The USFL regular season is almost completed. There are two weeks left, and three of the four playoff spots have been clinched. However, there’s one meaningful matchup this week for the second seed in the South Division. As a result, some teams might choose to exercise caution with key players. Thus, this week’s picks lean somewhat heavily into the game with something on the line between the Bandits and Breakers. Still, a few players merit consideration from the other six clubs.
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Quarterbacks
Jordan Ta'amu and Kyle Sloter are going head to head, battling for the last remaining playoff berth. Unfortunately, when these rivals met in Week 2, Ta'amu was terrible. He completed only eight of 18 passes for 62 scoreless yards. However, Ta'amu rushed for 45 yards.
Ta'amu's floor was on display against the Breakers, but his ceiling is unmatched as a legitimate dual-threat quarterback with more job security than most of his peers.
Sloter doesn't bring the same rushing ability to the table, but he eviscerated the Bandits in the initial showdown. He had his best game of the year, passing for 266 yards, two touchdowns and avoiding turnovers. Sloter also punched in a one-yard rush. As a result, he had a season-high 26.7 DraftKings points.
Sadly, he's had a few turnover-prone games, turning it over multiple times in four of his last six games. The Breakers claimed Shea Patterson off waivers before Week 7, and Zach Smith played a bit in Week 7. So, Sloter might have a few quarterbacks breathing down his neck if he doesn't reign in his miscues. Still, he's passed for more than 240 yards or multiple touchdowns in six of eight games.
Running Backs
A few of the USFL's rushing leaders are notably absent from the table. However, salary concessions have to be made somewhere, and it remains to be seen how the Stars handle their top players after clinching the second playoff spot in the North Division. Hence, Matt Colburn is a fade in Week 9.
Thankfully, the Stallions have shown zero inclination to handle Bo Scarbrough with kid gloves, despite already sewing up a trip to the playoffs. The bruising runner has touched the ball at least 16 times in the previous three games, amassing 279 yards from scrimmage, five receptions and one touchdown. Additionally, he's hit the 100-yard bonus on the ground two times.
Anthony Jones is the cheaper option in a two-back committee. According to Ian Hartitz's USFL Week 8 review, Jones had a 44% snap share and 41% route participation rate, slightly trailing Jordan Ellis's 56% and 51% marks. Further, Jones had 10 carries and one target versus 11 carries and zero targets for Ellis. So, work was basically split down the middle, Jones claimed the short touchdown run, and he's $3,600 cheaper than his backfield mate.
Finally, Devwah Whaley is a complete punt. Workhorse running back Mark Thompson was inactive last week, and the Gamblers have added another running back to their roster this week, perhaps an indication they don't expect Thompson back. In Thompson's stead, Whaley led the backfield in snap share (69%), route participation (62%), carries (11) and targets (four). Whaley is a stellar punt if Thompson is inactive again.
The Bandits and Breakers game is well represented by the pass-catchers on the table. Jonathan Adams and Sal Cannella are excellent stacking options with Sloter or standalone plays. Adams has been a consistent part of the offense, even if his production has resembled riding a rollercoaster with ups and downs. One of the upswings was back in Week 2, when he hauled in five of nine targets for 92 yards, adding a two-point conversion for good measure. Adams wasn't sharp last week, but his eight targets and 89 air yards, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), were good marks.
However, Cannella's nine targets and 110 air yards in Week 8 were even better. The tight end in name only hasn't matched Adams' highs, but he's been a steadier contributor. He's had five or more targets in six of eight games, netting at least seven targets five times. Moreover, Cannella has parlayed his steady diet of targets into at least 58 receiving yards in four games, scoring a touchdown with 40 yards in one of the outlier contests.
Cheyenne O'Grady is the representative for the Bandits. So, O'Grady is the top stacking option with Ta'amu. The tight end benefited greatly from De'Quan Hampton's absence last week. As a result, O'Grady played 89% of the snaps and ran a route at an 85% clip. Obviously, if Hampton is out, that's a positive for O'Grady's outlook. Still, O'Grady's upside makes him an attractive stacking partner with Ta'amu even if Hampton returns. For instance, in Week 1, he reeled in eight of 11 targets for 86 yards. In Week 6, he caught three of five targets for 45 yards and two touchdowns.
KaVontae Turpin is the highest-ceiling receiver. The speedy do-it-all weapon has reached paydirt in three straight games and bested 90 scrimmage yards in three of his last four contests. Gamers have to look all the way back to Week 2 for an example of Turpin scoring less than 11.3 DK points. Maybe, the Generals will exercise caution with their diminutive weapon in two meaningless games to close out the regular season. Still, Turpin has the home-run ability to make the most of limited touches, making him a worthwhile gamble.
Finally, Chris Rowland and Sage Surratt are sneaky punts. Rowland is a slot receiver who doubled as a change-of-pace runner for the Stars last week. The newfound usage out of the backfield is a nifty wrinkle the Stars could turn to give Colburn, Darnell Holland and Paul Terry a breather heading into the playoffs. Rowland could also see an uptick in snaps at wide receiver if they opt to dial the playing time back for Jordan Suell, Devin Gray and Maurice Alexander.
Surratt hasn't done much of note, but his underlying metrics last week were eye-catching. The former wide receiver played 90% of Birmingham's offensive snaps with a 92% route participation rate. Surratt's DFS utility is entirely tied to the availability of Cary Angeline. If Angeline returns from his one-game absence, Surratt shouldn't be on the DFS radar.
The Stallions are defensive juggernauts, forcing 15 turnovers, sacking enemy quarterbacks 21 times and holding six straight opponents to 17 points or less.
The Stars are a big-play-dependent defense. According to FOX Sports, Philadephia has allowed the second-most yards per game (347.8). Thankfully, they have gotten after quarterbacks and generated turnovers. The Stars are tied for the most sacks (21), tied for the second-most fumble recoveries (seven) and have led the USFL in interceptions (11).
Finally, the Gamblers are from the same school of defense as the Stars, coughing up yards but offsetting them with impact plays. Houston has had the third-most sacks (20), second-most interceptions (10) and most fumble recoveries (eight).
USFL Week 8 Betting Odds, Previews, Picks
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.