UFL fantasy football is an entirely different beast than typical NFL fantasy football. Since the UFL has only eight teams, fantasy leagues feature four to eight teams. Six is an excellent number of teams for a league size since it will leave some wiggle room and creativity at quarterback. For instance, a team could splurge on a stud signal-caller or double up on fringe options, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle while securing a bell-cow running back.
Still, getting top-flight quarterbacks and bell-cow running backs in the first few rounds of drafts is crucial. Quarterback turnover is commonplace in spring football leagues, and getting left holding the bag with a starting quarterback who loses his job is challenging to overcome. There are also only so many bell-cow running backs to go around, enhancing their appeal as well.
Hitting on picks on wide receivers can mask other deficiencies on fantasy rosters. Yet, the position is deep, and it’s not unusual for unsung heroes to emerge from nowhere during the season. Thus, they’re not usually priority selections in the first two rounds of drafts.
The following players are must-have options and ones to avoid at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end. There are also honorable mentions included. The average draft position (ADP) is courtesy of AltFantasySports. The ADPs shouldn’t be considered gospel since they’re a bit wonky. The ADP data included punters drafted in leagues that utilized them, even though most don’t. AltFantasySports also allows leagues to use entire team quarterback rooms instead of individual quarterbacks. So, they also throw the ADPs off a smidge. Regardless, the data can help set some expectations for drafts, and it should tighten up as more users draft leagues at AltFantasySports.
UFL Fantasy Football Draft Rankings
Quarterbacks
Must-Have
A.J. McCarron – ST. Louis Battlehawks: 4.2 AltFantasySports ADP
A.J. McCarron should be the first pick in UFL fantasy drafts. He doesn’t offer any rushing potential. Nevertheless, McCarron has a locked-in starting gig in an offense he’s familiar with and thrived in last season. He was second in the XFL in passing yards (2,150) and first in passing touchdowns (24) despite missing one game. He’s the QB2 in ADP, and the Battlehawks have the team QB2 ADP. Drafters are making a mistake choosing anyone, let alone another quarterback, before McCarron.
Honorable Mention: Case Cookus – Memphis Showboats
Avoid
Jordan Ta’amu – D.C. Defenders: 5.54 ADP
Jordan Ta’amu has sandwiched two stellar spring football seasons around one dud. Ta’amu was rock-solid last year. However, D.C.’s offense was powered by Abram Smith. Their stud running back tore his ACL in practice and will miss the entire season.
His absence can have a trickle-down effect on the offense and shift the burden of carrying the offense to Ta’amu. Furthermore, he’ll have to adjust to an entirely revamped pass-catching corps. Chris Blair (687 receiving yards), Lucky Jackson (662) and Josh Hammond (513) were D.C.’s only pass-catchers with over 200 receiving yards last season, and none are on the team this year. Gamers would be better off with Case Cookus or Quinten Dormady than Ta’amu if they’re unable to pick McCarron.
Honorable Mention: Reid Sinnett – Houston Roughnecks
Running Backs
Must-Have
Anthony McFarland – San Antonio Brahmas: 38.89 ADP
Anthony McFarland is an intriguing addition to spring football. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. McFarland has excellent straight-line speed and averaged a blistering 6.7 yards per carry at Maryland, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).
He’s only 5-foot-8 and weighs 193 pounds. Fortunately, Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator A.J. Smith were willing to overlook the size of Max Borghi (5-foot-9 and 210 pounds) last season. Borghi was Houston’s featured running back, amassing 85 rush attempts, 358 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, 25 targets, 22 receptions and 136 receiving yards in nine games for the Houston Roughnecks. Even though Smith calls a pass-heavy offense, it can bare fantasy points for his offense’s featured back, as evidenced by Borghi’s production last season. As a result, McFarland is a sweet dart throw with a high ceiling.
