Fantasy football players have had the USFL and XFL the past few years to help scratch their fantasy itch during the NFL offseason. However, the two leagues merged, becoming the United Football League (UFL).
While the number of spring football leagues was reduced from two to one, that doesn’t mean fantasy players have to cut their fun in half. Let’s look at five sleepers for the inaugural UFL season.
- UFL Fantasy Football Draft Rankings
- UFL Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers
- UFL Fantasy Football Draft Picks: Target & Avoid
UFL Fantasy Football Draft Guide
UFL Fantasy Football Draft Rankings
Check out our complete UFL Fantasy Football Draft Rankings. Below we highlight the top players at each position.
Quarterback Rankings
- Adrian Martinez – Birmingham Stallions
- A.J. McCarron – St. Louis Battlehawks
- Jalan McClendon – D.C. Defenders
Running Back Rankings
- T.J. Pledger – Houston Roughnecks
- Abram Smith – D.C. Defenders
- Leddie Brown – Arlington Renegades
Wide Receiver Rankings
- Hakeem Butler – St. Louis Battlehawks
- Isaiah Winstead – Arlington Renegades
- Matt Landers – San Antonio Brahmas
Tight End Rankings
- Jace Sternberger – Birmingham Stallions
- Sage Surratt – Memphis Showboats
- Cody Latimer – San Antonio Brahmas
D/ST Rankings
- Michigan Panthers
- D.C. Defenders
Kicker Rankings
- Donald De La Haye – San Antonio Brahmas
- Chris Blewitt – Birmingham Stallions
UFL Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers
Check out all of our UFL Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers here. Below we highlight a few fantasy football draft sleepers to target.
Matt Corral (QB – Birmingham Stallions)
Reportedly, the Stallions will start Adrian Martinez in Week 1. He had a productive college career during his time at Nebraska. However, Martinez transferred to Kansas State in 2022, splitting time with Will Howard under center. Therefore, no one should be surprised if he gets benched for Corral early in the season. The former Ole Miss star got a raw deal in the NFL, never getting a chance to see the field. If he gets the opportunity to play, don’t be stunned if Corral holds onto the starting role.
T.J. Pledger (RB – Houston Roughnecks)
The Roughnecks might have the best-rushing offense in the league this season. Mark Thompson made an All-USFL team and was Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. He had 655 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, finishing second in the league in rushing yards and first in touchdowns. However, Pledger was part of the same backfield last season. Unfortunately, he only played in four games but had three rushing touchdowns. If Pledger can stay healthy this year, he could turn Houston’s backfield into a meaningful 1-2 punch.
Must-Have Players & Picks to Avoid
Here are all the players we’re targeting and avoiding in UFL Fantasy Football Drafts. Below we dive into a few notable names.
Must-Have: Anthony McFarland – Running Back – San Antonio Brahmas
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.
Avoid: Blake Jackson – Wide Receiver – St. Louis Battlehawks
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.
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