The first NFL preseason game was held in Canton, where the "Dallas Cowboys" sorta defeated the "Arizona Cardinals." Kind of.

I'm tempted to write another column about how meaningless most of the preseason is, and how useless (even harmful) watching will be for your draft prep. But I'm not going to do that. I'm going to try something totally different this year.

And really, that's what this column is all about. Trying something different.

Even though many of us play in multiple leagues, we tend to stick to formats that we prefer. Maybe you like PPR leagues for the extra scoring, or swear by IDP leagues for their added depth and knowledge required to succeed. You might enjoy keeper leagues, or the nuance of a salary cap system.

On the other hand, you might despise small leagues. You might not want to spend the extra time it takes to hold an auction every year. Or maybe you love those things, and can't stand PPR or IDP.

Whatever you prefer, it's fine. Play in the format you enjoy. But maybe this is the year to also try something different. Maybe you're missing out on some extra fun. Maybe a certain format doesn't sound all that great, but will become addictive once you try it.

You still have a few weeks before the season starts, so now would be a great time to find a different format and add it to your schedule this year.

I know people who think an eight-team league is a waste of time. But have you actually tried it? Sure, all the teams have great players, but that also means every game is a challenge. If everyone is stacked, it puts pressure on you to be that much better. Having a good team simply isn't good enough.

A dynasty league sounds boring to a lot of people. If you're in a hole, it could take years to get out of it. But imagine how sweet winning a title would be. Maybe you'd enjoy the year-round maintenance it requires. Honestly, you'll never know until you try it.

It's not like you have to sign a 20-year commitment to play. You really only have to play out one season to the best of your ability -- no quitting in the middle of the year. But after that, if it isn't for you it's okay to bow out.

Of course, in a dynasty league you might make it tougher for them to find an owner for your bad team. But some people like to start out with a challenge. You might even be that person, and take over one of those teams yourself. Give it a try.

You might find that you really enjoy something different. No matter how much you love this game, there are aspects to fantasy football you've never tried. So why not test out one of them this year?

Look, I know that there are plenty of reasons and excuses to dismiss this idea. It's really easy to fall into a rut of familiarity, whether it's food, work or fantasy leagues. It takes no effort to keep the status quo going. You just do what you've always done.

But trying something different takes work. You know how hard it is to make a rules change in your league, right? Pulling teeth would be easier. People are resistant to change. But just as some of those rules would make the league better if people would just give it a chance, you might love a new format if you'd also just give it a chance.

Or maybe not. But at least you tried. You'll meet new people and you'll have a new experience. If you really try to adapt and put effort into it, it's hard to imagine you won't get something positive out of it.

Slowly but surely, the news outlets will start turning more to football this month. A little of it might actually matter. But you can be productive and add something to your fantasy football experience that could expand your enjoyment of the upcoming season. You could find new wrinkles in a game you thought you knew. You could actually change the way you play for years to come.

Or you could just keep doing what you're doing. The "Houston Texans" are playing (in a manner of speaking) the "Carolina Panthers" soon. You could get ready for that one, I suppose. Instead, I hope you'll consider finding a league with a format you always wanted to try, or maybe even a format you're not sure you'll like. You might surprise yourself, and it's a good use of your time. Good luck and happy hunting!

Is there a system you've always wanted to try? Was there a format you thought you'd hate but ended up really enjoying? Share your thoughts below.