Overs or unders ?
Overs starting week 3 when offenses started to gell
Totals were still low
Not saying that will repeat itself this year
I think financial problems
Former Buccaneer Hall of famer Derrick Brooks was heavily involved
All Tampa Bay fans loved the Bandits back then because the Bucs sucked
Birmingham Stallions
Memphis Showboats
New Orleans Breakers
Pittsburgh Maulers
Philadelphia Stars
Michigan Panthers
Houston Gamblers
New Jersey Generals
Memphis Showboats
New Orleans Breakers
Pittsburgh Maulers
Philadelphia Stars
Michigan Panthers
Houston Gamblers
New Jersey Generals
And your New Orleans Breakers looked like the team to beat for a while there last season
I'll be watching ? even though it's not https://www.goifl.com
Here is a primer for those interested in the league, Itt written from a DFS perspective BUT that doesnt change the information regrding the players...
Spring football continues with the second annual season of the USFL after the league relaunched in 2022. Overall, the USFL functions as a blend between XFL and NFL rules. Before we get into our comprehensive USFL DFS Week 1 guide and overall comprehensive USFL DFS Week strategy guide, let’s provide some background.
The USFL uses a 35 second play clock instead of the standard 40 second NFL play clock. However, that didn’t substantially increase play volume or scoring. Unlike the NFL, the USFL uses extra points, but they also have two point and three point conversion options like the XFL. A few other rule changes exist, but the impact on DFS should be minor.
With USFL Week 1 bringing so much unknown, this piece will dig into each team’s depth chart and attempt to identify information advantages. All of the totals sit between 37.5-39.5. Likewise, all of the spreads are within 5.5 points, meaning most of the implied team totals are within similar ranges.
Philadelphia Stars vs. Memphis Showboats
Philadelphia Stars
Head Coach – Bart Andrus
Offensive Coordinator – Ryan Meyers / Marcel Bellefeuille
One of the more interesting coaching hires in the USFL, Bart Andrus comes from a lower level of competition. After playing quarterback at Montana from 1979-1980, Andrus has most recently coached in Canada and various spring leagues. In 2021, Andrus coached quarterbacks for a college team in Canada called the Ottawa Gee-Gee’s. Their offense passed the ball 53% of the time and ran an uptempo, no-huddle style of offense.
Andrus led the Stars in their inaugural season and he returns as head coach after finishing 6-4 last year. He has a new run game coordinator in Ryan Meyers, which shouldn’t matter much with Andrus calling plays. Meyers was the offensive coordinator for Norfolk State last year, but previously worked in the 2020 XFL. He will coordinate the run, but this is going to be an air raid pass heavy offense. The Stars ranked first in pass rate (59.4%), but seventh in play volume (49.9). This team also used four wide on almost every offensive play last year. Overall, they are a 2.5 point favorite over Memphis in a game with a 38.5 total.
Quarterback – Case Cookus, KJ Costello, Vad Lee, Kevin Thomson,
Running Back – Matt Colburn II, Darnell Holland, Dexter Williams
Wide Receiver – Samuel Akem, Corey Coleman, Devin Gray, Diondre Overton, Chris Rowland, Jordan Suell, Keric Wheatfall, Terry Wright,
Tight End – Lawrence Dalla Betta, Bug Howard, Ryan Izzo, Pro Wells
Cuts – Kelvin Harmon (WR), Jordan Scarlett (RB), Devon Williams (WR)
The Stars no longer have Bryan Scott as he pursues a career in the CFL. Last year when Scott went down with injury, Case Cookus ($10.2) stepped up admirably. Cookus completed 61.4% of his passes for 6.5 YPA. While Scott posted superior numbers, Cookus played well enough in this air raid system. Overall, he finished with 1,334 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 217 yards, but a majority of that came on one carry. Still, he has better rushing chops than some of the other signal callers in this developmental league. Behind him, KJ Costello ($6.0k) should serve as the backup when healthy, but he is on the Inactive list for now. Interestingly, Philadelphia is carrying four quarterbacks with Vad Lee ($7.6k) and Kevin Thompson ($6.0k) also on the roster. One of these players should serve as the backup.
At running back, Matt Colburn II ($9.0k) and Darnell Holland ($6.3k) both return. Holland only played in six games due to injury, but he carried 27 times for 142 yards. Colburn wasn’t quite as efficient, but he proved more durable than the rest of the backs. He finished with 102 carries for 457 yards. Colburn finished the season with more work, but Colburn and Holland split pretty evenly when both were healthy at the same time last year. Unfortunately, the Stars already placed Holland on injured reserve, which means former Notre Dame and Green Bay Packers back Dexter Williams ($6.4k) could play a larger role. Williams has seven career NFL rush attempts for 19 yards, but he was a sixth round pick out of Notre Dame. On paper, he is the most talented back on this roster.
Philadelphia doesn’t use a tight end in the traditional sense. This team is almost exclusively four wide. Bug Howard ($4.0k) led the team with 30 catches for 371 yards. Like Costello, he was played on the inactive list, making his status murky for the team’s opening game. Their second-leading receiver, Jordan Suell ($9.1k) also returns after catching 36 balls for 370 yards. Fourth-leading receiver Chris Rowland ($3.0k) returns after catching 21 balls 215 yards. Last year, these receiving totals tied Devin Gray ($5.3k), who also posted 215 yards, but did so on 26 receptions and 19 more targets. Former Clemson receiver Diondre Overton ($3.5k) also makes his return after 12 catches for 200 yards, but the rest of the pass catchers should be new faces. Corey Coleman ($7.5k) is the biggest name after busting in the NFL after coming in as the 15th overall pick in 2016. He has 61 catches for 789 yards in his NFL career.
Samuel Akem ($3.0k) is a former Montana State, who caught 49 balls for 689 yards in his final season. Keric Wheatfall ($3.0k) has slightly more promise after coming from a larger school in Fresno State. He caught 38 balls for 616 yards in his final season in 2021. He stands 6-2, 185 pounds. Terry Wright ($3.0k) rounds out the roster after spending some time on NFL practice squads, followed by a stint in the CFL. Wright finished with 28 catches for 468 yards in his final 2018 season with Purdue. Interestingly, the team is carrying multiple tight ends, including Ryan Izzo ($3.1k), Pro Wells ($4.5k), and Lawrence Dalla Betta ($2.5k).
Wells played with the team last year and played firmly behind Howard. Dalla Betta is a former West Florida tight end, which shouldn’t really hurt Howard. Izzo is actually a fringe NFL tight end. He had 19 receptions for 313 yards over a two year span of 2019-2020 with New England. With Howard injured, Izzo should be the favorite for tight end snaps until further notice. However, he isn’t the same quality of move tight end, so perhaps Philadelphia just opts to use four wide. Ultimately, the projected pecking order is Suell > Coleman > Gray > Rowland > Overton > Wheatfall.
Memphis Showboats
Head Coach – Todd Haley
Offensive Coordinator – Bob Saunders
This is the exact same coaching staff that led the Tampa Bay Bandits to a 4-6 record last season. Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers play-caller Todd Haley coordinated the offense between 2012-2017. He then coordinated the Cleveland Browns offense in 2018 under Hue Jackson before getting fired. Then, Haley has coached at the high school level. Haley has a reputation for pushing the ball down field with his signal callers. He also passes a lot overall, sitting inside the top 15 in pass rate and top ten in tempo in his final two NFL seasons. Offensive coordinator, Bob Saunders is a former WR coach of the DC Defenders and was an assistant WR coach with Haley in Cleveland. Overall, Tampa Bay ranked sixth in plays per game (59.0) and third in pass rate (54.2%). They come in as the slight underdog here.
Quarterback – Cole Kelley, Brady White, Ryan Willis
Running Back – Alex Collins, David Hamm, Justin Stockton
Wide Receiver – Rashard Davis, Derrick Dillon, John Franklin III, Ryan McDaniel, DJ Meyers, John Mitchell, Osiris Mitchell, Vinny Papale,
Tight End – Daniel Helm, Jay Jay Wilson
Cuts – Jon’Vea Johnson (WR), Kerrith White (RB), Darrell Adams (TE)
Basically all Tampa Bandits stats have been scrubbed from the internet in another moronic move by the USFL. Their QB room doesn’t look great on paper. USFL veteran Brady White ($6.8k) threw 17 passes last year with horrific efficiency. Haley named him the starter due to familiarity with the system. He brings no rushing ability to the position. Rumors have swirled that Memphis may use multiple quarterbacks, which makes this a tricky situation for DFS. They also have Cole Kelley ($9.9k), who transferred from Arkansas to Southeastern Louisiana. He is 6-7 260 pounds and threw for 5,124 yards on 552 attempts in 2021. He also rushed 161 times for 491 yards and should serve as the backup. The team also has Ryan Willis ($6.0k), who last played for Virginia Tech in 2019. He only played in five games, but his efficiency was decent and he has a little bit of rushing chops.
The team has three brand new backs in Alex Collins ($7.8k), David Hamm ($3.8k), and Justin Stockton ($3.0k). Collins actually rushed 108 times for 411 yards, while catching 9 balls for 87 yards in 2021 with the Seattle Seahawks. Hamm is 6-1, 222 pounds and last played for the Bismarck Bucks. This is an indoor football team. Given he barely played and played at McNeese State before, he should be behind Collins. The final back, Stockton went undrafted in the USFL player pool. He most recently played in the IFL. If this backfield isn’t the Collins show, Haley should be fired immediately.
