Theory question - does team motivation become a factor as the NFL seas (1 Viewer)

[Burping Elk]

This is quite a theoretical question, but I've thought about it for many years and this seems like the place to ask it. Many of us are (hopefully) in our Fantasy playoffs. As we turn to our proven players to keep up the performances we expect from them, to help get us to our prize, how much should we factor in their REAL team's playoff picture?

For instance, let's take Kevin Walter of the Texans. Now, he had an amazing week last week, but the Texans are pretty much out of the playoff picture. Do all Texan players fall a bit in the ranks because the team has lost some motivation? Another example: At what point do you stop playing ANY Detroit player??

As now each Fantasy week is of the utmost importance, do we now have to factor in team morale? Am I not considering a player's desire to have individually fine performances, week-to-week? What say you??

 

[FairWarning]

Yes. Houston is motivated at the prospect of being .500 after a slow start. They are also a young team learning how to win. Now the Lions, the only guys worth playing are Smith and Calvin J. They are motivated by trying for that first win. Teams with lame-duck coaches/major injuries are usually the worst spots (Cleveland, Cincy, Jax, Buffalo, Seattle, Rams, Raiders).

A couple of teams with young players playing hard and competing for jobs are SF and KC. I would start their players if needed.

 

[T Bell]

NFL contracts aren't guaranteed. Most guys who aren't stars are playing for their jobs every week, and for most of them they're playing for more money than they'll ever make in their lives. There's plenty of motivation.

Overall I'd be more worried about teams that have clinched resting players than I would about otherwise good fantasy players on bad NFL teams somehow mailing it in.