As the season draws closer, there's more optimism that there really will be a season. It looks like all systems go for Sept. 10 and beyond.

That's great news, and a pleasant surprise for some people who thought things would have broken down by now. And some of those folks have decided to start last-minute leagues to get in on the action they didn't think would be happening.

You might get approached by one of those leagues, and I advise you to be careful when deciding whether to accept. It might be more trouble than it's worth.

Now, I realize that many players will simply say "why not?" and sign up in a heartbeat. After all, if there's a chance to win extra money and another chance to draft a team, that's good enough. And that's fine. I just think some of these leagues are a little like buying something on wish.com: It looks like a great deal, but you don't always get exactly what you're expecting.

If a league is scrambling for players a few days before the draft, ask yourself why. Is the entire league being thrown together right before the season? Did they put everyone on hold until recently, and some don't want to come back? Or is it a solid league that happened to have someone drop out?

And why you? Do you actually know anyone in the league? Are you someone they like and want to join, or are you just someone who can pay the entry fee and fill a spot?

What kind of league is it, anyway? What's the scoring system? How are trades handled? Who keeps the money and when do you get paid?

All of those questions matter. Leagues aren't glorified mock drafts. You shouldn't join one just to see what building another team would look like. If the league seems like a haphazard bunch of people who just want to put a league together, does it really benefit you to join? Will you actually care if you win, and will you even get paid if that happens?

You don't want any surprises on draft day, and you definitely don't want them in week 4 or beyond. If the person making the pitch can't tell you if there are roster limits for each position, or when the waiver wire runs, you should run far away. You're not being a pain by asking those questions. You're doing due diligence. You're not just taking up a spot, after all. You actually care about being an active owner. You're an asset to any league you join, so it needs to be a good fit.

Again, not everyone will feel this way, and you can certainly join as many leagues as you want. But if you find out later that the commissioner and their spouse make a lot of trades with each other, or they switch to decimal scoring halfway through the season because there are too many ties, or they decide to make it a PPR league in week 2 because it was supposed to be that way but someone hit the wrong tab on the website, it's on you. And please don't think I'm being unrealistic with those examples. Weird things happen. Maybe not in your favorite league, but they happen in leagues all over the country. And if you don't really know the folks who invited you, who's to say you aren't walking right into one of them?

If you feel comfortable with the people and the league, enjoy the experience and have at it. Good leagues sometimes need new owners and it could even develop into a favorite league of yours. But all things being equal, I encourage you to stick with your existing league(s), and play this unique season in formats you know and people you like. At the very least, know what you're getting into.

Have you ever joined a league and regretted it? Are you quick to sign up for a new experience, or do you tend to stick with the leagues you know? What's your criteria for taking on a new league? Share your thoughts below.