Last year’s top two receivers Rashard Davis ($4.9k) and Derrick Dillon ($3.4k) return. Davis caught 22 balls for 369 yards, while Dillon caught 28 for 386. The team also returns John Franklin III ($8.6k), who caught 14 balls for 170 yards. Osirus Mitchell ($3.4k) came over from the Stallions somehow. He caught 27 balls for 397 and should provide an immediate upgrade. Vinny Papale ($6.8k) also returns after catching 19 balls for 244 yards last year. The rest of the receivers are Ryan McDaniel ($3.0k), DJ Meyers ($3.0k), and John Mitchell ($3.0k).
McDaniel is a 6-2, 215 pound receiver, who transferred from Tulsa to North Carolina Central. He caught 52 balls for 678 yards in 2021. Meyers is already 28 and played college with Midwestern State back in 2017. He is 6-3, 198 pounds. Mitchell is 6-4, 228 pounds and last played with FAU in 2021. He caught 19 balls for 257 yards that season. Notoriously, this team ran one of the nastiest rotations in the USFL last year. Dillon emerged as the top option, but he was followed closely by Davis > Papale > and Franklin. Mitchell is the true wildcard here after playing well with the Stallions last year. He could jump any of the four just mentioned.
The tight ends here are Daniel Helm ($4.2k) and Jay Jay Wilson ($2.9k). Helm is 6-4, 255 and has bounced around NFL practice squads since 2019. He previously played at Duke. Wilson is 6-3, 249 pounds. He played LB, HB, and TE in college with Arizona State and Auburn. He caught 14 balls his final season in 2019. Neither look like particularly strong DFS options. This team did have success with Cheyenne O’Grady last year, but the involvement of Helm or Wilson remains to be seen.
New Jersey Generals vs. Birmingham Stallions
New Jersey Generals
Head Coach – Mike Riley
Offensive Coordinator – Steven Smith
The failed Nebraska coach from 2015-2017, Mike Riley most recently coached the Seattle Dragons in the XFL. Before that, Riley coached the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF. Overall, Riley runs a run-heavy offense, which has been consistent across his stops in the developmental spring leagues. Last year, this team finished 9-1 in the regular season last year and they retained most of their entire coaching staff. New Jersey ranked fifth in plays per game (59.7) and last in pass rate (42.4%). Despite the strong season, the Generals kick off against the champions in the Birmingham Stallions. The Generals are 5.5 point underdogs in a game with a 39.5 total.
Quarterback – De’Andre Johnson, Kyle Lauletta, Dakota Prukop,
Running Back – Kingston Davis, Darius Victor, Trey Williams
Wide Receiver – Cam Echols-Luper, Alonzo Moore, Warren Newman, De’Mornay Pierson-El, Randy Satterfield, Darrell Stewart Jr.
Tight End – Braedon Bowman, Woody Brandom, Charles Jones, Wes Saxton Jr.
Cuts – Marcus Green (WR), Landon Lenoir (WR)
The Generals lost Luis Perez to the XFL, but they retain the services of De’Andre Johnson ($8.9k). Johnson was the best signal caller in the USFL last year, completing 72% of his passes for 10.3 YPA. He still only threw 75 passes, with Perez throwing 201. Johnson possesses elite mobility, rushing 64 times for 310 yards. The team also has Kyle Lauletta ($7.3k) and Dakota Prukop ($6.0k). Lauletta played briefly with the Pittsburgh Maulers last year, completing 52% of his passes for 6.1 YPA. Prukop played with Oregon briefly, before transferring to Montana State. He has been in the CFL ever since. He hasn’t ever really gotten the chance to actually play in that league. While Riley used a timeshare at the position last year, Johnson should get a chance to operate the offense by himself here. Lauletta and Prukop just haven’t shown enough for this to be a split. Behind his mobility, Johnson is one of the best plays on the slate.
The Generals return their two main rushers in Trey Williams ($8.1k) and Darius Victor ($9.3k). Williams rushed 118 times for 579 yards, while Victor rushed 127 times for 577 yards. Williams did have 30 targets, while Victor checked in with 16. Both backs are solid plays, but Williams looks to have a slight efficiency and pass game edge. With that said, Victor scored nine touchdowns, compared to two for Williams. Their third back is Kingston Davis ($4.6k), who played in the USFL last year, but didn’t actually see the field. Both Williams and Victor are viable DFS plays.
The Generals lost the USFL’s best player from 2022 in Kavontae Turpin. They returned their second-leading receiver Alonzo Moore ($9.3k), who caught 23 balls for 365 yards. Randy Satterfield ($7.2k) is also back after 9 catches for 124 yards. Cam Echols-Luper ($5.0k) returns after 3 catches for 38 yards. The rest of the group is composed of Warren Newman ($3.0k), De’Mornay Pierson-El ($3.0k), and Darrell Stewart Jr. ($3.6k). Newman caught 48 balls for 346 yards with Jackson State in 2021. He is 5-8, 175 pounds.
Pierson-El most recently played with the St Louis Battlehawks in the 2020 version of the XFL before bouncing around NFL practice squads. He is 5-9, 185 pounds and has played well in multiple developmental leagues. Stewart is 6-0, 212 pounds and last played with Michigan State in 2019. He caught 49 balls for 697 yards and four scores. This is one of the more challenging receiver rooms to rank. Moore and Satterfield deserve to be the top two considerations, but Pierson-El could jump Echols-Luper in the target pecking order after his recent NFL stint.
New Jersey uses a fair amount of tight ends. Woody Brandom ($4.9k) was the fourth leading receiver with 11 catches for 129 yards. Braedon Bowman ($3.3k) caught 12 balls for 122 yards. Wes Saxton ($2.5k) also caught a pair of balls for 10 yards. The final tight end on the 2023 roster is Charles Jones ($2.5k). Jones was undrafted out of Tulane in 2019 and has bounced around practice squads. He only caught 10 balls for 53 yards in his final season with Tulane. This is probably a position to avoid with so many bodies and the potential for a timeshare in a run heavy offense.
Birmingham Stallions
Head Coach – Skip Holtz
Offensive Coordinator – vacant
The Stallions do not have an offensive coordinator, with head coach Skip Holtz calling plays. Holtz previously coached Louisiana Tech from 2013-2021, which operated a fantasy friendly scheme. Often running four-wide sets, Louisiana Tech passed 52.5% and 53.1% of the time in his final two seasons. Both ranked inside the top 33. They also ran 71.4 and 73.0 plays per game in his final two years, ranking inside the top 54. In 2022 the Stallions finished 9-1 in the regular season and won the USFL last year. The offense lived up to expectations last year ranking second in plays per game (61.0) and sixth in pass rate (50.7%). They currently sit as 5.5 point favorites over the New Jersey Generals.
Quarterback – J’Mar Smith, Alex McGough, Jalen Morton
Running Back – Bo Scarbrough, CJ Marable, ZaQuandre White, Bobby Holly
Wide Receiver – Marlon Williams, Deon Cain, Davion Davis, Michael Dereus, Adrian Hardy, Myron Mitchell, Austin Watkins
Tight End – Jace Sternberger, Thad Moss
Cuts – Cary Angeline (TE), Rico Gafford (WR), Peyton Ramzy (WR)
The Stallions used two quarterbacks for much of the 2022 season until Alex McGough ($7.5k) suffered an injury. Coach Holtz indicated that he plans to take the same approach this year. From an efficiency perspective, J’Mar Smith ($10.3k) out-played McGough. Smith completed 55.5% of his passes for 6.7 YPA. McGough completed 52% of his passes for 6.1 YPA. Smith also proved more efficient as a rusher, averaging 5.5 YPC, compared to 4.1 for McGough. It should be noted that both quarterbacks often rushed between 5-8 times when given the full allotment of snaps. The timeshare makes this a tricky situation for DFS and probably a stay away for the moment.
The running back position basically functioned as a near 50-50 timeshare between Bo Scarbrough ($8.8k), and CJ Marable ($6.6k) last year. Scarbrough averaged 4.1 YPC, compared to 3.75 for Marable. The team also signed ZaQuandre White ($4.5k) this offseason. White rushed 88 times for 583 yards, while catching 19 balls for 202 yards in 2021 with South Carolina. White was a UDFA with the Dolphins last year. He is 6-0, 206 pounds. In the pass game, Marable received 27 targets and Scarbrough saw 14. They split this role almost evenly as well. This was one of the run heavier teams last year, which brought the backfield plenty of value. While this projects to be a timeshare to some degree, Scarbrough’s superior efficiency could allow him to work ahead of Marable more this year. Scarbrough should be the preferred option here. White is a complete wildcard, but could be useful in the right role.
