It’s the penultimate week of the USFL’s 2023 regular season, and every playoff spot is up for grabs. Even with the league’s parity, not every squad is DFS-friendly. So this week’s primer has two quarterbacks and two defenses, as it often has in recent weeks. However, the scale that has frequently tilted heavily toward wideouts and tight ends instead of running backs is more level this week, with five desirable running backs and seven wide receivers and tight ends.
Quarterbacks
Alex McGough is a no-brainer pick in cash games. He averages 23.5 DraftKings points per game, and no other quarterback averages more than 16.5. McGough's playing at an MVP level, combining needle-moving production on the ground and air. The dual-threat quarterback averages 42.1 rushing yards per game and 201.8 passing yards per game. McGough's also done a great job putting the ball in the paint, passing for a USFL-high 16 touchdowns and scampering for four.
In addition, McGough has an outstanding matchup this week. The Gamblers allow the second-most passing yards per game (204.3) and points per game (22.6). Thus, McGough has a chance to hit his ceiling. So, he's also tailor-made for GPPs.
Case Cookus is another GPP option since Philadelphia's offensive line has ironed out its kinks. Cookus was sacked only twice in the previous three weeks. The line's ability to keep him upright has allowed him to thrive. In those games, Cookus averaged 246.0 passing yards and 30.0 rushing yards per game, adding five touchdown passes. Philadelphia's trigger-man has the upside to score more than 20 DK points, and his salary is substantially lower than McGough's, opening up cap space to spend elsewhere on the roster.
Running Backs
Mark Thompson's a wrecking ball. He leads the USFL in rushing yards per game (85.7) and rushing touchdowns (13). Houston has fed their workhorse at least 14 opportunities (rushes and targets combined) in all six games Thompson has played. Furthermore, he's had a nose for the end zone, scoring in every contest and reaching paydirt multiple times in five games. Thompson had 25.8 DK points in the first meeting against the Stallions in Week 5 and is worth his exorbitant salary in the rematch. Birmingham has ceded the second-most rushing yards per game (121.6), allowing blow-up efforts to Thompson and Wes Hills.
C.J. Marable is also a tantalizing pick from the same contest. He's game-script-proof as a workhorse with a pass-catching role. In the last three weeks, Marable has averaged 15.3 rush attempts, 80.7 rushing yards, 5.3 targets, 4.7 receptions and 38.0 receiving yards per game. The multi-skilled back earned the 100-yard rushing bonus in Week 6 and hauled in a touchdown in that contest. And, per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Stallions are 3.5-point favorites. So, Marable could have a good game script.
Kerrith Whyte hasn't been efficient, but Todd Haley has fed him the rock. In Whyte's last four games, he's had 22, 18, 21 and 27 opportunities. He's also coming off his best game, amassing 102 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, one reception and 14 receiving yards. Volume is the king at running back, and Whyte has it in spades. Sadly, he didn't make the most of his opportunities against the Breakers when they met in Week 5, totaling only 43 scoreless yards on 14 rushes and three receptions. As a result, Whyte isn't a must-use player, but he's a viable option.
Unfortunately, Matt Colburn was injured last week and landed on the injured reserve. Colburn's absence will pave the way for Dexter Williams to headline Philadelphia's backfield. Williams lacks Colburn's dynamism but can grind a defense down. In relief last week, he had 52 rushing yards, four receptions, 23 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. Williams could be a bell cow again this week. Yet, even with a slightly reduced workload, he's a bingo square in cash games at his tiny salary.
Darnell Holland is an intriguing pivot. He's been inactive all season but could come off the shelf as a change-of-pace option -- as he was last year. Holland has elite speed and can take it to the house from anywhere. In a complementary role last year, Holland averaged 23.7 rushing yards per game and 5.3 yards per attempt. He also scored two touchdowns, including a 42-yard rushing touchdown in the opener when he showed off his angle-erasing wheels.
NOTHING BUT DAYLIGHT ?@yocrazylegs for 42 yards to paydirt!
?: @USA_Network | #USFLOpeningWeekend pic.twitter.com/Q5Yi1wgZJ8
— Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars) April 17, 2022
Holland is a nifty contrarian pick this week if he's active for the Stars.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Corey Coleman is making his presence felt in the USFL. He's second in targets (60), tied for second in receptions (38), second in receiving yards per game (64.5), tied for 10th in yards per reception (13.6) and tied for seventh in touchdown receptions (three). Coleman is the best stacking option with Cookus and a high-upside one-off.
Coleman might not be the only exciting speedster in Philadelphia's receiving corps this week, though. The Stars signed Cyril Grayson last week. Predictably, he wasn't up to speed to debut last week. If he's active, Grayson can pay off at his modest salary in a limited field-stretching role. Grayson's track speed showed up in his workout measurements. He also had an eye-catching two-game stretch for the Buccaneers in 2021, tallying three receptions for 81 yards and one rush for 14 in Week 16 and recording six receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown the following week. Grayson is a boom-or-bust tournament pick if he debuts for the Stars this week.
Jace Sternberger and Deon Cain are the suggested stacking options with McGough or stellar standalone selections. Birmingham's talented tight end snapped a five-game streak of failing to clear 45 receiving yards in Week 8, hauling in three receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown. It was Sternberger's second consecutive game with a touchdown and fifth game reaching paydirt.
Cain set season-highs for targets (seven), receptions (six) and receiving yards (51) last week. And he had back-to-back games with return touchdowns in Week 3 and Week 4, giving him a longshot path to value if his role shrinks in the offense. Yet, after producing last week, Cain could be leaned on again this week.
DK finally woke up this week, raising Johnnie Dixon's salary. Still, he's a relative bargain. Dixon leads wideouts and tight ends in per-game DK scoring (15.9). And, most importantly, he was a target hog the last two weeks, earning precisely a dozen in each game and turning them into 15 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Dixon is no longer a no-brainer pick. Yet, he's still a top-shelf choice.
Derrick Dillon had a reasonably quiet showing last week after scoring over 15 DK points in Week 6 and Week 7. Nonetheless, he had five targets. Since Week 6, he's had 14 targets, eight receptions, 166 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown and 11 receiving yards. Dillon is an integral part of his team's offense, which is more than most players in his salary range can claim.
Isaiah Zuber didn't open the season on the Gamblers. Heck, he didn't play offense when he made his season debut in Week 4, either. Zuber flipped back to wide receiver in Week 6 and had his best showing of the year in Week 8, setting season-highs for targets (six), receptions (five) and receiving yards (30). The modest showing last week is something to build on. And Zuber was productive as a receiver last year. In nine games in 2022, Zuber had 40 targets, 22 receptions, 322 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He'll be a steal if he can recapture last year's form this week.
Defense and Special Teams
Memphis's defense is fearsome after a slow start. They've allowed the second-fewest points per game (19.4). The Showboats wreak havoc on defense, too. Memphis leads the USFL in sacks (20) and turnovers forced (16). Finally, they put the clamps on the Breakers in Week 5, scoring 14.0 DK points.
Michigan's defense isn't in the same class as Memphis's. However, Pittsburgh's offense can make the Panthers' defense look stout. The Maulers are last in yards per game (242.9) and have scored the fewest points (132). Their quarterbacks have also combined to take 24 sacks. And the Maulers have coughed the ball up 11 times. And even in a losing effort to the Maulers in Week 5, Michigan's defense had 9.0 DK points. Thus, they're the best punt defense this week.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
