I decided I would try something new this football season, something that I criticized and swore I would never bring myself to do. But I must say, now that I’ve tried it, I am addicted.

My new vice is fantasy football.

I was always the person who made fun of people who thought they were on the fast track to being general managers just because their fantasy football team was doing well.

I would constantly wonder why having a player on your fantasy team, going against your real team, would sometimes send my friends into a pathetic panic.

They would mumble for hours, deliberating with themselves to try to decipher what their attitude would be if their fantasy receiver scored against their favorite team’s defense. Now I know this unforgiving feeling to be vividly real.

With that being said, I might enjoy it more if my team was any good. Going into the fifth week I am a dismal 1-3 and in eighth place out of a possible 10 teams. My team has been hampered by a bunch of miniscule injuries.

Also, I am a casualty of my own preconceived notions. For instance, drafting multiple rookies with the hunch that they would come into the league and be the most heralded players of their positions. Needless to say, I was wrong.

Another mistake I’ve made is allowing the “professional” fantasy players, journalists that spend all of their time crunching statistics to let you know who to sit or start, lead me off my path. My progress has been stunted because instead of going with my gut, I start a player because they tell me to.

This being my first year, I am still obliged to mention to my opponents that this is my first rodeo. For now I am just a floundering fantasy footballer, struggling to stay above water.

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