Last year’s target leader Victor Bolden is now with the XFL. Marlon Williams ($9.5k) returns after catching 32 balls for 474 yards (14.8 YPR). The team also returns role players Michael Dereus ($3.0k) and Adrian Hardy ($3.5k). Hardy caught 8 balls for 128 yards (16.0 YPR). Dereus caught 7 balls for 61 yards (8.7 YPR). The team also brought in Davion Davis ($3.7k), who started the 2023 year in the XFL with the Roughnecks. Davis has been bouncing around NFL practice squads since 2019, giving him a better pedigree than Dereus or Hardy. They also brought in former NFL player Deon Cain ($7.4k). Cain caught 20 passes for 124 yards back in the 2019 season. He has been with the Eagles from 2021-2022, but he didn’t appear in any games.
The last two players on the roster are Myron Mitchell ($3.0k) and Austin Watkins ($3.0k). Mitchell spent 2021-2022 with the Vikings after going undrafted out of UAB. He is 6-1, 180 pounds. Watkins is another former UAB receiver, who went undrafted in 2021. He spent 2021 with San Francisco and 2022 with Tampa Bay. Watkins stands 6-3, 210 pounds. He caught 34 balls for 468 yards in his finale season with UAB, while Mitchell caught 29 balls for 436 yards. The top three should be Williams, Cain, and Davis, with Dereus, Hardy, Mitchell, and Watkins providing depth. People seem to be writing off Mitchell and Watkins, but there’s a good chance they’re just better than Dereus or Hardy.
The team cut last year’s tight end Cary Angeline for former Green Bay Packer Jace Sternberger ($4.7k). Sternberger is 6-4, 250 pounds and caught 16 career passes in the NFL. Last year, Angeline caught 9 balls for 152 yards. Their other tight end Sage Surratt caught 11 balls for 148 yards. This was a semi-productive position, meaning Sternberger could have some viability. Thad Moss joined the Birmingham tight end room on 4/10. Moss has bounced around NFL practice squads since testing horribly after winning a national championship with Joe Burrow. He isn’t in the player pool on DraftKings.
Spring football continues with the second annual season of the USFL after the league relaunched in 2022. Overall, the USFL functions as a blend between XFL and NFL rules. Before we get into our comprehensive USFL DFS Week 1 guide and overall comprehensive USFL DFS Week strategy guide, let’s provide some background.
The USFL uses a 35 second play clock instead of the standard 40 second NFL play clock. However, that didn’t substantially increase play volume or scoring. Unlike the NFL, the USFL uses extra points, but they also have two point and three point conversion options like the XFL. A few other rule changes exist, but the impact on DFS should be minor.
With USFL Week 1 bringing so much unknown, this piece will dig into each team’s depth chart and attempt to identify information advantages. All of the totals sit between 37.5-39.5. Likewise, all of the spreads are within 5.5 points, meaning most of the implied team totals are within similar ranges.
Philadelphia Stars vs. Memphis Showboats
Philadelphia Stars
Head Coach – Bart Andrus
Offensive Coordinator – Ryan Meyers / Marcel Bellefeuille
One of the more interesting coaching hires in the USFL, Bart Andrus comes from a lower level of competition. After playing quarterback at Montana from 1979-1980, Andrus has most recently coached in Canada and various spring leagues. In 2021, Andrus coached quarterbacks for a college team in Canada called the Ottawa Gee-Gee’s. Their offense passed the ball 53% of the time and ran an uptempo, no-huddle style of offense.
Andrus led the Stars in their inaugural season and he returns as head coach after finishing 6-4 last year. He has a new run game coordinator in Ryan Meyers, which shouldn’t matter much with Andrus calling plays. Meyers was the offensive coordinator for Norfolk State last year, but previously worked in the 2020 XFL. He will coordinate the run, but this is going to be an air raid pass heavy offense. The Stars ranked first in pass rate (59.4%), but seventh in play volume (49.9). This team also used four wide on almost every offensive play last year. Overall, they are a 2.5 point favorite over Memphis in a game with a 38.5 total.
Quarterback – Case Cookus, KJ Costello, Vad Lee, Kevin Thomson,
Running Back – Matt Colburn II, Darnell Holland, Dexter Williams
Wide Receiver – Samuel Akem, Corey Coleman, Devin Gray, Diondre Overton, Chris Rowland, Jordan Suell, Keric Wheatfall, Terry Wright,
Tight End – Lawrence Dalla Betta, Bug Howard, Ryan Izzo, Pro Wells
Cuts – Kelvin Harmon (WR), Jordan Scarlett (RB), Devon Williams (WR)
The Stars no longer have Bryan Scott as he pursues a career in the CFL. Last year when Scott went down with injury, Case Cookus ($10.2) stepped up admirably. Cookus completed 61.4% of his passes for 6.5 YPA. While Scott posted superior numbers, Cookus played well enough in this air raid system. Overall, he finished with 1,334 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 217 yards, but a majority of that came on one carry. Still, he has better rushing chops than some of the other signal callers in this developmental league. Behind him, KJ Costello ($6.0k) should serve as the backup when healthy, but he is on the Inactive list for now. Interestingly, Philadelphia is carrying four quarterbacks with Vad Lee ($7.6k) and Kevin Thompson ($6.0k) also on the roster. One of these players should serve as the backup.
At running back, Matt Colburn II ($9.0k) and Darnell Holland ($6.3k) both return. Holland only played in six games due to injury, but he carried 27 times for 142 yards. Colburn wasn’t quite as efficient, but he proved more durable than the rest of the backs. He finished with 102 carries for 457 yards. Colburn finished the season with more work, but Colburn and Holland split pretty evenly when both were healthy at the same time last year. Unfortunately, the Stars already placed Holland on injured reserve, which means former Notre Dame and Green Bay Packers back Dexter Williams ($6.4k) could play a larger role. Williams has seven career NFL rush attempts for 19 yards, but he was a sixth round pick out of Notre Dame. On paper, he is the most talented back on this roster.
Philadelphia doesn’t use a tight end in the traditional sense. This team is almost exclusively four wide. Bug Howard ($4.0k) led the team with 30 catches for 371 yards. Like Costello, he was played on the inactive list, making his status murky for the team’s opening game. Their second-leading receiver, Jordan Suell ($9.1k) also returns after catching 36 balls for 370 yards. Fourth-leading receiver Chris Rowland ($3.0k) returns after catching 21 balls 215 yards. Last year, these receiving totals tied Devin Gray ($5.3k), who also posted 215 yards, but did so on 26 receptions and 19 more targets. Former Clemson receiver Diondre Overton ($3.5k) also makes his return after 12 catches for 200 yards, but the rest of the pass catchers should be new faces. Corey Coleman ($7.5k) is the biggest name after busting in the NFL after coming in as the 15th overall pick in 2016. He has 61 catches for 789 yards in his NFL career.
Samuel Akem ($3.0k) is a former Montana State, who caught 49 balls for 689 yards in his final season. Keric Wheatfall ($3.0k) has slightly more promise after coming from a larger school in Fresno State. He caught 38 balls for 616 yards in his final season in 2021. He stands 6-2, 185 pounds. Terry Wright ($3.0k) rounds out the roster after spending some time on NFL practice squads, followed by a stint in the CFL. Wright finished with 28 catches for 468 yards in his final 2018 season with Purdue. Interestingly, the team is carrying multiple tight ends, including Ryan Izzo ($3.1k), Pro Wells ($4.5k), and Lawrence Dalla Betta ($2.5k).
Wells played with the team last year and played firmly behind Howard. Dalla Betta is a former West Florida tight end, which shouldn’t really hurt Howard. Izzo is actually a fringe NFL tight end. He had 19 receptions for 313 yards over a two year span of 2019-2020 with New England. With Howard injured, Izzo should be the favorite for tight end snaps until further notice. However, he isn’t the same quality of move tight end, so perhaps Philadelphia just opts to use four wide. Ultimately, the projected pecking order is Suell > Coleman > Gray > Rowland > Overton > Wheatfall.
Memphis Showboats
Head Coach – Todd Haley
Offensive Coordinator – Bob Saunders
This is the exact same coaching staff that led the Tampa Bay Bandits to a 4-6 record last season. Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers play-caller Todd Haley coordinated the offense between 2012-2017. He then coordinated the Cleveland Browns offense in 2018 under Hue Jackson before getting fired. Then, Haley has coached at the high school level. Haley has a reputation for pushing the ball down field with his signal callers. He also passes a lot overall, sitting inside the top 15 in pass rate and top ten in tempo in his final two NFL seasons. Offensive coordinator, Bob Saunders is a former WR coach of the DC Defenders and was an assistant WR coach with Haley in Cleveland. Overall, Tampa Bay ranked sixth in plays per game (59.0) and third in pass rate (54.2%). They come in as the slight underdog here.
Quarterback – Cole Kelley, Brady White, Ryan Willis
Running Back – Alex Collins, David Hamm, Justin Stockton
Wide Receiver – Rashard Davis, Derrick Dillon, John Franklin III, Ryan McDaniel, DJ Meyers, John Mitchell, Osiris Mitchell, Vinny Papale,
Tight End – Daniel Helm, Jay Jay Wilson
Cuts – Jon’Vea Johnson (WR), Kerrith White (RB), Darrell Adams (TE)
Basically all Tampa Bandits stats have been scrubbed from the internet in another moronic move by the USFL. Their QB room doesn’t look great on paper. USFL veteran Brady White ($6.8k) threw 17 passes last year with horrific efficiency. Haley named him the starter due to familiarity with the system. He brings no rushing ability to the position. Rumors have swirled that Memphis may use multiple quarterbacks, which makes this a tricky situation for DFS. They also have Cole Kelley ($9.9k), who transferred from Arkansas to Southeastern Louisiana. He is 6-7 260 pounds and threw for 5,124 yards on 552 attempts in 2021. He also rushed 161 times for 491 yards and should serve as the backup. The team also has Ryan Willis ($6.0k), who last played for Virginia Tech in 2019. He only played in five games, but his efficiency was decent and he has a little bit of rushing chops.
