5 More Players With An AXE to Grind – Week 1

I was a therapist with a Master’s degree in psychology. That’s why I love to focus my drafts on players with an axe to grind. Angry players show their displeasure with their team in two ways. They can pout, sit out, and have dubious injuries, or they can bust their butts to have an outstanding year that gets them paid or validates their injured pride after they got traded. Throughout history, many consistent players who wanted a contract, or were pissed they got traded, have fueled some fantastic fantasy football seasons.

1. Josh Allen, QB Buffalo Bills: I know that you’re saying to yourself, “Why in the world would Josh Allen have an axe to grind? He’s been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league for several years.” Isn’t it creepy how I knew what you were thinking? The only axe he has to grind is towards himself. The whispers are there, and he hears them. “How can he be so good but not get the Bills to the Super Bowl? That’s what I’ve been whispering anyway. A lot of coaches have been fired while Josh Allen has been playing quarterback. Daboll, Dorsey, McDermott. Soon, if things don’t change, Bills fans and owners will stop whispering and start yelling that Josh can’t get the team back to the Super Bowl. I predict Josh Allen will put pressure on himself this season to carry the team. That may result in a lot of running and some pressured passing. If he steps up, this could be one of the best fantasy seasons for any QB ever.

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2. DJ Moore, WR, Buffalo Bills: DJ Moore was not happy with how the last couple of years in Chicago went. They never consistently used him enough, and he was happy to get out of there and away from a horde of first- and second-year WRs. He knows his career doesn’t have a lot of years left, and he wants it to seem that he was the WR the Bills needed to get them over the Super Bowl hump. If Josh and DJ get on the same page, they may be exactly what the Bills need. Remember when DJ Moore was really good in Carolina? His current Head Coach, Joe Brady, was the offensive coordinator then. (Reunited and it feels so good…) Admit it, you know the lyrics.

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3. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England: New England has been trying to find a new/better RB for a couple of years. Rhamondre knows this, and I’m sure he’s heard from the fantasy football community pretty consistently that TrayVeon Henderson is going to take his job. And yet, he keeps showing up and plows through the defensive line as well as anybody in the league. Oh, hey, remember when everybody thought he was fumbling too much. He took care of that last season and is coming out of camp smelling like a rose. TrayVeon may have great open-field speed, but it’s no good if you can’t stay on the field. Also, 90% of the game takes place close to the line of scrimmage. And, as s you may have heard, the best ability is… Rhamondre ‘s got that covered, and he’s welcome to be on my roster any day.

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Denzel Boston, WR: If I’m Denzel Boston, which I’m not, I’d be sick and tired of two things right now. (Well, three things, but DeShaun Watson filling Denzel’s helmet with gummy worms isn’t so bad) The two things are hearing the name KC Concepcion constantly, and people asking if David Boston is his dad. Thanks, Mike Greenberg. David Boston is not Denzel’s dad. What if every football player with the last name Boston is a great receiver? Denzel has had to put up with a bunch of nonsense this offseason, but as a player, he’s built like Mike Evans.  He’s already 6’4″ tall and has a 35-inch vertical leap. This dude can go up and get the ball where very few corners and safeties can go.

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De’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears: It seems as if he is finally ascending to where he should be. In my drafts, I was thrilled to get him as my RB2, and super happy with him as my RB3. He’s never really been given the backfield all to himself since he’s been in the NFL, and now he may have it. He’s not sexy. He’s nobody’s number one choice, but it looks like if you give him the ball, he finally has the chance to show what he can do.

Think about it; say you’re at work and you feel disrespected and underutilized. Doesn’t that make you want to do something to make your boss appreciate you? You either kick butt, or you leave for a better job. The football players are no different. They have their pride and several billion people watching them. That’s why I love my axe-to-grind guys.