The revenge factor in pro sports is commonly overlooked – athletes love nothing more than sticking it to their old teams. Revenge cannot be measured by statistical analysis, but one thing experienced DFS players know – revenge is real! Football and basketball provide the perfect setting for one player to make the ultimate difference in any given game.
Each week this article will explore certain players with something extra to play for. I am not necessarily advising everyone to play these guys, but the extra motivation will be there, so these plays are something to consider.
A Walk Down Narrative Street – Week 1 – w/ Slim Gaede
Adrian Peterson (NO) at Minnesota (DK – 4500 FD – 6000)
The schedule makers must have done this on purpose, right? What could possibly be more entertaining than AP returning home for Week 1? You can’t write a script like this! This dude was THE FRANCHISE in Minnesota for a decade – rushing for nearly 12,000 yards and scoring over 100 TDs. Viking fans literally had nothing (outside of old man Favre briefly) to be excited about outside of the most explosive player in the league, the top fantasy pick every year, and first ballot Hall of Famer.
AP has been pissed at the organization since they refused to back him after the child abuse allegations, and I’m sure the season-long suspension didn’t sit well either. You can bet Peterson felt the team owed him for everything he’s done, but the front office refused to pickup his option and sent him packing. Apparently his magical 2,000 yard 2012 season no longer meant anything to the team…
The only issue in rostering AP this week lies directly in his place within the offense. We have absolutely no clue what kind of workload he’ll receive! Drew Brees continues to ball out, so don’t look for a major uptick in running plays. But will he start, or does Mark Ingram start? What is the split in carries? Seems like 50/50 is certainly possible, and we know he’s not a 3rd down back. In this matchup, however, I believe the Saints will feature him and attempt to get him in the end zone on multiple occasions. For this reason AP is a top tournament play for me on both sites. (Note – this game is Monday night, so he’s not available on the main slate).
Joe Haden (PIT) at Cleveland (DK – 3600 FD – 4800)
Cleveland cut Haden last week after failing to find a trade partner, which is no surprise because they leaked out the need to trade or cut him. Nobody has any clue what the “Moneyball” front office philosophy is all about in the front office. It certainly seems like the plan is to try and win games with crappy football players – it’s the only explanation for this move (and the majority of others).
Haden was the “star” for this pathetic franchise – playing 90 games, picking off 19 passes, and making two Pro Bowls. He was the best player on a countless number of pathetic teams, but opposing offenses definitely tried to avoid him. And now the worst team in football publicly says his play has diminished and he’s not worth his salary? That’s called motivation for a beat down!
Pittsburgh quickly scooped him up, and wouldn’t you know they’re playing at The Dog House to start the year? Even though he’s new to the roster his teammates will rally around Haden and play angry, and they’re facing rookie QB DeShone Kizer whom every pundit said should not see the field this season. PIT ranks as my top defense this week for all of these reasons. It would be shocking if CLE scored in this one, but hey, at least the Browns are at home. So you’re telling me there’s a chance…
Eddie Lacy (SEA) at Green Bay (DK – 5000 FD – 6300)
Lacy came on strong with back-to-back 1000 yard seasons with 20 TDs to start his career, but he couldn’t stop eating. Apparently that Wisconsin cheddar is off the chain! Lacy bottomed out his last two years in Green Bay and left as a massive draft bust. He was the Chosen One who would take the pressure off Aaron Rodgers and provide balance to that nasty passing attack. Instead, Seattle pays him weigh-in bonuses now…pretty good work if you can get it!
Similar to AP’s situation, we simply need to see how this backfield pans out. We can be certain Lacy will get short yardage and goal line carries, especially in this matchup. Because of this, he’s a GPP flier, but I’m not loving his price on either site. I can also see the game working against Lacy – GB hates him and will be determined to bottle him up. Either way, this game will be incredibly entertaining, and there will be extra motivation all over the field when Lacy is in the backfield.