The team has three brand new backs in Alex Collins ($7.8k), David Hamm ($3.8k), and Justin Stockton ($3.0k). Collins actually rushed 108 times for 411 yards, while catching 9 balls for 87 yards in 2021 with the Seattle Seahawks. Hamm is 6-1, 222 pounds and last played for the Bismarck Bucks. This is an indoor football team. Given he barely played and played at McNeese State before, he should be behind Collins. The final back, Stockton went undrafted in the USFL player pool. He most recently played in the IFL. If this backfield isn’t the Collins show, Haley should be fired immediately.
Last year’s top two receivers Rashard Davis ($4.9k) and Derrick Dillon ($3.4k) return. Davis caught 22 balls for 369 yards, while Dillon caught 28 for 386. The team also returns John Franklin III ($8.6k), who caught 14 balls for 170 yards. Osirus Mitchell ($3.4k) came over from the Stallions somehow. He caught 27 balls for 397 and should provide an immediate upgrade. Vinny Papale ($6.8k) also returns after catching 19 balls for 244 yards last year. The rest of the receivers are Ryan McDaniel ($3.0k), DJ Meyers ($3.0k), and John Mitchell ($3.0k).
McDaniel is a 6-2, 215 pound receiver, who transferred from Tulsa to North Carolina Central. He caught 52 balls for 678 yards in 2021. Meyers is already 28 and played college with Midwestern State back in 2017. He is 6-3, 198 pounds. Mitchell is 6-4, 228 pounds and last played with FAU in 2021. He caught 19 balls for 257 yards that season. Notoriously, this team ran one of the nastiest rotations in the USFL last year. Dillon emerged as the top option, but he was followed closely by Davis > Papale > and Franklin. Mitchell is the true wildcard here after playing well with the Stallions last year. He could jump any of the four just mentioned.
The tight ends here are Daniel Helm ($4.2k) and Jay Jay Wilson ($2.9k). Helm is 6-4, 255 and has bounced around NFL practice squads since 2019. He previously played at Duke. Wilson is 6-3, 249 pounds. He played LB, HB, and TE in college with Arizona State and Auburn. He caught 14 balls his final season in 2019. Neither look like particularly strong DFS options. This team did have success with Cheyenne O’Grady last year, but the involvement of Helm or Wilson remains to be seen.
New Jersey Generals vs. Birmingham Stallions
New Jersey Generals
Head Coach – Mike Riley
Offensive Coordinator – Steven Smith
The failed Nebraska coach from 2015-2017, Mike Riley most recently coached the Seattle Dragons in the XFL. Before that, Riley coached the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF. Overall, Riley runs a run-heavy offense, which has been consistent across his stops in the developmental spring leagues. Last year, this team finished 9-1 in the regular season last year and they retained most of their entire coaching staff. New Jersey ranked fifth in plays per game (59.7) and last in pass rate (42.4%). Despite the strong season, the Generals kick off against the champions in the Birmingham Stallions. The Generals are 5.5 point underdogs in a game with a 39.5 total.
Quarterback – De’Andre Johnson, Kyle Lauletta, Dakota Prukop,
Running Back – Kingston Davis, Darius Victor, Trey Williams
Wide Receiver – Cam Echols-Luper, Alonzo Moore, Warren Newman, De’Mornay Pierson-El, Randy Satterfield, Darrell Stewart Jr.
Tight End – Braedon Bowman, Woody Brandom, Charles Jones, Wes Saxton Jr.
Cuts – Marcus Green (WR), Landon Lenoir (WR)
The Generals lost Luis Perez to the XFL, but they retain the services of De’Andre Johnson ($8.9k). Johnson was the best signal caller in the USFL last year, completing 72% of his passes for 10.3 YPA. He still only threw 75 passes, with Perez throwing 201. Johnson possesses elite mobility, rushing 64 times for 310 yards. The team also has Kyle Lauletta ($7.3k) and Dakota Prukop ($6.0k). Lauletta played briefly with the Pittsburgh Maulers last year, completing 52% of his passes for 6.1 YPA. Prukop played with Oregon briefly, before transferring to Montana State. He has been in the CFL ever since. He hasn’t ever really gotten the chance to actually play in that league. While Riley used a timeshare at the position last year, Johnson should get a chance to operate the offense by himself here. Lauletta and Prukop just haven’t shown enough for this to be a split. Behind his mobility, Johnson is one of the best plays on the slate.
The Generals return their two main rushers in Trey Williams ($8.1k) and Darius Victor ($9.3k). Williams rushed 118 times for 579 yards, while Victor rushed 127 times for 577 yards. Williams did have 30 targets, while Victor checked in with 16. Both backs are solid plays, but Williams looks to have a slight efficiency and pass game edge. With that said, Victor scored nine touchdowns, compared to two for Williams. Their third back is Kingston Davis ($4.6k), who played in the USFL last year, but didn’t actually see the field. Both Williams and Victor are viable DFS plays.
The Generals lost the USFL’s best player from 2022 in Kavontae Turpin. They returned their second-leading receiver Alonzo Moore ($9.3k), who caught 23 balls for 365 yards. Randy Satterfield ($7.2k) is also back after 9 catches for 124 yards. Cam Echols-Luper ($5.0k) returns after 3 catches for 38 yards. The rest of the group is composed of Warren Newman ($3.0k), De’Mornay Pierson-El ($3.0k), and Darrell Stewart Jr. ($3.6k). Newman caught 48 balls for 346 yards with Jackson State in 2021. He is 5-8, 175 pounds.
Pierson-El most recently played with the St Louis Battlehawks in the 2020 version of the XFL before bouncing around NFL practice squads. He is 5-9, 185 pounds and has played well in multiple developmental leagues. Stewart is 6-0, 212 pounds and last played with Michigan State in 2019. He caught 49 balls for 697 yards and four scores. This is one of the more challenging receiver rooms to rank. Moore and Satterfield deserve to be the top two considerations, but Pierson-El could jump Echols-Luper in the target pecking order after his recent NFL stint.
New Jersey uses a fair amount of tight ends. Woody Brandom ($4.9k) was the fourth leading receiver with 11 catches for 129 yards. Braedon Bowman ($3.3k) caught 12 balls for 122 yards. Wes Saxton ($2.5k) also caught a pair of balls for 10 yards. The final tight end on the 2023 roster is Charles Jones ($2.5k). Jones was undrafted out of Tulane in 2019 and has bounced around practice squads. He only caught 10 balls for 53 yards in his final season with Tulane. This is probably a position to avoid with so many bodies and the potential for a timeshare in a run heavy offense.
Birmingham Stallions
Head Coach – Skip Holtz
Offensive Coordinator – vacant
The Stallions do not have an offensive coordinator, with head coach Skip Holtz calling plays. Holtz previously coached Louisiana Tech from 2013-2021, which operated a fantasy friendly scheme. Often running four-wide sets, Louisiana Tech passed 52.5% and 53.1% of the time in his final two seasons. Both ranked inside the top 33. They also ran 71.4 and 73.0 plays per game in his final two years, ranking inside the top 54. In 2022 the Stallions finished 9-1 in the regular season and won the USFL last year. The offense lived up to expectations last year ranking second in plays per game (61.0) and sixth in pass rate (50.7%). They currently sit as 5.5 point favorites over the New Jersey Generals.
Quarterback – J’Mar Smith, Alex McGough, Jalen Morton
Running Back – Bo Scarbrough, CJ Marable, ZaQuandre White, Bobby Holly
Wide Receiver – Marlon Williams, Deon Cain, Davion Davis, Michael Dereus, Adrian Hardy, Myron Mitchell, Austin Watkins
Tight End – Jace Sternberger, Thad Moss
Cuts – Cary Angeline (TE), Rico Gafford (WR), Peyton Ramzy (WR)
The Stallions used two quarterbacks for much of the 2022 season until Alex McGough ($7.5k) suffered an injury. Coach Holtz indicated that he plans to take the same approach this year. From an efficiency perspective, J’Mar Smith ($10.3k) out-played McGough. Smith completed 55.5% of his passes for 6.7 YPA. McGough completed 52% of his passes for 6.1 YPA. Smith also proved more efficient as a rusher, averaging 5.5 YPC, compared to 4.1 for McGough. It should be noted that both quarterbacks often rushed between 5-8 times when given the full allotment of snaps. The timeshare makes this a tricky situation for DFS and probably a stay away for the moment.