Honorable Mention: Darius Victor – Memphis Showboats
Avoid
Mark Thompson – Houston Roughnecks: 4.16 ADP
Mark Thompson has piled up rushing yards as a featured back in Houston for consecutive USFL seasons. In 17 games, he’s had 249 rush attempts for 1,116 rushing yards (65.6 per game) and 16 rushing touchdowns. Thompson led the USFL in rushing touchdowns (14) last season.
Unfortunately, he’s largely been a non-factor in the passing game, securing only 22 receptions for 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Thompson was a big fish in a small pond. The merger has added significant talent to the running back pool, lessening the need to spend a top-five pick on Thompson. He’s an excellent target in the second round but unlikely to get there. So, Thompson’s inclusion as a player to avoid is a structural suggestion. Gamers should prioritize a stud quarterback before pulling the trigger on Thompson.
Finally, Houston’s quarterback room is the worst in the UFL. If they can’t move the ball and score points, Thompson could regress from a 14-touchdown running back to the one who scored only four the prior season.
Honorable Mention: Devin Darrington – Arlington Renegades
Wide Receivers
Must-Have
Hakeem Butler – St. Louis Battlehawks: 18.4 ADP
Hakeem Butler is a dreamy stacking option with McCarron or a tantalizing one-off. He’s already familiar with this offense and has a rapport with McCarron. According to PFF, among wideouts targeted at least 20 times in the XFL last season, Butler was third in targets (69), second in receptions (51), fourth in receiving yards (605), fourth in yards per route run (1.84 Y/RR) and tied for first in touchdown receptions (eight).
Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Adams – Memphis Showboats, Jontre Kirklin – San Antonio Brahmas
Avoid
Blake Jackson – St. Louis Battlehawks: 14.58 ADP
Blake Jackson will be Butler’s new teammate. Yet, Butler isn’t the only talented returning pass-catcher for the Battlehawks. Darrius Shepherd and Marcell Ateman are also back in the fold. Jackson was ninth in receiving yards (490) but was only fourth on the pass-happy Seattle Sea Dragons.
Moreover, while Jahcour Pearson will begin the season on the injured reserve list, he’s expected to join his new receiving corps during the season eventually but will miss at least the first six weeks. Pearson led the XFL in targets (86), receptions (66) and receiving yards (726) last season and should immediately command targets when he returns to the field, pushing Jackson further down the pecking order. Thus, Jackson’s ADP is ludicrous.
Honorable Mention: Diondre Overton – Memphis Showboats
Tight Ends
Must-Have
Cody Latimer – San Antonio Brahmas: 27.25 ADP
Cody Latimer is a tight end only in positional designation. He was a wide receiver in college. Latimer was a bright spot on the lousy Orlando Guardians. The big-bodied pass-catcher was tied for ninth in targets (64), tied for third in receptions (50), fifth in receiving yards (593), first in yards per route run (2.47 Y/RR), first in PFF receiving grade and tied for eighth in receiving touchdowns (four) despite playing in only nine games.
Latimer should thrive in his new pass-centric offense. Latimer should also hit the ground running since he’s previously played with Dormady and should have chemistry with him.
Honorable Mention: Jace Sternberger – Birmingham Stallions
Avoid
Cole Hikutini – Michigan Panthers: 48.0 ADP
Gamers are advised to secure one of Latimer, Jace Sternberger, Sage Surratt or Sal Cannella. It gets dicey after them. Cole Hikutini was tied for the second-most receiving touchdowns (five) in the USFL last year, covering up for an otherwise pedestrian line of 30 targets, 21 receptions and 239 receiving yards in nine games.
Hikutini also wasn’t a standout performer in the two games started by E.J. Perry, the presumed starter for the Michigan Panthers to begin this season. In those two games, he had five targets, three receptions, 42 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. Again, gamers should secure one of Latimer, Sternberger, Surratt or Cannella and allow their league mates to sift through the rest of the tight ends.
Honorable Mention: Alize Mack – San Antonio Brahmas
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.