Week 2 Revenge Games: 7 Players Out to Torch Their Ex-Teams
Seeking revenge on a former lover, friend, or employer can take many forms, depending on the level of the breakup, falling out, or layoff/firing. There’s the popular sexy revenge body, the hotter or younger lover method, or, for business purposes, getting retribution by being highly successful at your next venture.
In the NFL, that translates to a player having themselves a day against a former team they’ve played for. I outlined what I found from 10 years of data in the article Revenge Games: 10 Years of Data on Fantasy Breakouts vs. Former Teams, and this weekly column will dive into who’s seeking retribution each week.
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Before I get into this week's revengers, let’s look at how Week 1 shook out:
- Justin Fields: QB 2, 29.5 FP
- Aaron Rodgers: QB7, 25.7 FP
- Sam Darnold: QB30, 5.4 FP
- Jakobi Meyers: WR16, 13.7 (half-PPR)
- Miles Sanders: RB47, 3.5 (half-PPR)
Week 2 Revenge Seekers
Quarterbacks
Geno Smith (LV) vs Chargers
At this point, I suppose we can call Geno Smith a journeyman, as he is on his fifth NFL team since entering the league in 2013. While Smith was only a member of the Chargers for one season (2018), it counts for revenge game purposes, as you never know what level of animosity lies beneath.
Smith had a solid Week 1 against New England, completing 70.6% of his passes for 362 yards and a touchdown. He should be considered a solid QB2 this week with the potential to sneak into the top 12.
Joe Flacco (CLE) @ Ravens
Like Smith, Joe Flacco has donned quite a few uniforms, but his longest tenure and where he began his NFL career was in Baltimore. Flacco was a Raven from 2008 to 2018, during which he played in 163 contests, accumulating 38,245 passing yards and 212 touchdowns, along with 811 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns via his legs.
He rolls into M&T Bank Stadium as the current starter for the Browns, not only a division rival, but also as a redemption seeker. Flacco threw for 290 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions last week, but Sunday’s contest should be more difficult for the veteran against Baltimore's stout defense. He's not recommended outside of superflex, but if you are desperate, I suppose the revenge factor could bump Flacco up a tad.
Running Backs
D’Andre Swift (CHI) @ Lions
He was drafted by the Lions with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and D'Andre Swift remained with the team for three seasons before being traded to the Eagles in 2023. This is his second season in Chicago, and the RB gets to seek payback for being dealt to Philly here in Week 2.
Swift saw a hearty 20 touches last week in a tough loss to Minnesota (the 9th most among RBs), and should be in line for some decent volume in this road matchup against Detroit. Consider Swift an RB2 with some upside via revenge.
David Montgomery (DET) vs. Bears
On the other side of the ball, we get another RB likely seeking retaliation on his former employer. David Montgomery was drafted by the Bears in 2019 with the 73rd pick and remained in Chicago through the 2022 season before signing with Detroit as a free agent on March 16th, 2023.
Over the last two seasons, we’ve seen finishes of RB8 in 2023 and RB13 last year in half-PPR scoring on a per-game basis as a member of the Lions, and in Week 1 of this season, Monty saw 15 touches, which could increase this week with the revenge factor. Fire up the Detroit RB this week in your RB2 or flex spot as he seeks some sweet vengeance.
Ty Johnson (BUF) @ Jets
The backfield in Buffalo belongs to James Cook, but Ty Johnson did see the second-most snaps ahead of Ray Davis. They may give him a little extra run (or catch), considering he’s up against a team he played for from 2021-2022, but unless you are truly desperate in a larger league, Johnson is not recommended as a starter, even with the revenge narrative.
Wide Receivers
DK Metcalf (PIT) vs. Seahawks
This one should be fun as DK Metcalf is facing the team that drafted him 64th overall in 2019 and his former home until this offseason. The 2024 season was a weird one for Metcalf, and we have to assume there are some feelings about being traded to Pittsburgh back in March.
The WR is coming off a decent start to the season, where he caught 4-of-7 targets for 83 yards against the Jets. His QB, Aaron Rodgers, is coming off a stellar revenge game, so he’ll likely be inspired to pepper Metcalf even more than usual at home in Pittsburgh.
Elijah Moore (BUF) @ Jets
This is not a suggested play; however, Elijah Moore is facing his first NFL team (2021-2022) in a heated divisional contest. Moore saw just one target and one rushing attempt on Sunday night and is currently sitting fourth in the Bills pecking order behind Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Joshua Palmer.