The running back position basically functioned as a near 50-50 timeshare between Bo Scarbrough ($8.8k), and CJ Marable ($6.6k) last year. Scarbrough averaged 4.1 YPC, compared to 3.75 for Marable. The team also signed ZaQuandre White ($4.5k) this offseason. White rushed 88 times for 583 yards, while catching 19 balls for 202 yards in 2021 with South Carolina. White was a UDFA with the Dolphins last year. He is 6-0, 206 pounds. In the pass game, Marable received 27 targets and Scarbrough saw 14. They split this role almost evenly as well. This was one of the run heavier teams last year, which brought the backfield plenty of value. While this projects to be a timeshare to some degree, Scarbrough’s superior efficiency could allow him to work ahead of Marable more this year. Scarbrough should be the preferred option here. White is a complete wildcard, but could be useful in the right role.
Last year’s target leader Victor Bolden is now with the XFL. Marlon Williams ($9.5k) returns after catching 32 balls for 474 yards (14.8 YPR). The team also returns role players Michael Dereus ($3.0k) and Adrian Hardy ($3.5k). Hardy caught 8 balls for 128 yards (16.0 YPR). Dereus caught 7 balls for 61 yards (8.7 YPR). The team also brought in Davion Davis ($3.7k), who started the 2023 year in the XFL with the Roughnecks. Davis has been bouncing around NFL practice squads since 2019, giving him a better pedigree than Dereus or Hardy. They also brought in former NFL player Deon Cain ($7.4k). Cain caught 20 passes for 124 yards back in the 2019 season. He has been with the Eagles from 2021-2022, but he didn’t appear in any games.
The last two players on the roster are Myron Mitchell ($3.0k) and Austin Watkins ($3.0k). Mitchell spent 2021-2022 with the Vikings after going undrafted out of UAB. He is 6-1, 180 pounds. Watkins is another former UAB receiver, who went undrafted in 2021. He spent 2021 with San Francisco and 2022 with Tampa Bay. Watkins stands 6-3, 210 pounds. He caught 34 balls for 468 yards in his finale season with UAB, while Mitchell caught 29 balls for 436 yards. The top three should be Williams, Cain, and Davis, with Dereus, Hardy, Mitchell, and Watkins providing depth. People seem to be writing off Mitchell and Watkins, but there’s a good chance they’re just better than Dereus or Hardy.
The team cut last year’s tight end Cary Angeline for former Green Bay Packer Jace Sternberger ($4.7k). Sternberger is 6-4, 250 pounds and caught 16 career passes in the NFL. Last year, Angeline caught 9 balls for 152 yards. Their other tight end Sage Surratt caught 11 balls for 148 yards. This was a semi-productive position, meaning Sternberger could have some viability. Thad Moss joined the Birmingham tight end room on 4/10. Moss has bounced around NFL practice squads since testing horribly after winning a national championship with Joe Burrow. He isn’t in the player pool on DraftKings.
Michigan Panthers vs. Houston Gamblers
Michigan Panthers
Head Coach – Mike Nolan
Offensive Coordinator – Eric Marty
Jeff Fisher stepped down as head coach. The team hired Mike Nolan to take over and he retained Eric Marty as the offensive coordinator. Mike Nolan’s last coaching gig occurred in 2020 as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. His offensive coordinator Eric Marty most recently coached Reedley College from 2016-2020 before coordinating Grambling State’s offense in 2021. Grambling State finished 4-7, but insisted on running the ball 55% of the time. They also ran a pathetic 59.7 plays per game. Last year, the Michigan Panthers ranked fifth in pass rate (51.5%) and first in plays per game (64.0). This was a bit surprising considering their lack of success last year. The team went 2-8 overall. Interestingly, the Panthers only opened as a one point underdog to the Houston Gamblers in a game with a 38.5 total.
Quarterback – Josh Love, Carson Strong, Eric Barriere
Running Back – Reggie Corbin, Stevie Scott III,
Wide Receiver – Whop Philyor, Trey Quinn, AJ Richardson, Devin Ross, Marcus Simms, Joe Walker, Ishmael Hyman
Tight End – Josh Babicz, Marcus Baugh, Cole Hikutini, Kyle Markway
Cuts – LD Brown (RB), Talolo Limu-Jones (WR), La’Darius McElroy (WR)
The Panthers have some familiar faces from the 2022 USFL season in Josh Love ($9.5k) and Eric Barriere ($6.0k). Love reportedly finds himself in a QB battle with former Nevada signal caller Carson Strong ($8.1k). Head coach Nolan said that Love has a better grasp on the offense, while Strong is taller and has a stronger arm. You can’t make this stuff up. Love completed 53% of his passes last year for 6.0 YPA. Neither QB can run, so whoever has better passing efficiency deserves this job. As it stands, it looks like Love will get the first crack at starting, but this could be a full blown timeshare.
The Panthers only have two running backs on the roster, creating in interesting DFS situation. Unfortunately, they used Reggie Corbin ($8.5k) and Stevie Scott ($5.3k) in a 50-50 committee. Corbin rushed 95 times for 519 yards in eight games. Scott proved far less efficient, carrying 99 times for 310 yards in ten games. Neither showed much as a pass catcher. Corbin should take the lead in a committee to open the season, but to what degree remains to be seen.
2022 leading receiver Lance Lenoir is now in the XFL. Second-leading receiver Joe Walker ($6.3k) returns after catching 26 of 47 targets for 318 yards. They also return third leading receiver Devin Ross ($8.1k), who caught 28 of 46 targets for 309 yards. Michigan also has Marcus Simms ($3.0k) back, who didn’t record a reception last year. Simms caught 46 balls for 699 yards in his final season with West Virginia in 2018. The rest of the group is composed of Whop Philyor ($4.2k), Trey Quinn ($3.0k), and AJ Richardson ($3.0k). Philyor was a slot specialist with Indiana. He is 5-11, 180 pounds and caught 54 balls for 495 yards in his final year with Indiana in 2020. Quinn actually played in the NFL for a few seasons. His best year came in 2019 with Washington, where he caught 26 balls for 198 yards. He also profiles as a slot only option. Richardson is 6-0, 210 pounds and finished college in 2018 with Boise State. He caught 54 passes for 825 yards that season. Ishmael Hyman ($4.1k) also returns after turning 22 targets into 15 receptions for 158 yards in four games with the Panthers last year. Overall, Walker and Ross look like the top two options with little separating them. Quinn should probably be considered the WR3 with his NFL pedigree and specialty in the slot. Philyor and Hyman are likely the next men up, followed by Richardson and Simms in that order.
The team returns Marcus Baugh ($3.6k), who turned 21 targets into 12 catches for 101 yards. The team also signed Josh Babicz ($2.7k), Cole Hikutini ($2.5k), and Kyle Markway ($2.5k). Babicz is 6-6, 255 pounds and played with North Dakota State in college. He caught 40 balls for 633 yards. Hikutini spent a while in the NFL but last played for the Giants in 2021. He has 2 career receptions. Markway played with the Birmingham Stallions last year after previously floating around NFL practice squads. He had 31 receptions for 349 yards in his final year with South Carolina in 2019. He hasn’t done anything since. There’s just too many options in this tight end room to seriously consider one.
Houston Gamblers
Head Coach – Curtis Johnson
Offensive Coordinator – Eric Price
Kevin Sumlin left the USFL for a co-OC gig at Maryland. The Gamblers finished 3-7 last year anyway, which is indefensible. Curtis Johnson is the new head coach. He was most recently the Saints WR coach in 2021. Eric Price was the offensive coordinator for Johnson at Tulane. In 2015, they passed 52.67% of the time, which ranked 27th. They ran 68.2 plays per game that year, which ranked 107th. In 2014, they ranked 74.2 plays per game and ranked 59th. They passed 53.55% of the time in 2014, which ranked 25th. It looks like this offense will be pass friendly and fairly uptempo. Last year, Houston ranked seventh in pass rate (50.5%), while running the fewest plays in the USFL (49.5). Both of these numbers should experience some positive regression under the new coaching staff. This is an extremely volatile roster.
Quarterback – Kenji Bahar, Montell Cozart, Terry Wilson
Running Back – TJ Pledger, Mark Thompson, Devwah Whaley
Wide Receiver – Deontez Alexander, Keke Chism, Justin Hall, Tyler Palka, Anthony Ratliff-Williams, Teo Redding,
Tight End – Julian Allen, Brandon Barnes, Rodell Rahmaan, Clint Sigg Jr., Josh Pederson
Cuts – Benny LeMay (RB), Joshua Moore (WR), JoJo Ward (WR)
Last year, Clayton Thorson started most of the year for Houston. They now have a three-way battle between Kenji Bahar ($8.6k), Montell Cozart ($7.1k), and Terry Wilson ($6.0k). Cozart allegedly had a good scrimmage, but there is no clarity on this situation whatsoever. Word on the street is Bahar will start, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the team. Bahar does have a little rushing upside, which would be solid for DFS. However, this is a situation to be careful with.
Last year’s lead back Mark Thompson ($7.4k) returns for Houston. He rushed 114 times for 463 yards, averaging 12.7 attempts per game. Thompson only saw 11 targets, but Houston simply did not involve their backs in the pass game last season. They also return Devwah Whaley ($4.9k), who began handling most of the running back work once Thompson went down with an injury. Thompson only had fewer than 13 carries one time all season before his injury. Whaley never carried more than 11 times in any game and only reached double digits on two occasions. The team also has former Utah and Oklahoma back TJ Pledger ($3.0k). Pledger is only 5-9, 196 pounds, but he rushed for 694 yards on 104 carries in 2021. He was also extremely efficient in generating yards after contact in College Football.
