About Football Analytics Textbook

The most comprehensive free resource for learning NFL analytics, sports betting strategy, and fantasy football optimization using modern data science techniques.

Our Mission

Football Analytics Textbook exists to democratize access to advanced NFL analytics knowledge. We believe that understanding data-driven football analysis shouldn't be limited to those who can afford expensive courses or have insider connections.

Whether you're a fantasy football player looking for an edge, a sports bettor seeking analytical frameworks, or an aspiring analyst building your career, this textbook provides the foundation you need.

What You'll Learn

Core Analytics

Master EPA, win probability, success rate, and the metrics that drive modern NFL analysis.

Sports Betting

Learn to identify value, build models, and apply analytical thinking to betting markets.

Fantasy Football

Use target share, air yards, matchup analysis, and efficiency metrics to dominate your leagues.

Technical Skills

From R and Python basics to machine learning and Bayesian methods - build real data science skills.

Textbook Structure

Our 45-chapter curriculum is organized into 10 parts:

  • Part I: Foundations - Data infrastructure, nflverse, wrangling, visualization
  • Part II: Offensive Analytics - Passing, rushing, EPA, success rate, efficiency
  • Part III: Defensive Analytics - Coverage, pass rush, run defense, scheme analysis
  • Part IV: Special Teams - Kicking, punting, return game analytics
  • Part V: Game Theory - Fourth down, two-point, clock management, win probability
  • Part VI: Personnel - Player evaluation, draft, salary cap, roster construction
  • Part VII: Advanced Methods - Machine learning, Bayesian, computer vision, tracking data
  • Part VIII: College Football - CFB data, recruiting, college-to-NFL transition
  • Part IX: Implementation - Organizational analytics, communication, building teams
  • Part X: Future - Emerging technology, AI, and the future of analytics

Our Approach

This textbook combines:

  • Rigorous methodology - We explain not just what metrics mean, but why they work
  • Practical application - Every concept connects to betting, fantasy, or career applications
  • Real code examples - R and Python code you can run immediately
  • Interactive tools - Calculators and visualizations to build intuition
  • Current research - Based on the latest academic and industry findings

Built on Open Source

We're grateful to the open-source football analytics community, especially:

  • nflverse - The ecosystem that makes NFL data accessible to everyone
  • nflfastR - Play-by-play data with EPA calculations
  • Open Source Football - Community tutorials and research
  • The analytics Twitter community - Continuous innovation and sharing

Who This Is For

Fantasy Football Players

Gain an analytical edge in your leagues with data-driven player evaluation and matchup analysis.

Sports Bettors

Build a framework for identifying value and making informed betting decisions.

Aspiring Analysts

Develop the skills needed for a career in sports analytics, from basics to advanced methods.

Football Fans

Deepen your understanding of the game through the lens of data and analytics.

Start Your Analytics Journey

Begin with Chapter 1 and work through the curriculum, or jump to topics that interest you most.

Begin Chapter 1 →