NFL DraftKings: The Case for Nathan Peterman in Week 1
By Ben McDaniel
Do you want some unconventional NFL DraftKings advice for Sunday? Start Nathan Peterman! That’s right. THAT Nathan Peterman. If you’re still reading, I assume you’re at least intrigued enough to entertain the idea. Kudos to you. Now, allow me to state my case for why I believe the much maligned Bills quarterback is shaping up to be one of the best large tournament GPP targets in week 1. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @BenMcD_Sports to let me know if you’ll be joining me on the Peterman bandwagon this week!
Low Salary
If rostering Peterman required a large portion of my overall salary, I would have no interest whatsoever in the Bills signal caller. It’s his incredibly cheap price that has my attention though. I can’t remember ever seeing a starting QB cost only $4,200 on NFL DraftKings. Honestly, Buffalo could have named Shia Labeouf the starter for week 1, and if his price was $4,200, I’d still be interested. Just take a look at this sample lineup from DraftKings that rostering Peterman allows you to use.
- Nathan Peterman $4,200
- David Johnson $8,800
- Alvin Kamara $8,500
- Keenan Allen $7,500
- Stefon Diggs $6,300
- Keelan Cole $3,800
- Charles Clay $3,500
- Carlos Hyde $4,500
- Titans DST $2,900
If you roster Peterman, your options are seemingly unlimited. I mean, David Johnson and Alvin Kamara will both be popular on Sunday, but what percentage of owners will be able to deploy both of them in the same lineup? Peterman provides you with the flexibility to mix and match a combination of players that most owners just simply won’t be able to afford.
Low Ownership
Just a reminder in case you didn’t read How to Win the NFL DraftKings Millionaire Maker Contest – 12 out of 15 winning Millionaire Maker lineups from last season included at least one player whose ownership checked in at under 2.2%. This should be a given, but Peterman will not be on very many rosters this Sunday. However, the fact that he’ll be practically ignored by other contestants is only part of what makes him such a unique GPP dart throw. Have you been paying attention to all of the buzz that has surrounded the Baltimore Ravens Defense/Special Teams this week?
Despite being the most expensive DST on the slate, they are going to be immensely popular. Look at this way – every time Peterman scores a point, you’ll either gain ground or extend your lead against nearly 100% of the field. Not only that, the more productive Peterman manages to be, the less points the highly owned Ravens DST will score. Considering the hate for Peterman and the love for Baltimore, this really is shaping up to be one of the most contrarian NFL DraftKings plays of all time.
Low Points Needed to Hit 3x Value
In order for Peterman to hit 3x value, he’ll need to score 12.6 points. What does 12.6 points look like in a box score though? Peterman could get to 13 fantasy points by finishing with 180 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He could get to 16 points by turning in 225 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 20 rushing yards. We could keep imagining different scenarios all day, but the point is, once you see it written out, it doesn’t seem all that impossible. LeSean McCoy could take a dump off to the house, or Peterman could run one in for six. You just never know.
There is also the possibility that if the Ravens end up grabbing an early lead, we could see a situation where Peterman spends the entire second half airing it out in an attempt to lead the Bills back from behind. This is a great time to remind you that garbage points are points too! It doesn’t matter how he gets there, if Peterman is able to grab you a minimum of 12 fantasy points, he will be one of the best NFL DraftKings value plays. Anything beyond 12 and his owners should be downright giddy!
It’s important to note that there is a difference between what I think COULD happen and what I think WILL happen. Not for one second am I recommending that you sell the farm to invest in Nathan Peterman on Sunday. What I am saying, is that it wouldn’t be that far-fetched to see him exceed expectations in week 1, and if he does, he will give you a solid chance at a good payout. Does it seem likely? Maybe not. But it didn’t seem likely that Nick Foles would lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl last year.
It didn’t seem likely that #16 seed UMBC would defeat the #1 overall seed, Virginia in March Madness last year. It didn’t seem likely that Tiger Woods would ever get within spitting distance of a major championship again. This is sports. Crazy things happen every day. Nathan Peterman and the Bills COULD surprise on Sunday, and if they do, I’ll get to be one of the few who get to say, “I told you so.” Care to join me?
DraftKings QB ownership projections week 1. dark. Next