You ever watch the Pro Bowl (I could stop there, because it’s a legitimate question. But I’ll continue) and hear the announcers gushing over stars finally playing together? Or watch certain quarterbacks throw to certain receivers and wish it could happen during real games? Is the Pro Bowl, which I’ve had a love/hate relationship over the years, just a live fantasy game that’s somehow less meaningful as a preseason game? Or could it have actual value for you?

Possibly the latter. There’s one benefit it offers that no other game can boast. And it could actually affect future fantasy seasons.

For years I’ve criticized the game as a televised athlete vacation that’s so uninteresting that the best players often skip it. After Hawaii, it was in Orlando for a short while and will be played in Las Vegas this year. In Florida it was probably less than an hour from where I live and I was never seriously tempted to attend. It wasn’t even worth the frustrating drive in and out of Orlando.

Over the years I’ve softened my stance because the game isn’t taken as seriously on the field anymore. It’s a few steps away from a Harlem Globetrotters game, but also a few removed from a real football game. It’s kind of silly and fun at times, so there’s no harm.

But are there any benefits? Well, kind of. I think the Pro Bowl is a pretty good recruiting tool for free agents. Players get to “practice” together, and they’ll talk. Coaching staffs from successful teams will be around some of the best players, many of whom could help them go further in the playoffs. They can’t openly recruit them, of course. But don’t you think the coaches want to give free agents and trade possibilities a small slice of how they do things?

And it’s not like they’re real teams that dislike each other. AFC and NFC players will mingle all week, increasing the opportunity for frank conversations about their clubs that could impact free agent decisions. If the best players on a team don’t think much of their organization, why not look elsewhere when you make your own decision? And if they rave about the coaches, why not give them an extra look instead?

Case in point: While working out together, Odell Beckham, Jr. reportedly told Von Miller not to consider Cleveland as a destination. Later, Miller returned the favor by lobbying the Rams for the receiver to join him in Los Angeles. Now they're both in the Super Bowl.

In the NFL, power has, in many ways, shifted to the players. A great talent has to first decide that they want to play for a team, and if they’re eventually unhappy they can often force their way out of a contract. They need to be enticed to join with a club, and there are only so many opportunities to get their attention. The Pro Bowl can be one of those times.

Plus, a player who isn’t necessarily available now might remember those experiences down the road. NFL contracts are full of voidable years, and the length of the deal is often deceiving. In a year or so, the guy who was signed to a long-term contract might become available when the capologists determine he’s too expensive to keep.

So put it this way: You might or might not watch the Pro Bowl, but you definitely want your team’s players out there, recruiting the best guys in the league to eventually play with them. And if they team up, it creates new fantasy prospects and statistical possibilities. And if not, it’s a way to kill a few hours the weekend before the biggest game of the year. Let’s hope it’s worth it.

Do you think players can have a big influence on where other players go? Who would you lobby to play on your favorite team? Any interest in the Pro Bowl? Share your thoughts below.