AI assistant setup

Use GridIron Data NFL fantasy data in Cursor (MCP setup)

Quick answer: Add "gridiron-data": { "url": "https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp" } under mcpServers in ~/.cursor/mcp.json (all projects) or .cursor/mcp.json (one project). Cursor offers to sign in: sign in with your GridIron Data account and click Allow. Or add your API key as an Authorization: Bearer header. Then ask the agent for NFL projections, stats, news or prop probabilities.

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

Server URL
https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp
Config
~/.cursor/mcp.json
Sign-in
OAuth or API key header
Time
About 2 minutes

What do I need first?

  • Cursor installed.
  • A GridIron Data account, or your API key from the dashboard. No account? Sign up free (no credit card).

How do I add GridIron Data to Cursor?

  1. Edit mcp.json. Open ~/.cursor/mcp.json for every project, or .cursor/mcp.json in one project, and add: 
    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "gridiron-data": {
      "url": "https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

    A remote server needs only url; no type field.

  2. Sign in. Cursor detects that the server needs sign-in and offers to connect. Start it: a GridIron Data page opens; sign in and click Allow.
  3. Turn it on. Open Customize in the sidebar and make sure gridiron-data is enabled with its tools listed.

Can I use my API key instead of signing in?

Yes. Keep the key in an environment variable and reference it; Cursor expands ${env:NAME}:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gridiron-data": {
      "url": "https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer ${env:GRIDIRON_API_KEY}" }
    }
  }
}

Your key is on your dashboard. Don't commit a project .cursor/mcp.json with the key typed in.

What can I ask Cursor?

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

  • "Use gridiron-data: top 10 RB projections this week in half-PPR."
  • "Call get_projections for this week's QBs and generate TypeScript types for the response."
  • "Build a start/sit helper that ranks my roster by projection and snap share." (Basic)
  • "Any injury news on Malik Nabers this week?" (Basic)
  • "Which defenses allow the most fantasy points to wide receivers?" (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

  • Server shows an error or no tools. Check the JSON is valid and the server is enabled under Customize. Restart Cursor after editing mcp.json if it doesn't reload.
  • "unauthorized" with an API key. Make sure GRIDIRON_API_KEY is set in the environment Cursor starts from, and that the key is current on your dashboard.
  • Team admin blocks it. Cursor teams can limit MCP servers to an allowlist. Ask your admin to add https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp.
  • Sign-in page says the link expired. The sign-in has 15 minutes. Start the connection again from your assistant.
  • Asked to sign in again. You regenerated your API key, your plan ended, or the connection went unused for 30 days. Reconnect and sign in.
  • "Not available on this account's current plan". That question needs Basic or Pro. The reply names the plan; see plans.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add a fantasy football MCP server to Cursor?

Add gridiron-data with url https://api.gridirondata.com/mcp under mcpServers in ~/.cursor/mcp.json, then sign in with a GridIron Data account (or add an Authorization: Bearer header with your API key). Cursor's agent can then pull NFL projections, stats, snap share, news, injuries and player-prop probabilities.

Global or project config?

~/.cursor/mcp.json makes GridIron Data available in every project. .cursor/mcp.json in a repo scopes it to that project and can be shared, as long as no key is typed into it.

Do I need to run anything locally?

No. The server is hosted. A local stdio version exists for machines that can't reach it.

Can Cursor write code against the API?

Yes. It can call the MCP tools to see real responses, then write code against the REST API (https://api.gridirondata.com/api/v1, x-api-key header) using the OpenAPI spec at https://www.gridirondata.com/openapi.json.

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.