The leading receiver from 2022, Isaiah Zuber, departed. The team does return much of their other pass catchers. Teo Redding ($6.5k) caught 17 balls for 249 yards. Anthony Ratliff-Williams ($8.0k) caught 28 balls for 243 yards. Tyler Palka ($4.5k) caught 18 balls for 188 yards. Also on the roster, Deontez Alexander ($3.0k) stands 6-1, 203 pounds. He played for Franklin College (D3) and came out of school in 2018. He was on the Lions practice squad for two years. They also have former Missouri receiver Keke Chism ($3.2k) and former Ball State product Justin Hall ($3.0k). Chism stands 6-4, 214 pounds and caught 41 balls for 511 yards in his final year with Missouri. Hall stands 5-9, 186 pounds and operated as more of a gadget player. He caught 61 balls for 613 yards in his 2021 season, while rushing 37 times for another 255 yards. RFW and Redding should be considered the top two options, with Palka opening as the slot favorite. Alexander and Hall are candidates for more playing time as talented youth, who previously spent time with more talented organizations.
Tight end Julian Allen ($3.0k) was actually the fifth leading receiver with 10 catches for 116 yards last year. However, he has been placed on the team’s suspended list for an unknown reason. Brandon Barnes ($3.9k) also returns after catching 8 balls for 75 yards. Rodell Rahmaan ($2.5k), Josh Pederson, and Clint Sigg Jr. ($2.5k) are also on the roster. Rahmaan is 6-4, 230 pounds and played College at Tennessee State. He was moved to linebacker his senior year, which doesn’t bode well. He still caught 29 balls for 484 yards and six scores. Sigg is a 605, 240 pound tight end from Lindenwood University. He caught 47 balls for 529 yards and 3 scores in 2019. This is probably just a situation to avoid. Pederson isn’t in the player pool. Regardless, this is too many tight ends to potentially target one for DFS.
Michigan Panthers
Head Coach – Mike Nolan
Offensive Coordinator – Eric Marty
Jeff Fisher stepped down as head coach. The team hired Mike Nolan to take over and he retained Eric Marty as the offensive coordinator. Mike Nolan’s last coaching gig occurred in 2020 as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. His offensive coordinator Eric Marty most recently coached Reedley College from 2016-2020 before coordinating Grambling State’s offense in 2021. Grambling State finished 4-7, but insisted on running the ball 55% of the time. They also ran a pathetic 59.7 plays per game. Last year, the Michigan Panthers ranked fifth in pass rate (51.5%) and first in plays per game (64.0). This was a bit surprising considering their lack of success last year. The team went 2-8 overall. Interestingly, the Panthers only opened as a one point underdog to the Houston Gamblers in a game with a 38.5 total.
Quarterback – Josh Love, Carson Strong, Eric Barriere
Running Back – Reggie Corbin, Stevie Scott III,
Wide Receiver – Whop Philyor, Trey Quinn, AJ Richardson, Devin Ross, Marcus Simms, Joe Walker, Ishmael Hyman
Tight End – Josh Babicz, Marcus Baugh, Cole Hikutini, Kyle Markway
Cuts – LD Brown (RB), Talolo Limu-Jones (WR), La’Darius McElroy (WR)
The Panthers have some familiar faces from the 2022 USFL season in Josh Love ($9.5k) and Eric Barriere ($6.0k). Love reportedly finds himself in a QB battle with former Nevada signal caller Carson Strong ($8.1k). Head coach Nolan said that Love has a better grasp on the offense, while Strong is taller and has a stronger arm. You can’t make this stuff up. Love completed 53% of his passes last year for 6.0 YPA. Neither QB can run, so whoever has better passing efficiency deserves this job. As it stands, it looks like Love will get the first crack at starting, but this could be a full blown timeshare.
The Panthers only have two running backs on the roster, creating in interesting DFS situation. Unfortunately, they used Reggie Corbin ($8.5k) and Stevie Scott ($5.3k) in a 50-50 committee. Corbin rushed 95 times for 519 yards in eight games. Scott proved far less efficient, carrying 99 times for 310 yards in ten games. Neither showed much as a pass catcher. Corbin should take the lead in a committee to open the season, but to what degree remains to be seen.
2022 leading receiver Lance Lenoir is now in the XFL. Second-leading receiver Joe Walker ($6.3k) returns after catching 26 of 47 targets for 318 yards. They also return third leading receiver Devin Ross ($8.1k), who caught 28 of 46 targets for 309 yards. Michigan also has Marcus Simms ($3.0k) back, who didn’t record a reception last year. Simms caught 46 balls for 699 yards in his final season with West Virginia in 2018. The rest of the group is composed of Whop Philyor ($4.2k), Trey Quinn ($3.0k), and AJ Richardson ($3.0k). Philyor was a slot specialist with Indiana. He is 5-11, 180 pounds and caught 54 balls for 495 yards in his final year with Indiana in 2020. Quinn actually played in the NFL for a few seasons. His best year came in 2019 with Washington, where he caught 26 balls for 198 yards. He also profiles as a slot only option. Richardson is 6-0, 210 pounds and finished college in 2018 with Boise State. He caught 54 passes for 825 yards that season. Ishmael Hyman ($4.1k) also returns after turning 22 targets into 15 receptions for 158 yards in four games with the Panthers last year. Overall, Walker and Ross look like the top two options with little separating them. Quinn should probably be considered the WR3 with his NFL pedigree and specialty in the slot. Philyor and Hyman are likely the next men up, followed by Richardson and Simms in that order.
The team returns Marcus Baugh ($3.6k), who turned 21 targets into 12 catches for 101 yards. The team also signed Josh Babicz ($2.7k), Cole Hikutini ($2.5k), and Kyle Markway ($2.5k). Babicz is 6-6, 255 pounds and played with North Dakota State in college. He caught 40 balls for 633 yards. Hikutini spent a while in the NFL but last played for the Giants in 2021. He has 2 career receptions. Markway played with the Birmingham Stallions last year after previously floating around NFL practice squads. He had 31 receptions for 349 yards in his final year with South Carolina in 2019. He hasn’t done anything since. There’s just too many options in this tight end room to seriously consider one.
Houston Gamblers
Head Coach – Curtis Johnson
Offensive Coordinator – Eric Price
Kevin Sumlin left the USFL for a co-OC gig at Maryland. The Gamblers finished 3-7 last year anyway, which is indefensible. Curtis Johnson is the new head coach. He was most recently the Saints WR coach in 2021. Eric Price was the offensive coordinator for Johnson at Tulane. In 2015, they passed 52.67% of the time, which ranked 27th. They ran 68.2 plays per game that year, which ranked 107th. In 2014, they ranked 74.2 plays per game and ranked 59th. They passed 53.55% of the time in 2014, which ranked 25th. It looks like this offense will be pass friendly and fairly uptempo. Last year, Houston ranked seventh in pass rate (50.5%), while running the fewest plays in the USFL (49.5). Both of these numbers should experience some positive regression under the new coaching staff. This is an extremely volatile roster.
Quarterback – Kenji Bahar, Montell Cozart, Terry Wilson
Running Back – TJ Pledger, Mark Thompson, Devwah Whaley
Wide Receiver – Deontez Alexander, Keke Chism, Justin Hall, Tyler Palka, Anthony Ratliff-Williams, Teo Redding,
Tight End – Julian Allen, Brandon Barnes, Rodell Rahmaan, Clint Sigg Jr., Josh Pederson
Cuts – Benny LeMay (RB), Joshua Moore (WR), JoJo Ward (WR)
Last year, Clayton Thorson started most of the year for Houston. They now have a three-way battle between Kenji Bahar ($8.6k), Montell Cozart ($7.1k), and Terry Wilson ($6.0k). Cozart allegedly had a good scrimmage, but there is no clarity on this situation whatsoever. Word on the street is Bahar will start, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the team. Bahar does have a little rushing upside, which would be solid for DFS. However, this is a situation to be careful with.
Last year’s lead back Mark Thompson ($7.4k) returns for Houston. He rushed 114 times for 463 yards, averaging 12.7 attempts per game. Thompson only saw 11 targets, but Houston simply did not involve their backs in the pass game last season. They also return Devwah Whaley ($4.9k), who began handling most of the running back work once Thompson went down with an injury. Thompson only had fewer than 13 carries one time all season before his injury. Whaley never carried more than 11 times in any game and only reached double digits on two occasions. The team also has former Utah and Oklahoma back TJ Pledger ($3.0k). Pledger is only 5-9, 196 pounds, but he rushed for 694 yards on 104 carries in 2021. He was also extremely efficient in generating yards after contact in College Football.
