One thing the wolves on Wall Street keep their eye on are stock spikes. Stocks that spike rise and then fall back down in a very short period of time. The time to buy is just before the rise, and then try not to blink before missing the opportunity to sell.
In fantasy football, we do the same. Whether it’s looking at defensive matchups of our team’s players concerning start/sits or streaming, we’re trying to anticipate their spike in production.
However, a player’s matchups aren’t the only contributor to spike production. Sometimes players get to face the team they were just released from, traded from, or signed away in free agency. At times, it’s not on the best of terms. Combine familiarity with a past coach’s scheme and the players you used to practice against, with the message from your old franchise that you’re not good enough to keep around, and what do you get?
The revenge spike.
Are you a skeptic when it comes to whether revenge games matter? Ask Jarvis Landry, whose 36.8 points against the Dolphins last year was a 48 percent spike from his 2nd-highest week. Ask Cole Beasley, whose return to Dallas saw 23 points, a 17 percent spike from his 2nd-highest week. Ask Minkah Fitzpatrick, who grabbed two interceptions in his first time against his old Dolphins teammates. Or ask Malamei Correa, traded from the Ravens to the Titans during the 2018 preseason, if the sugar wasn’t extra sweet when sacking Lamar Jackson during Tennessee’s postseason upset over Baltimore last year. Their revenge made Khan’s wrath look more like a mild annoyance.
Every now and then, a player’s departure isn’t because the franchise felt the player wasn’t good enough to play for them. Yannick Ngakoue took a $5 million pay cut so that the Minnesota Vikings could afford his services, and so he could play for a team he felt comfortable with. But do you think he won’t have a chip on his shoulder when the Jaguars come to town?
The general rule with the database is that a player is no more than two years removed from their old team and that it’s their first season playing against them. However, we did make exceptions. For example, cornerback Marcus Peters already faced his old Chiefs team last season as a member of the Rams. Now with the Ravens, Peters gets a second crack at Kansas City. Both teams should be battling to be the top dawg in the AFC again this season, and Peters has good reason not to let KC get a win and show that they’re better off without him.
With so much player movement in the NFL, it’s possible that revenge narratives slip through the cracks and go unnoticed. Many people likely don’t know that K’Waun Williams‘ release from the Browns in 2016 wasn’t on friendly terms. Then, when he registered an interception and half a sack in his first game against them as part of the 49ers’ 31-3 walloping of Cleveland last season, it had to feel good. So, if you think we might be missing anyone off the list, feel free to comment, and help us attain our goal of making this Revenge Game Database paint as accurate of a picture as possible. At season’s end, we’ll take a look at how many players got their shot, how they fared, and what it means moving forward as we try to anticipate the spike.
List of 2020 Revenge Games
Higher profile matchups are italicized
Parentheses indicate the number of years removed from their old team, their (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) season facing them
Notable Offensive Players
Buffalo Bills
WR John Brown, week 10 at ARI (2, 1st)
Miami Dolphins
RB Matt Breida, week 5 at SF (1, 1st)
QB Ryan Fitzmagic vs everyone (but for real though, he technically has Buffalo twice, the Jets twice, Cincinnati, and the Rams)
WR Albert Wilson, week 14 vs KC (opted out)
New England Patriots
none
New York Jets
WR Breshad Perriman, week 16 vs CLE (1, 1st)
RB Frank Gore vs everyone (SF, IND, MIA twice, BUF twice)
Baltimore Ravens
none
Cincinnati Bengals
none
Cleveland Browns
WR Odell Beckham Jr., week 15 at NYG (2, 1st)
Pittsburgh Steelers
TE Eric Ebron, week 16 vs IND (1, 1st)
Houston Texans
RB Duke Johnson, week 10 at CLE (2, 1st)
TE Darren Fells, week 10 at CLE (2, 1st), week 12 at DET (3, 1st)
Indianapolis Colts
TE Trey Burton, week 4 at CHI (1, 1st)
Jacksonville Jaguars
TE Tyler Eifert, week 4 at CIN (1, 1st)
Tennessee Titans
none
Denver Broncos
RB Melvin Gordon, week 11 vs LAC, week 16 at LAC (1, 1st)
TE Nick Vannett, week 2 @ PIT (1, 1st)
Kansas City Chiefs
WR Sammy Watkins, week 6 at BUF (4, 1st)
Las Vegas Raiders
WR Zay Jones, week 4 vs BUF (1, 1st)
Los Angeles Chargers
QB Tyrod Taylor, week 12 at BUF (3, 1st)
Dallas Cowboys
K Greg Zuerlein, week 1 at LAR (1, 1st)
New York Giants
none
Philadelphia Eagles
RB Boston Scott, week 14 vs NO (2, 2nd)
Washington
none
Chicago Bears
QB Nick Foles, week 16 @ JAX (1, 1st)
WR Allen Robinson, week 16 at JAX (3, 1st)
WR Ted Ginn Jr., week 8 vs NO (1, 1st)
TE Jimmy Graham, week 12 at GB, week 17 vs GB (1, 1st)
Detroit Lions
none
Green Bay Packers
WR Allen Lazard, week 6 at JAX (2, 1st)
TE Marcedes Lewis, week 6 at JAX (3, 1st)
Minnesota Vikings
none
Atlanta Falcons
none
Carolina Panthers
QB Teddy Bridgewater, week 7 at NO, week 17 vs NO (1, 1st)
New Orleans Saints
RB Latavius Murray, week 16 vs MIN (2, 2nd)
WR Emmanuel Sanders, week 10 vs SF (1, 1st), week 12 at DEN (1, 1st)
TE Jared Cook, week 2 at LV (2, 1st)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RB LeSean McCoy, week 12 vs KC (1, 1st)
Arizona Cardinals
RB Kenyan Drake, week 9 vs MIA (1, 1st)
Los Angeles Rams
WR Robert Woods, week 3 at BUF (4, 1st)
San Francisco 49ers
QB Jimmy Garopollo, week 7 at NE (4, 1st)
Seattle Seahawks
none
Notable Defensive Players
Buffalo Bills
DT Quinton Jefferson, week 9 vs SEA (1, 1st)
Miami Dolphins
DE Shaq Lawson, week 2 vs BUF, week 17 at BUF (1, 1st)
DE Emmanuel Ogbah, week 14 vs KC (1, 1st)
LB Elandon Roberts and LB Kyle Van Noy, week 1 at NE, week 15 vs NE (1, 1st)
New England Patriots
LB Brandon Copeland, week 9 at NYJ, week 17 vs NYJ (1, 1st)
New York Jets
CB Pierre Desir, week 3 at IND (1, 1st)
S Brad McDougald, week 14 at SEA (1, 1st)
Baltimore Ravens
DE Calais Campbell, week 15 vs JAX (1, 1st)
EDGE Pernell McPhee, week 4 at WAS (2, 1st)
CB Marcus Peters, week 3 vs KC (3, 2nd)
Cincinnati Bengals
DT DJ Reader, week 16 at HOU (1, 1st)
Cleveland Browns
DE Olivier Vernon, week 15 at NYG (2, 1st)
S Karl Joseph, week 8 vs LV (1, 1st)
DT Andrew Billings, week 2 vs CIN, week 7 at CIN (opted out)
Pittsburgh Steelers
DT Chris Wormley, week 7 at BAL, week 12 vs BAL (1, 1st)
Houston Texans
CB Eric Murray, week at KC (2, 1st), week 10 at CLE (1, 1st)
Indianapolis Colts
CB Xavier Rhodes, week 2 vs MIN (1, 1st)
CB TJ Carrie, week 5 at CLE (1, 1st)
Jacksonville Jaguars
LB Joe Schobert, week 12 vs CLE (1, 1st)
CB Rashaan Melvin, week 6 vs DET (opted out)
DE Al Woods, week 1 at IND, week 17 vs IND (opted out)
Tennessee Titans
LB Reggie Gilbert, week 16 @ GB (injured reserve)
LB Kamalei Correa, week 11 @ BAL (3, 3rd)
CB Johnathan Joseph, week 6 vs HOU, week 17 @ HOU (1, 1st)
Denver Broncos
DT Jurrell Casey, week 1 vs TEN (1, 1st)
Kansas City Chiefs
DE/OLB Alex Okafor, week 15 at NO (2, 1st)
S Tyrann Mathieu, week 1 vs HOU (2, 2nd)
Las Vegas Raiders
DE Carl Nassib, week 7 vs TB (1, 1st)
SS Damarious Randall, week 8 @ CLE (1, 1st)
Los Angeles Chargers
LB Nick Vigil, week 1 at CIN (1, 1st)
CB Chris Harris Jr., week 11 at DEN, week 16 vs DEN (1, 1st)
Dallas Cowboys
none
New York Giants
S Jabrill Peppers, week 15 vs CLE (1, 1st)
Philadelphia Eagles
DT Javon Hargrave, week 5 at PIT (1, 1st)
Washington
CB Ronald Darby, week 1 at WAS, week 17 vs WAS (1, 1st)
S Sean Davis, week 5 at PIT (1, 1st)
Detroit Lions
DT Nicholas Williams, week 1 vs CHI, week 13 at CHI (1, 1st)
CB Desmond Trufant, week 7 at ATL (1, 1st)
Green Bay Packers
none
Minnesota Vikings
DE Yannick Ngakoue, week 13 vs JAX (1, 1st)
Atlanta Falcons
none
Carolina Panthers
DE Stephen Weatherly, week 12 at MIN (1, 1st)
LB Tahir Whitehead, week 1 vs LV (1, 1st)
CB Eli Apple, week 7 at NO, week 17 vs NO (1, 1st)
New Orleans Saints
S Malcolm Jenkins, week 14 at PHI (1, 1st)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LB Shaquil Barrett, week 3 at DEN (2, 1st)
Arizona Cardinals
DT Jordan Phillips, week 10 vs BUF (1, 1st)
LB Devon Kennard, week 3 vs DET (1, 1st)
LB Chandler Jones, week 12 at NE (4, 1st)
LB Jordan Hicks, week 15 vs PHI (2, 1st)
Los Angeles Rams
LB Leonard Floyd, week 7 vs CHI (1, 1st)
San Francisco 49ers
LB Joe Walker, week 1 vs ARI, week 16 at ARI (1, 1st)
Seattle Seahawks
S Jamal Adams, week 14 vs NYJ (1, 1st)
