Between offseason workouts and time with family and friends, Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak expects to spend his mornings this fall doing what millions of Americans do — checking his fantasy football lineup and texting teammates about league standings.

Moniak owns one of 12 fantasy football teams inside the Rockies clubhouse and could be considered as the favorite to bring home this year’s championship. Not only did he receive the league’s No. 1 overall draft pick; he’s also coming off a title he won in the Los Angeles Angels’ fantasy league last season while a member of the Halos.

“Bo Nix might have won it for me last year,” Moniak said, tipping his hat to the Broncos quarterback. “We had a different format in our league by having two quarterbacks. I ended up taking him in the eighth or ninth round and he ended up being a guy who could’ve gone in the first two rounds.”

This season, Moniak will be trying to go back-to-back in a league that drafted in a unique way and will employ the PPR (points per reception) format.

“We tried coming up with some ideas for the draft order and nothing really came to fruition,” Kyle Freeland said. “We did a randomized digital horse race in the video room and where you finished in that determined where you would pick.”

Another twist in the draft order? Where you finished in the horse race didn’t determine your draft order. Moniak, by winning the race, decided to keep the overall number one pick, but could have moved to any position in the order. Freeland’s horse finished second, and he decided to drop to the 12th pick, giving him consecutive picks in the draft.

“I like having the wrap-around pick,” Freeland said. “Having double picks every time it hits me, I guess that’s one strategy I have.”

Moniak took Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase as the No. 1 pick. Freeland was able to snag Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen at No. 12. Jordan Beck, meanwhile, took Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry with the seventh pick.

“I like to go back and forth between running backs and wide receivers,” Beck said. “I don’t like to go too heavy on either (one), so I alternate.”

Whatever strategy is used, there will be a new king of Rockies fantasy football this season as Paul Egins, Colorado’s senior director of Major League operations, didn’t return to the league after winning it all in 2024.

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“The guys have been teasing me, saying, ‘So I guess you’re still the champion?’ and I answer right back, ‘You better believe it,’” Egins said with a laugh. “I went to the draft and it’s very intense. These guys have a lot of fun, but it’s a big deal for them. You can see the competitiveness they show on the baseball field really come out.”

Freeland said the draft and the rest of the season is a chance to not only show off your football knowledge but also continue to build bonds with teammates.

“It’s always nice when we can line it up when we’re on the road or going into an off day and you can have some fun with this,” Freeland said. “We can get some pizza and everybody in the league can hang out in a conference room and use it as a team-building thing.”

Moniak added that the camaraderie extends beyond the end of the Rockies’ regular season as well.

“It keeps us in contact more than we normally would throughout the offseason,” Moniak said. “Pretty much everyone in here who ever does fantasy is a big football fan, so there’s a connection there.

“I think all of us enjoy doing fantasy football. Staying in touch the whole year is a great bonus.”

While Moniak will be glad to keep in touch during the offseason, don’t expect him to give in easily on any kind of trade if it’s not going to help him win another championship.

“I’m a guy who likes to stick with the team I draft for a bit,” Moniak said. “Maybe halfway through the year I will see if there are some holes I could fill. If I have some guys who are on my bench that are performing well and aren’t going to start for me, maybe I’ll send them out and get some other guys I might need.”

With the Rockies having an off day on Thursday and the NFL schedule kicking off that night with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys, expect there to be a full evening of smack talk as the quest to crown a new champion inside the Colorado clubhouse begins.