The leading receiver from 2022, Isaiah Zuber, departed. The team does return much of their other pass catchers. Teo Redding ($6.5k) caught 17 balls for 249 yards. Anthony Ratliff-Williams ($8.0k) caught 28 balls for 243 yards. Tyler Palka ($4.5k) caught 18 balls for 188 yards. Also on the roster, Deontez Alexander ($3.0k) stands 6-1, 203 pounds. He played for Franklin College (D3) and came out of school in 2018. He was on the Lions practice squad for two years. They also have former Missouri receiver Keke Chism ($3.2k) and former Ball State product Justin Hall ($3.0k). Chism stands 6-4, 214 pounds and caught 41 balls for 511 yards in his final year with Missouri. Hall stands 5-9, 186 pounds and operated as more of a gadget player. He caught 61 balls for 613 yards in his 2021 season, while rushing 37 times for another 255 yards. RFW and Redding should be considered the top two options, with Palka opening as the slot favorite. Alexander and Hall are candidates for more playing time as talented youth, who previously spent time with more talented organizations.
Tight end Julian Allen ($3.0k) was actually the fifth leading receiver with 10 catches for 116 yards last year. However, he has been placed on the team’s suspended list for an unknown reason. Brandon Barnes ($3.9k) also returns after catching 8 balls for 75 yards. Rodell Rahmaan ($2.5k), Josh Pederson, and Clint Sigg Jr. ($2.5k) are also on the roster. Rahmaan is 6-4, 230 pounds and played College at Tennessee State. He was moved to linebacker his senior year, which doesn’t bode well. He still caught 29 balls for 484 yards and six scores. Sigg is a 605, 240 pound tight end from Lindenwood University. He caught 47 balls for 529 yards and 3 scores in 2019. This is probably just a situation to avoid. Pederson isn’t in the player pool. Regardless, this is too many tight ends to potentially target one for DFS.
Pittsburgh Maulers vs. New Orleans Breakers
Pittsburgh Maulers
Head Coach – Ray Horton
Offensive Coordinator – John Tomlinson
Kirby Wilson left the Maulers and the team hired Ray Horton as the new Head Coach. Offensive coordinator John Tomlinson remains in place. Tomlinson coordinated the Juniata College offense in 2021. They played slow, run-heavy football with a 47% pass rate and 63.4 plays per game, which ranks well below average for the college level. Not to mention, the team also sucked, scoring 13.5 points per game. Last year, the Maulers ranked fourth in plays per game (59.7) and second in pass rate (55.8%), which was a sharp deviation from previous Tomlinson offenses. It is not clear whether this was by design or necessitated by their offense constantly trailing.
Quarterback – James Morgan, Connor Sampson, Troy Williams,
Running Back – Duane Gary, Garrett Groshek, Madre London, Mason Stokke
Wide Receiver – Bailey Gaither, Isaiah Hennie, Xavier Lewis, Jalen McCleskey, Samson Nacua, Hunter Rison, Josh Simmons, CJ Turner, Tre Walker,
Tight End – Artayvious Lynn, Matt Seybert
Cuts – DelVon Hardaway (WR), Chase Fourcade (QB), Datryan Evans (TE)
A lot of this roster should be different after last year’s pathetic performance. The quarterback room is completely new. James Morgan ($8.4k) is the frontrunner to win this job after a spring competition with Troy Williams ($6.9k). Morgan was a fourth round pick of the New York Jets in 2020. He played his final college season at Florida International. Morgan never ended up playing in a regular season game for the Jets, but he threw for 2,585 yards on 357 attempts in his final season with FIU. Morgan is a pure pocket statue with no rushing ability. Williams played in the CFL for a few years, but never really played significant snaps. Williams played for Utah in 20217. He only appeared in six games throwing for 812 yards and some pretty poor efficiency stats. He is somewhat mobile, but Morgan should win this job. Connor Sampson ($6.0k) is also on the roster.
Pittsburgh does return their top two rushers in Garrett Groshek ($4.8k) and Madre London ($6.9k). Groshek rushed 108 times for 329 yards. London rushed 96 times for 415 yards. Only one target separated these two, making this a clear 50-50 split in the backfield. Perhaps the new head coach will see how much more efficient London was, but that isn’t guaranteed. The team also has Duane Gary ($3.0k) and Mason Stokke ($3.2k) on the roster. Stokke is a pure fullback, while Gary is a former Western Connecticut State and IFL back. It would be pretty surprising to see him jump Groshek or London.
Top two receivers Tre Walker ($8.3k) and Bailey Gaither ($7.0k) return. Walker only played in eight games, but he caught 33 balls for 362 yards. Gaither only played in seven games, but he caught 24 balls for 328 yards. Fourth leading receiver Isiah Hennie ($3.9k) also returns after catching 18 balls for 198 yards in five games. The roster also returns Jalen McCleskey ($3.0k), who caught 11 balls for 170 yards in four games, but McCleskey landed on the Injured Reserve list already.
The newcomers are led by Samson Nacua ($3.0k). The 6-3, 195 pound receiver caught 21 balls for 329 yards in his final season with BYU in 2021. Xavier Lewis ($3.0k) comes over from Southeastern Louisiana, where he played his final season on defense. Hunter Rison ($3.0k) comes over from Grand Valley State, where he caught 38 balls for 516 yards in his final season with the team in 2021. He is 5-11, 200 pounds. Josh Simmons ($3.0k) comes over from Prairie View A&M, where he caught 32 passes for 456 yards in 2017. He is 5-11, 165 pounds. CJ Turner ($3.0k) comes out of Southeastern Louisiana, where he caught 27 balls for 464 yards in 2021. He is 6-2, 180 pounds. Essentially, Walker, Gaither, and Hennie are the only players with any sort of valuable experience. It would be a shock to see any of the newcomers jump these top three.
This team used multiple tight ends last year, which they project to do again here. Artayvious Lynn ($3.5k) and Matt Seybert ($2.6k) are the only two on the roster, but both should play considerably. The split here remains to be seen.
New Orleans Breakers
Head Coach – John DeFilippo
Offensive Coordinator – Doug Martin
The Breakers finished 6-4 last year and will move forward with a new coaching staff. New head coach John DeFilippo last coached with the Chicago Bears in 2021. He coordinated the pass game and coached quarterbacks that year. Doug Martin will serve as the new offensive coordinator. He was the head coach of New Mexico State from 2013-2021 and coordinated Boston College’s offense before that. His head coaching record was 54-127. Expect Filippo to handle most of the offensive play calling responsibilities with his pedigree as an offensive coordinator for many seasons. In 2019, he was the OC of the Jaguars, who posted a 61.86% pass rate (9th) and ran 63.8 plays per game (15th). The year prior in 2018, he was the OC of the Minnesota Vikings. That season, Minnesota ran 62.7 plays per game (20th) and passed 64.41% of the time (4th). These have been pass-heavy offenses, but not always the most efficient. The offense likely looks somewhat similar after ranking fourth in pass rate (53.3%) and second in plays per game (62.9). If anything the play volume could regress negatively. Overall, the Breakers are 3.5 point favorites over the Maulers in a game with a 37.5 total.
Quarterback – McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Davis Cheek, Aqeel Glass
Running Back – Ezra Gray, Wes Hills, Anthony Jones,
Wide Receiver – Jonathan Adams, Dee Anderson, Johnnie Dixon, Lee Morris, Eli Stove,
Tight End – Justin Alexander-Johnson, EJ Bibbs, Jared Scott, Sage Surratt
Cuts – Breon Michel (WR), Hergy Mayala (WR), Peter Guerriero (RB)
This is a completely new quarterback room for the New Orleans Breakers and there is no clarity on the starter. The room consists of McLeod Bethel-Thompson ($8.3k), Davis Cheek ($6.0k), and Aqeel Glass ($7.2k). MBT is 34 years old after playing across the CFL and various NFL practice squads. He looks like a solid pocket passer without much rushing upside. Overall, he is one of the veteran quarterbacks of this league. He should be the expected starter. Cheek is an Elon graduate and threw for 2,924 yards and 17 scores in his final 2021 season. Glass is an Alabama A&M product. He is 6-5, 215 pounds and threw for 3,568 yards and 36 touchdowns his final season. Glass isn’t mobile whatsoever with -85 rushing yards in his final season with A&M.
The Breakers lost their top rusher in Jordan Ellis, but Anthony Jones ($8.3k) returns after carrying the ball 70 times for 268 yards. He also provided a solid pass catching floor, making him a decent back to target here. The team also retains Ezra Gray ($3.6k), who rushed one time for nine yards last year. With Gray clearly behind Jones last year, it would be surprising to see him climb the depth chart here. The final back here is former CFL member Wes Hills ($6.0k). Hills rushed 69 times for 384 yards last year, providing solid efficiency. He also caught 11 balls for another 105 yards. Hills could be a legitimate threat to Jones here.
The Breakers are only carrying five receivers here, led by Jonathan Adams ($7.7k). Adams led the team 406 yards on 31 catches last year. The team lost second leading receiver Sal Cannella, but they do return third leading receiver Johnnie Dixon ($9.0k). Dixon caught 38 balls for 362 yards last year. The team also returns rotational piece Lee Morris ($4.0k), who caught one pass for five yards last season. The final two receivers on the roster are newcomers Dee Anderson ($3.0k) and former Auburn receiver Eli Stove ($3.0k). Anderson is another former Alabama A&M product. He stands 6-6, 220 pounds and caught 33 balls for 493 yards and 12 scores with the team last year. Stove finished his Auburn career in 2020 with 44 receptions for 359 yards and three scores in his final season. He is 6-0, 191 pounds. There is zero clarity behind Dixon and Adams, but the lack of depth here makes this situation an interesting dart throw target.
