“I used to not really like math but FSML changed that, and I really like it now.” —6th grade student
“It changed the way I saw fractions at first they were a bit hard but now its easy.” – 8th grade student
For students who groan at the thought of another math worksheet, a game-changing new ed-tech product has arrived — and the research backs up the hype.
dfusion, Inc. has officially released Fantasy Sports Math League (FSML), a web-based math game for grades 6–8 that uses real NFL player statistics to teach middle school math skills year-round. The product is now available at fantasysportsmathleague.com.
What Is Fantasy Sports Math League?
FSML puts students in the role of fantasy football team manager to draft players, set lineups, track statistics, and compete against their classmates. Every decision requires math. Students score players using integers, fractions, and decimals; analyze data through graphs; manage budgets using ratio and proportion; and apply positive and negative numbers to real-world scenarios like yards gained and lost.
The game uses a live API connection through SportsDataIO to real NFL player stats, so the data is current and relevant. Teachers control which math concepts are emphasized each week, making it easy to align gameplay with the curriculum they’re already teaching.
The platform requires no installation, is compatible with Chromebooks, and is fully COPPA and FERPA compliant — making it straightforward to adopt in virtually any school setting.
Fall 2025 Pilot Results: Real Impact on Real Students
In Fall 2025, Over 250 students and 9 middle school educators tested FSML. Most teachers used FSML for about 10 weeks for 20-30 minutes per week as a class supplement and experienced increased student engagement, increased communication, and increased willingness to tackle challenging math.
“Virtually all of my students below grade level improved dramatically in fractions during this time. The entire classroom was highly motivated to compete, succeed, and learn.” ~ 6th grade teacher, California
“It helps students to expand their math participation without realizing it’s math. That’s why I think this is such a great program!” ~8th grade teacher, Connecticut
Student math scores were tested before and after playing the game. The pre-post matched results (n=104) were striking.
Students math skills improved
Students significantly improved the number of math problems they answered correctly from 6.30 to 7.67 out of 11 (p < .001), a highly.
More students got more answers correct
50% of students got at least 10 of the 11 problems correct after playing FSML (it was only 24% at the start).
Students gained confidence
Confidence solving fraction equations increased significantly after playing (3.34 ? 3.84, p < .001).
Students reduced fraction anxiety
Students’ reduced their anxiety about fraction math from a rating of 2.54 to 2.25 (p = .044) after playing FSML and described feeling ‘less scared’ of fractions or discovering fractions were ‘easier than I thought.’
Student Voices Describe Changing Math Opinions
Students were very clear explaining how FSML changed their opinion of math:
“It changed the way I thought about fractions” – 6th grade student
“FSML changed how I feel about coming to math class in a positive way because when ever I don’t want to come to math class I can imagine that the math that I’m doing is to calculate my players points which makes me want to come to math class.” – 6th grade student
“It made me feel more confident and faster when working with fractions.” — 6th grade student
“It changed the way I felt about math because it was fun to do math about things that were happening currently.” — 6th grade student
“I feel a lot better about multiplying fractions and I can do them really fast.” — 6th grade student
Inspiring Learning
“It made me look forward to Tuesdays so I could do my points on FSML!” — 6th grade student
“It helped me see that subtracting and adding fractions and other skills aren’t so hard.” – 6th grade student
“It helped me learn more about a sport I don’t know a lot about.” – 6th grade student
“I was losing at one point and then pulled it together and got on the podium.” — 7th grade student
“One thing I liked was hanging out with my teacher and helping students.” 7th grade student
Making Connections
“My uncle helps me pick the line up every week.” – 6th grade student
“I did the math very quickly, so I got to help the people that need help from me to do their Fantasy Sports Math League.” – 6th grade student
Students Loved It — and Would Tell Their Friends
In the Fall 2025 post-survey, 57% of students said they enjoyed FSML “A lot” or “Very much,” and 84% said they would recommend FSML to another student.
When asked which math skills FSML helped them practice, students identified multiplying fractions (69%) and adding fractions (66%) most frequently, followed by budgeting (45%), solving equations (44%), and PEMDAS/order of operations (44%).
“I learned about budgeting players on the draft and solving problems more easily.” — 6th grade student
“That you learn how math can be used in real life problems.” — 6th grade student
Standards-Aligned and Accessible
FSML is aligned with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards for grades 6–8, covering number sense, data analysis, graphing, ratio and proportion, and algebraic reasoning. Teachers have access to an interactive portal, customizable lesson plans, and a bank of STEAM extension activities. No special equipment is required — the game runs on any internet-connected desktop, laptop, or Chromebook.
An independent randomized controlled trial (RCT) of FSML by Arroyo Research Services is also underway.
Pricing and Availability
FSML is available now on a yearly subscription basis for educators:
- $150 per league (50 seats)
- $950 for 10 leagues (50 seats per league)
Visit fantasysportsmathleague.com to get started.
The Bottom Line
Middle school math scores have been declining nationally for years, and math anxiety remains one of the biggest barriers to student success in STEM. Fantasy Sports Math League offers something rare: an evidence-informed, standards-aligned intervention that students actually want to use.
The real proof…when a middle schooler says she now looks forward to Tuesdays because of math, something is working.
Fantasy Sports Math League was developed by dfusion, Inc. with support from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. For media inquiries, contact ba.laris@dfusioninc.com or mia.barrett@dfusioninc.com.