Fantasy football is really popular. It might even be more popular than real football. And it’s not just football. You name any major sport, and there are fantasy leagues for it.

It’s so popular ESPN now has professional fantasy experts. They get paid to analyze fantasy moves on television. (Why hasn’t The Wall Street Journal hired analysts to help me increase my returns on Baltic and Mediterranean avenues when I play Monopoly?)

Fantasy leagues have become a big deal. Millions of people play. Some are so wrapped up in fantasy, they don’t even watch the actual games anymore.

“Who wants to see world-class athletes compete at the highest levels of sport? Not me!” a friend and former sports fan said. “I don’t care if they can perform awe inspiring feats that require the utmost physical and mental prowess. The fact is, I can’t. So for me, it’s much more stimulating to sit at a computer formulating substitution strategies so I can maximize my players’ statistical values in order to increase my position in the points standings. Plus, if I win the league, I get a $50 gift certificate to Red Lobster.”

Aside from the chance to enter Cheddar Bay Biscuit heaven at Red Lobster, my friend said she plays fantasy leagues because they give her a purpose outside of work and family. But it used to be the purpose of sports – for people who didn’t play – was to lay on the couch, each chips, do nothing and feel pretty good about doing all three – outside of work and family. You also got to watch people with pretty amazing skills do pretty amazing things that sometimes didn’t have words, or numbers to describe them.