The Breakers have big shoes to fill at tight end with the departure of Cannella. The team has a logical replacement in former Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt ($3.2k). Surratt spent 2022 with the Birmingham Stallions, notching 148 receiving yards on 11 catches. He is 6-3, 234 pounds and should provide a versatile weapon across the formation. The team also has Justin Alexander-Johnson ($2.5k), who caught two passes for 23 yards with the team last year. EJ Bibbs ($2.5k) is also back after one catch for two yards. Jared Scott ($2.5k) rounds out the room. He is a former Idaho State product, who briefly spent time with the Colts.
Pittsburgh Maulers
Head Coach – Ray Horton
Offensive Coordinator – John Tomlinson
Kirby Wilson left the Maulers and the team hired Ray Horton as the new Head Coach. Offensive coordinator John Tomlinson remains in place. Tomlinson coordinated the Juniata College offense in 2021. They played slow, run-heavy football with a 47% pass rate and 63.4 plays per game, which ranks well below average for the college level. Not to mention, the team also sucked, scoring 13.5 points per game. Last year, the Maulers ranked fourth in plays per game (59.7) and second in pass rate (55.8%), which was a sharp deviation from previous Tomlinson offenses. It is not clear whether this was by design or necessitated by their offense constantly trailing.
Quarterback – James Morgan, Connor Sampson, Troy Williams,
Running Back – Duane Gary, Garrett Groshek, Madre London, Mason Stokke
Wide Receiver – Bailey Gaither, Isaiah Hennie, Xavier Lewis, Jalen McCleskey, Samson Nacua, Hunter Rison, Josh Simmons, CJ Turner, Tre Walker,
Tight End – Artayvious Lynn, Matt Seybert
Cuts – DelVon Hardaway (WR), Chase Fourcade (QB), Datryan Evans (TE)
A lot of this roster should be different after last year’s pathetic performance. The quarterback room is completely new. James Morgan ($8.4k) is the frontrunner to win this job after a spring competition with Troy Williams ($6.9k). Morgan was a fourth round pick of the New York Jets in 2020. He played his final college season at Florida International. Morgan never ended up playing in a regular season game for the Jets, but he threw for 2,585 yards on 357 attempts in his final season with FIU. Morgan is a pure pocket statue with no rushing ability. Williams played in the CFL for a few years, but never really played significant snaps. Williams played for Utah in 20217. He only appeared in six games throwing for 812 yards and some pretty poor efficiency stats. He is somewhat mobile, but Morgan should win this job. Connor Sampson ($6.0k) is also on the roster.
Pittsburgh does return their top two rushers in Garrett Groshek ($4.8k) and Madre London ($6.9k). Groshek rushed 108 times for 329 yards. London rushed 96 times for 415 yards. Only one target separated these two, making this a clear 50-50 split in the backfield. Perhaps the new head coach will see how much more efficient London was, but that isn’t guaranteed. The team also has Duane Gary ($3.0k) and Mason Stokke ($3.2k) on the roster. Stokke is a pure fullback, while Gary is a former Western Connecticut State and IFL back. It would be pretty surprising to see him jump Groshek or London.
Top two receivers Tre Walker ($8.3k) and Bailey Gaither ($7.0k) return. Walker only played in eight games, but he caught 33 balls for 362 yards. Gaither only played in seven games, but he caught 24 balls for 328 yards. Fourth leading receiver Isiah Hennie ($3.9k) also returns after catching 18 balls for 198 yards in five games. The roster also returns Jalen McCleskey ($3.0k), who caught 11 balls for 170 yards in four games, but McCleskey landed on the Injured Reserve list already.
The newcomers are led by Samson Nacua ($3.0k). The 6-3, 195 pound receiver caught 21 balls for 329 yards in his final season with BYU in 2021. Xavier Lewis ($3.0k) comes over from Southeastern Louisiana, where he played his final season on defense. Hunter Rison ($3.0k) comes over from Grand Valley State, where he caught 38 balls for 516 yards in his final season with the team in 2021. He is 5-11, 200 pounds. Josh Simmons ($3.0k) comes over from Prairie View A&M, where he caught 32 passes for 456 yards in 2017. He is 5-11, 165 pounds. CJ Turner ($3.0k) comes out of Southeastern Louisiana, where he caught 27 balls for 464 yards in 2021. He is 6-2, 180 pounds. Essentially, Walker, Gaither, and Hennie are the only players with any sort of valuable experience. It would be a shock to see any of the newcomers jump these top three.
This team used multiple tight ends last year, which they project to do again here. Artayvious Lynn ($3.5k) and Matt Seybert ($2.6k) are the only two on the roster, but both should play considerably. The split here remains to be seen.
New Orleans Breakers
Head Coach – John DeFilippo
Offensive Coordinator – Doug Martin
The Breakers finished 6-4 last year and will move forward with a new coaching staff. New head coach John DeFilippo last coached with the Chicago Bears in 2021. He coordinated the pass game and coached quarterbacks that year. Doug Martin will serve as the new offensive coordinator. He was the head coach of New Mexico State from 2013-2021 and coordinated Boston College’s offense before that. His head coaching record was 54-127. Expect Filippo to handle most of the offensive play calling responsibilities with his pedigree as an offensive coordinator for many seasons. In 2019, he was the OC of the Jaguars, who posted a 61.86% pass rate (9th) and ran 63.8 plays per game (15th). The year prior in 2018, he was the OC of the Minnesota Vikings. That season, Minnesota ran 62.7 plays per game (20th) and passed 64.41% of the time (4th). These have been pass-heavy offenses, but not always the most efficient. The offense likely looks somewhat similar after ranking fourth in pass rate (53.3%) and second in plays per game (62.9). If anything the play volume could regress negatively. Overall, the Breakers are 3.5 point favorites over the Maulers in a game with a 37.5 total.
Quarterback – McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Davis Cheek, Aqeel Glass
Running Back – Ezra Gray, Wes Hills, Anthony Jones,
Wide Receiver – Jonathan Adams, Dee Anderson, Johnnie Dixon, Lee Morris, Eli Stove,
Tight End – Justin Alexander-Johnson, EJ Bibbs, Jared Scott, Sage Surratt
Cuts – Breon Michel (WR), Hergy Mayala (WR), Peter Guerriero (RB)
This is a completely new quarterback room for the New Orleans Breakers and there is no clarity on the starter. The room consists of McLeod Bethel-Thompson ($8.3k), Davis Cheek ($6.0k), and Aqeel Glass ($7.2k). MBT is 34 years old after playing across the CFL and various NFL practice squads. He looks like a solid pocket passer without much rushing upside. Overall, he is one of the veteran quarterbacks of this league. He should be the expected starter. Cheek is an Elon graduate and threw for 2,924 yards and 17 scores in his final 2021 season. Glass is an Alabama A&M product. He is 6-5, 215 pounds and threw for 3,568 yards and 36 touchdowns his final season. Glass isn’t mobile whatsoever with -85 rushing yards in his final season with A&M.
The Breakers lost their top rusher in Jordan Ellis, but Anthony Jones ($8.3k) returns after carrying the ball 70 times for 268 yards. He also provided a solid pass catching floor, making him a decent back to target here. The team also retains Ezra Gray ($3.6k), who rushed one time for nine yards last year. With Gray clearly behind Jones last year, it would be surprising to see him climb the depth chart here. The final back here is former CFL member Wes Hills ($6.0k). Hills rushed 69 times for 384 yards last year, providing solid efficiency. He also caught 11 balls for another 105 yards. Hills could be a legitimate threat to Jones here.
The Breakers are only carrying five receivers here, led by Jonathan Adams ($7.7k). Adams led the team 406 yards on 31 catches last year. The team lost second leading receiver Sal Cannella, but they do return third leading receiver Johnnie Dixon ($9.0k). Dixon caught 38 balls for 362 yards last year. The team also returns rotational piece Lee Morris ($4.0k), who caught one pass for five yards last season. The final two receivers on the roster are newcomers Dee Anderson ($3.0k) and former Auburn receiver Eli Stove ($3.0k). Anderson is another former Alabama A&M product. He stands 6-6, 220 pounds and caught 33 balls for 493 yards and 12 scores with the team last year. Stove finished his Auburn career in 2020 with 44 receptions for 359 yards and three scores in his final season. He is 6-0, 191 pounds. There is zero clarity behind Dixon and Adams, but the lack of depth here makes this situation an interesting dart throw target.
The Breakers have big shoes to fill at tight end with the departure of Cannella. The team has a logical replacement in former Wake Forest wide receiver Sage Surratt ($3.2k). Surratt spent 2022 with the Birmingham Stallions, notching 148 receiving yards on 11 catches. He is 6-3, 234 pounds and should provide a versatile weapon across the formation. The team also has Justin Alexander-Johnson ($2.5k), who caught two passes for 23 yards with the team last year. EJ Bibbs ($2.5k) is also back after one catch for two yards. Jared Scott ($2.5k) rounds out the room. He is a former Idaho State product, who briefly spent time with the Colts.
The New Jersey Generals play home games in Ohio.
WTF?
WTF?
All games are played in one place/city
