With the NFL season around the corner, my focus has been on building my fantasy teams for the upcoming season.

See, when I got into the game, a friend told me the best way to learn all the players and get a feel for the intricate parts of the game, I should join a Fantasy Football League. I was familiar with Fantasy Basketball and Hockey but this was a whole different level. I dove in, purchased a stack of magazines, fired up the excel sheet and was on my way to build my dream team.

Fast forward 6 years and I have got it down to a science. No magazines needed (but if someone offers me a few I will not decline), Excel sheet is simplified (there are enough sites that do all the work for you now) and emotions are kept out of draft day.

Fantasy Football brings out the competitor in me. Hours are spent coming up with a team name – akin to naming your first born in some ways. You don’t wanna end up with a lame name (especially for keeper leagues), it sets the tone for the rest of the season. Draft day is treated like Christmas, and come kickoff the gloves are off. The smack talk starts flowing, injuries to complete strangers can cause broken TV remotes and you find yourself cheering for the unlikeliest teams due to fantasy implications.

This past summer, I debated taking a season off to see if I could enjoy the game with a pure heart but alas I caved. I love the multitude of emotions it brings out. The thrills, the agony, the anger, the gloating. I am not prepared to turn on the Eagles, but come Fantasy Football Playoff time – I give no guarantees.

Signs that Fantasy has taken over your reality:

• You spend weeks thinking of the perfect team name.
• You have nightmares that your sleeper pick was taken one pick ahead of you in your draft
• On game day, you pay more attention to your fantasy team rather than your favorite football team.
• You smack talk the TV screen when a player your fantasy team is up against has a bad game
• When the news reports an injured player you scream- “Shit! He’s on my team!”
• When your team scores you get mad because they are up against your fantasy team’s defense
• You cheer for a rival team because the QB is starting for your Fantasy team and you need those passing yards
• You keep one eye on the TV and the other glued to your computer waiting to see your players stats update.
• You have to sacrifice the beer in order to manage the remote with one hand and the computer with the other
• You have another browser tab open right now and are reading this to kill time before your next draft starts

On The Nightstand:
Why Fantasy Football Matters: (And Our Lives Do Not)
Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie