Top 5 reasons to play fantasy football in 2016

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Jan 3, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) runs with the ball after a catch as Cleveland Browns cornerback Pierre Desir (26) defends during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to the upcoming Fantasy Football season, if you’ve never played before, 2016 will be one incredible year to get into it.

All across the football world, millions of football fans enjoy playing fantasy football. Whether you’re playing with family, friends or even co-workers, fantasy football can enhance your season tremendously.

With a plethora of options on how to play fantasy football, ultimately choose what is best for you. If you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to play with close ones that will be understanding as it’ll be your first rodeo.

If you’re an experienced fantasy football owner, jump right into all the popular sites where you can actually earn some serious monetary sums for having a sharp eye on talent and faster reaction time than an elite quarterback.

Without further ado, here are the top five reasons to play fantasy football in 2016.

Next: 5. Using your football knowledge to great use

Jan 16, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) signals to the sideline during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round playoff game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

5. Using your football knowledge to great use

Let’s face it, if you can name the top quarterbacks of the NFL, know what an HB ISO is and can break apart defenses in a blink of an eye, you can use your football knowledge to great use in fantasy.

If you’ve been watching football for years, consider this a fun game to test your knowledge. Not only do you get to draft some of your favorite players but also use favorable match-ups to your advantage and win consistently.

The bottom line for fantasy football is knowledge and when to put players into your lineup for major success. It’s not easy but if you know quarterback Tom Brady is playing again one of the worst defenses of the NFL, it’s a no-brainer to start him and enjoy racking up points.

Not to mention, football knowledge goes a very long way when it comes to finding those sleeper picks in the waiver wire no one would ever suspect can have a huge impact in a particular week.

Next: 4. Enhancing the regular season

Dec 7, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) runs with the ball after the catch during the third quarter against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Dallas Cowboys defeated Washington Redskins 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

4. Enhancing the regular season

Once the regular season arrives, fantasy football is a nice addition to everything. No matter what team you root for, it’ll make football that much more fun to watch.

Besides watching just your team play, it helps open up other avenues of football. Watching football now on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays becomes even more interesting thanks to knowing your fantasy football players could be what makes you a winner or loser for the week.

Thanks to how great all the popular fantasy football apps are, it’s now easier than ever before to stay in the loops of injuries, breakouts and slumps. Not only does this work out tremendously for the regular season but also when to make strategic fantasy moves.

You’ll always have something to talk about after the weekend and also be able to enjoy great conversations about who came up big out of nowhere or who fizzled out as predicted. The conversations can be endless when combining fantasy with regular football all season long.

Next: 3. Making some serious cash

oDec 27, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) and New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) celebrate Marshall

3. Making some serious cash

Fantasy sports are now a legal way to earn some serious cash. Whether you enjoy FanDuel or DraftKings, it’s easy to make fantasy football a way to earn extra income throughout the regular season.

Of course these are a bit more complicated than just playing for fun but when owners are raking in thousands of dollars off of fantasy football, it’s amazing to see what you can achieve with these sites.

Before you start investing money into possibly getting more back in return, make sure to do all the required research before jumping in. Similar to playing a slot machine in Atlantic City, it’s fun to play a low amount at first and seeing if you can earn it back and go from there.

Fantasy football is now becoming bigger than ever before and this upcoming season promises to be another huge one. Especially now that in New York, it’s now legal to play in fantasy sites that you can earn money from.

Next: 2. Bragging rights

2. Bragging rights

When you’re in a fantasy league and are dominating all season long, nothing feels better than being on top. If you’re in a league that involves a cash pool, not only will you enjoy the financial aspect of it but after it’s all said and done, you’ll have months and months of bragging rights.

If you’ve earned your fantasy football championship, it’s something that stays with you for quite some time. Most leagues have either a championship trophy or belt and if you win it, make sure to put it in a place where everyone and anyone can see.

People love to brag about winning and in fantasy just like in regular football, winning fixes everything. You’re the cream of the crop and nobody can ever take that away from you.

Make sure to fire up your social media accounts and take plenty of pictures of not just your final fantasy football standings but of your new hardware. Let the world know your glory.

Next: 1. Building some incredible camaraderie

Oct 19, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1. Building some incredible camaraderie

One of the best reasons to play fantasy football, especially in leagues with others is the ability to build some incredible camaraderie with everyone involved. Whether it’s with your family, friends, co-workers or a mixture of everyone close to you, it makes football that much more enjoyable together.

It’s an amazing experience to always break out into hour-long conversations about fantasy football from sleepers, busts and if someone made a draft choice that has everyone scratching their heads. It brings everyone together for a sport we all love.

When draft day comes for your fantasy team, it’s an experience unlike any other. It’s taken so seriously, everyone will hype up the event and critique everyone’s selection for days to come. Some will be surprised and others will flat out be envious at some of the selections made.

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Overall, it’s highly encouraged to play fantasy football more than ever before this upcoming season. Even if it’s with complete strangers in a random league, you’ll make new friendships with fellow football fans. Not only will the season be as unpredictable as ever before but one never knows what will transpire once it’s all said and done. It’s the exact same in fantasy football, you never know what will happen until the very end.