5 Reasons Fantasy College Football Can Never Work

So you want to play fantasy college football? It's an irresistible thought for many fantasy football'ers. But wait just a second before you lock in for a public or private league draft. There might be a few reasons to be skeptical of a relatively new online game based on the BCS.

Fantasy college football is coming whether you want to play it or not. Some fantasy college football leagues have been formed for years. Many college football fans have developed leagues on paper to fill the void which has been absent from fantasy sports sites for years. CBS Sportsline has formed a college fantasy football league for the 2010 season. I am quite sure there are other sites that have already had fantasy football games in place for some time. But can fantasy college football actually work? Here are my five reasons why fantasy college football will never truly act as the sports appetizer served up by the NFL.

Statistics Are Too Random In College Football
The statistics in the NFL are usually at a consistent level and somewhat predictable. There are variables that make the game more challenging and fun. Randy Moss may have a three touchdown game or some silly kicker will win a game because he booted 5 field goals. Other than that, the NFL is somewhat predictable in terms of averages. College players will not adhere to that plan. College football statistics can be so off the wall that even the best fantasy football drafters won't be able to predict which kids will shine on a given week. The statistics for college football games will be too random and offer up a very unpredictable winner each week in head to head match ups. Perhaps a rotisserie league would offer a more level playing field for those wanting to play fantasy college football.

Great Players Are Outnumbered By Average Players
In college fantasy football, great players will be completely outnumbered by average or even below average players. If you don't get a Tim Tebow or Mark Ingram in the first round, you are already behind the 8 ball. The statistics for the great players will completely blow the other players out of the water. This is true especially if you have a one conference fantasy college football league. Once the premiere players are gone, the rest of the pack will simply not measure up on a given year. For that reason, fantasy college football won't offer the level playing field that the NFL offers each year.

Information On Players Isn't As Available As The NFL
Can you picture drafting an entire college fantasy football team? Once the top players are selected, can you honestly say you will know who to draft in the late rounds? Let's just say most football fans have enough knowledge to draft an NFL team without a lot of resources. The same can not be said of college football. Especially when new freshman and junior college players come into programs with little or no information available. When someone gets injured in the NFL, you almost immediately know who the backup will be. The same can not always be said for college fantasy football games.

The College Fantasy Football Landscape Is Still Too Green
The kinks aren't quite gone in college fantasy football leagues yet. You might just be a laboratory rat trying to figure out your way in the fantasy maze if you try the sport early on. You could be a pioneer for fantasy college football or you can wait for the game to catch up. I'm definitely not saying that college fantasy football won't be fun-because it probably will. I am saying you should expect the unexpected each week until more information is available on every player or potential player in terms of statistics. Let's face it-college football fans typically stick to conferences in terms of individual player knowledge. Fans are typically rooted deep in a power conference close to their region. Until the college football game becomes more even, fantasy football will never probably compare to the current NFL games we see in place. Still, it's an interesting development that could lead to a great game in the future. BCS only leagues will probably provide the only close equivalent to what we currently see in fantasy NFL football.

The Games Are Spread All Over Throughout The Week
The college football games are still mostly played on Saturdays. However, many teams now play on different days throughout the week. That means, unlike the NFL, you will have to do a little research to see who plays when each week. You could need your lineup set before Tuesday or Wednesday night depending on when a team might play. The college football schedule is more random than ever before because teams want to get their own airtime on ESPN or other college football networks. The NFL does have some random Thursday games but on most occasions you can count on getting your lineup set by Friday. The college football schedule can add some confusion to the fantasy game. I always disliked NBA fantasy leagues for making me constantly switch lineups throughout the week. I don't mind it as much for baseball. So maybe the excitement of college football will change my mind on this one particular asset.

Those are my five reasons why fantasy college football won't work as well as the NFL. With that in mind, I have already signed up for a CBS Sportline league to see what it's all about. It looks interesting and I hope the fantasy college football season surprises me even though I am a bit skeptical. I can still remember when Fantasy Football leagues began to develop and my interest slowly peaked. Now I am an avid and devoted fantasy footballer ready to see if the college game matches up or is weak in comparison. The standard set by the NFL might not allow for me to deviate and switch gears so quickly. But it's worth a shot.

For some tips on who to draft and where, check out Athlon Sports here. This mock BCS only draft could provide some info that will aid the process of a newbie playing fantasy college football. CBS Sportsline also offers a free fantasy football league here.