AI assistant setup

Use GridIron Data NFL fantasy data in Microsoft Copilot Studio (MCP setup)

Quick answer: In Copilot Studio, open your agent's Tools page, select Add a tool → New tool → Model Context Protocol, and enter https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp as the Server URL. Choose API key authentication with type Header and header name x-api-key, create it, then add the connection with your GridIron Data API key and select Add to agent. The agent needs generative orchestration turned on.

Written by , founder of 45Squared, which builds and runs GridIron Data · Published

Server URL
https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp
Where
Agent → Tools → Add a tool
Auth
API key, header x-api-key
Requires
Generative orchestration

What do I need first?

  • Access to Microsoft Copilot Studio and an agent you can edit. Your environment's data policies may govern MCP connectors.
  • Generative orchestration turned on for the agent; Microsoft requires it for MCP.
  • A GridIron Data API key from the dashboard. No account? Sign up free (no credit card).

How do I add GridIron Data to a Copilot Studio agent?

  1. Start a new tool. Open your agent, go to the Tools page, select Add a tool, then New tool, and in Create new select Model Context Protocol.
  2. Describe the server. Server name: GridIron Data. Server description: NFL fantasy football data: player lookups, weekly and rest-of-season projections, stats, snap share, news, injuries, schedule and player-prop probabilities. The orchestrator reads the description to decide when to call it. Server URL: https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp.
  3. Set API key authentication. Choose API key, type Header, header name x-api-key, then Create.
  4. Connect and add. In Add tool, select Create a new connection, paste your GridIron Data API key, then Add to agent.
  5. Pick the tools. On the server's tools list, keep Allow all on, or switch off tools the agent doesn't need (for example request_news_scrape, the only tool that isn't read-only).

Why x-api-key: GridIron Data accepts the key either as x-api-key: YOUR_KEY or as Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY. With x-api-key the connection takes the bare key, so there's no "Bearer " prefix to get wrong.

Can each user sign in with their own GridIron account?

Copilot Studio offers OAuth 2.0 with Dynamic discovery, and GridIron Data's server supports dynamic registration, but we haven't confirmed Copilot Studio's sign-in return address against GridIron's sign-in yet. Use the API key for now; if you need per-user sign-in, email info@gridirondata.com.

The API key belongs to one GridIron account, so every conversation with the agent uses that account's plan and monthly quota. Size the plan for the agent's traffic.

What about Microsoft 365 Copilot chat?

Microsoft 365 Copilot adds MCP servers only through an admin, as a custom federated connector in the Microsoft 365 admin center, with OAuth through a client registered in the Teams Developer Portal. That needs a fixed client ID and secret from GridIron Data, which we don't issue yet. A Copilot Studio agent published to Teams or Microsoft 365 is the way to use GridIron Data there today. We found no Microsoft documentation of custom MCP servers in the free Copilot app.

What can the agent answer?

Ask in your own words; the assistant picks the tool. A few that work well:

  • "Who are the top 10 RB projections this week in half-PPR?"
  • "Which teams are on bye this week?" (Basic)
  • "Any injury news on Malik Nabers this week?" (Basic)
  • "How did Justin Jefferson do in 2023?" (Basic)
  • "What's the probability Drake Maye goes over 245.5 passing yards this week?" (Pro)

A free GridIron Data account answers player lookups and this week's projections. Stats, snap share, news, matchups, rest-of-season projections, the schedule and other weeks need Basic ($5/month or $45/year). Prop probabilities, defense vs position, betting lines, the injury-changes feed, depth charts and inactives need Pro ($29/month or $249/year), the betting plan. A question outside your plan comes back with the plan it needs, and the assistant tells you. See plans. Prop probabilities are a model estimate, not betting advice.

Player names, positions and ids are matched case-insensitively. Scoring is PPR unless you ask for half-PPR or standard. All 21 tools are listed on the AI assistant setup hub.

Troubleshooting

  • No Model Context Protocol option. Turn on generative orchestration for the agent, and check your environment's data policies allow MCP connectors.
  • The agent never calls GridIron Data. Make the server description specific (NFL, fantasy football, projections, injuries) so the orchestrator matches questions to it.
  • "unauthorized". The header name must be x-api-key and the connection must hold a current key from your dashboard. Regenerating a key retires the old one; update the connection.
  • "Not available on this account's current plan". That question needs Basic or Pro. The reply names the plan; see plans.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Microsoft Copilot Studio agent use fantasy football data?

Yes. Add GridIron Data's hosted MCP server (https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp) as a Model Context Protocol tool with API key authentication (header x-api-key), and the agent can answer with NFL projections, stats, snap share, news, injuries and player-prop probabilities.

Which transport does it use?

Streamable HTTP, which is the transport Copilot Studio supports for MCP.

Why API key and not OAuth?

API key authentication works today. Per-user OAuth through Copilot Studio's dynamic discovery isn't confirmed with GridIron Data's sign-in yet.

Does it work in Microsoft 365 Copilot chat?

Publish a Copilot Studio agent with the GridIron Data tool to Teams or Microsoft 365. Adding the MCP server to Microsoft 365 Copilot directly needs an admin and a fixed OAuth client, which GridIron Data doesn't issue yet.

Is it free?

A free GridIron Data account answers player lookups and this week's projections. Stats, snaps, news and other weeks need Basic ($5/month or $45/year); prop probabilities, defense vs position and betting lines need Pro ($29/month or $249/year).

Using a different assistant?

Every assistant connects to the same server, https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp. The AI assistant setup hub compares them.