Has National Anthem Protests Impacted Daily Fantasy Values
Has National Anthem Protests Impacted Daily Fantasy Values?
Much like last season, the various players protesting racial inequality and police brutality/protesting President Trump/supporting Colin Kaepernick has taken center stage. Many support the players for making the most of their platform. But many do not.
Then there is the segment of the population that just wishes football could be about football—and not politics.
The protests have definitely affected the popularity of the game and that of the players involved, but has it affected the product on the field. To be more specific, has it impacted daily fantasy football?
Rather than go crazy trying to track each and every player that has protested, the focus will be on the teams/players that kneel during the National Anthem and not those linking arms, raising a fist, or staying in the locker room.
The teams/players in question
Are as follows:
- Miami Dolphins— Kenny Stills, Julius Thomas, and Mike Thomas:
- San Francisco 49ers— approximately 25 players knelt prior to game against Colts. Many did the week before as well.
- Seattle Seahawks defensive line knelt prior to Week Four’s game, but stood to honor the victims of the Las Vegas tragedy last week.
- Prior to Week Four’s games, several Baltimore Ravens players knelt as did many from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Several Buffalo Bills players did as well.
- The Steelers stayed in the tunnel prior to Week Four’s game with the exception of one player, Andrew Villanueva.
- Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch has been sitting for the anthem, and last week decided to wear an “Everybody vs Trump” t-shirt to the game.
- Many of the Colts did prior to Week Three’s game.
- Many New England Patriots have knelt before games this year.
So—has the protests affected daily fantasy play?
In just about every case, the answer is no. None of the teams involved have many (if any) players that are worth considering in daily fantasy games. If anything, they were already struggling for well-known reasons.
Jay Cutler is killing the offense in Miami. San Francisco has been terrible for years and still is. Indianapolis is as irrelevant as they come in daily fantasy play this year.
The Seahawks struggles have been more on offense, and can be attributed more to poor offensive line play. Marshawn Lynch has not been good all season either.
Jacksonville’s defense is carrying that team and it is not clear if Leonard Fournette has been kneeling.
New England’s defense was terrible before anyone started kneeling.Tom Brady will always make sure the offense is fine.
According to some stories in the media, conflict over how the team has handled the National Anthem protests has led to some of the struggles the Pittsburgh Steelers have endured. But at the same time, the problems could be attributed to Le’Veon Bell holding out and skipping training camp and Ben Roethlisberger considering retirement.
Have the protests played a factor?
No.
The teams protesting were already having trouble, including the Steelers. If anything, the protests have only put a focus on some of the worst teams in the NFL this season. Their football is lacking, so people needed a reason to pay attention to them.
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