad matchup" might just be a statistical illusion. Meanwhile, Heather and Molly prove that fantasy football isn't just a game; it's a full-blown data-driven lifestyle. Whether it's crunching Power BI models for next season or convincing family members to clear out during game time, they've gone all-in—and they're not looking back.

But beyond the spreadsheets and the smack talk, this episode is about something bigger: the sheer joy of unexpected obsessions. Whether you're in it for the data, the competition, or just the chance to prove someone wrong (we see you, Heather), fantasy football is a reminder that the best things in life are the ones you never saw coming.

Also in this episode:

Guide to EPA

Protect the Spots with NO Bulletholes, w/ Adam Harstad

Epistemic Path Dependency, w/ Adam Harstad

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