Why Fantasy Football is Great for the NFL

I'm yelling at my television screen. No, it's not in response to tonight's shocking Prison Break (though I will have thoughts on the big goings on in that episode tomorrow), or something happening on Heroes (which had another good episode) but because I want Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch to score a touchdown. Alas, he's stuffed on five yard line, and Buffalo settles for a field goal.

I love the NFL and the Detroit Lions, though, God only knows why. And when there's a big game on, Patriots-Colts, or something similar, I'll watch. But, I'm more likely to watch Prison Break and Heroes than some non-discript Monday Night game. Like Dallas at Buffalo. Yet, I kept switching back to the game, from Heroes, because I need Marshawn Lynch to score a touchdown.

I'm in four fantasy football leagues. Three I take seriously, one more seriously than the others. The other I have all Detroit Lions in, and is just for fun (Yes, I understand that this says something about me that I find fielding an all Detroit Lions fantasy football league as "fun" -- But I'm okay with that). Another is a Law School league, which I started two years ago, and have yet to win. And I'm about to fall to 2-3. But the league I care most about is one I have been in since at least 2000, and probably before that (but Yahoo! records only go back that far and I don't remember when the league was founded) and won in 2004. And this week, I have the chance to win, despite my quarterback, Jon Kitna, scoring -3.96 points after a 2 INT, 5 sack performance on Sunday. All Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch needed to do was rush for 80 yards and a touchdown. So far, in the first half, he has 38 yards, and 2 receptions for another 32 yards. 5.27 points down, 6.03 to go.

Fantasy sports has become a multi-billion dollar industry in America. While a lot of people gamble on the NFL and other sporting events, accounting for a large part of football's current popularity and rise to replace baseball as America's current pastime, Fantasy Sports cannot be overlooked as a factor too. People have bookies, but even more have fantasy football teams. Highlights, graphic packages, and commentary is driven by fantasy content. And all the better for the NFL.

So you can bet, during the entire second half, I'll be watching, hoping everytime Buffalo has an offensive possession they give their workhorse the ball. And I'm not the only one.