More and more women are getting in on the time-honored tradition their husbands, brothers, and male friends & coworkers have been participating in for years…fantasy football!

NFL season officially kicked off on September 5, and lots of women will be watching the games closely this season to see how their draft picks fare. As you might guess, women don’t always use the same criteria as their male counterparts for picking players. These fantasy league fans admit that looks sometimes play a role in their selections. They also say they take it a little less seriously than the guys in their lives, spending less of their free time poring over stats, and just enjoying the fun when it’s game night.

The numbers bring it all into perspective: 5.4 million women play fantasy football! On ESPN, 18 percent of the fantasy sports content is consumed by women. And in terms of all the fashionable gear, NFL’s women’s apparel business has doubled since 2004. 50 Shades of Grey has nothing on this fantasy!

Fantasy football is a great way to get together with friends and indulge in a little friendly competition while enjoying one of our favorite national pastimes. It’s also fun to be able to hold your own when the guys start talking football. Just don’t be surprised if your hubby gets grumpy when your picks do better than his. In our household, my guy always has the edge on me: hosting "FANTASY FOOTBALL NOW" on ESPN.

Are you part of a fantasy league?