Until this fall, I had never done fantasy football.

I’ve been asked every year by family and friends since I was maybe a sophomore or junior in high school, but I never made the plunge, finding it kind of asinine and a waste of time and in some cases, money.

However, I finally decided this would be the year to do it, joining an ESPN league with some old friends from high school.

I was nervous at first, believing I wouldn’t be able to compete, due to the fact I missed the draft because of a prior commitment and had to have my entire team auto-drafted.

However, I ended up with a semi-decent roster, and even made a trade that landed me Tom Brady, though it was at the expense of Austin Eckler.

Through the first few weeks, I sit at 5-2, which puts me first in my division. However, certain frustrations have emerged.

For example, my two losses have come due to either sitting a red-hot Cooper Kupp or because the stellar Denver Broncos defense couldn’t stop a knife going through a paper bag, let alone any sort of credible running game.

It’s also a bit of a frustration to have players woefully underperform, which in some cases can lead to heartbreaking losses that you’re not satisfied with.

However, nothing is as bad as the dreaded bye week.

I’ve heard fantasy players complain about this, but I never realized how detrimental the bye week is.

If on a given week you have multiple players out for the bye, it can put you at a severe disadvantage that includes losing your top tier division standing.

Yet, for the frustrations that come with fantasy football, it’s still an exciting football season activity that, if used correctly, can be used to not only bring you closer to the sport, but help you become more educated in it.

For those on the fence about joining a league, I highly encourage you to give it a shot; it’s a little late for this season, but the possibility to get involved is there and with the right company, you won’t regret it.

Just remember, draft smart and have fun.

MICHAEL GUIDO

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