This article is part of our DraftKings USFL series.
We’ve seen spring football leagues come and go in recent years, not entirely through their own fault as COVID-19 has created challenges that no one saw coming. However, the USFL now looks to continue its success as it kicks off its second straight season Saturday at 4:30 pm EDT. Before we jump into some of the top games, it’s worth looking at some rules that are unique compared to the NFL.
Like the XFL, special teams games are very different from the traditional NFL format. Most impactful for fantasy purposes, there are three PAT options. The first is the traditional kick for a point, which is taken from the 15-yard line – making it almost a 32-yard attempt. Teams also have the option of going for a two-point conversion from the 2-yard line, or a three-point conversion from the 10-yard line. For kickoffs, the ball is placed at the 20, with the kicking team lining up at the 19. The receiving team has eight or nine players lined up between its own 30- and 40-yard lines. Neither team can move until the ball is placed. A kick that goes out of bounds is placed 30 yards from the spot of the kick, which means in most cases midfield.
Some other rules that can be covered in less detail:
- The ball that is fumbled in the end zone is returned to the fumble area and the fumbling team retains possession.
- The clock runs after incompletions in the first and third quarters. It will also run throughout the second and fourth quarters when there are more than five minutes remaining.
- The clock stops after penalties in the last two minutes of the second and fourth quarters as well as after first downs.
- There are two ways to retain possession after a score. First is the traditional onside kick. The other was a 4th-and-12 play from the scoring team’s own 33-yard line.
- Overtime is a best-of-three shootout. Each team runs three plays from the two-yard line. The team with the most conversions wins. If tied after three rounds, overtime becomes sudden death.
- Defensive pass interference is usually a 15-yard penalty, similar to NCAA rules. However, there are two exceptions. When a receiver intentionally makes a tackle beyond 15 yards while the ball is in the air, it becomes a spot foul. It can also be a spot foul if the penalty occurs within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage.
- The offense will complete two forward passes behind the line of scrimmage.
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quarterback
Case Cookus ($10,200) in Memphis
There is a bit of a learning curve at the start of the XFL season due to the lack of familiarity and information about the league. That may be true in the USFL as well, but Cookus and J’Mar Smith ($10,300) enter the season as the top two quarterbacks in the league. They are priced accordingly. Based on the expected quality of the opponent, Cookus has the edge, although Smith has the benefit of being more of a dual-threat option.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson ($8,300) vs. Pittsburgh
Bethel-Thompson has risen all over his professional football career, but he most recently won the Gray Cup with the CFL’s Argonauts. Lack of familiarity and rust can become factors early in the season, so relying on a veteran signal caller may prove wise. He also has a strong pass-catching corps to take advantage of in what should be a matchup to take advantage of. Bethel-Thompson is a good option for those who don’t want to pay up for a quarterback.
Running Back
Bo Scarbrough ($8,800) against New Jersey
Scarbrough didn’t pan out in the NFL, but he made an instant impact in the USFL last season and returned to lead the backfield for Birmingham once again. He ended the team’s postseason run in excellent form in 2022, with perhaps the most impressive part being his involvement as a receiver. He has seen at least three targets in three of his last four games, which combined with his work as a rusher, gives him a solid job. The New Jersey projects are a tough matchup, but not to the point where Scarbrough should be avoided.
Matt Colburn ($9,000) in Memphis
There are some decent value options at wide receiver, so in Week 1 the best build is paying running back. Colburn finished second in the league in touchdowns and fifth in yards in 2022 despite having a smaller workload than many players around the stats leaderboard. He was also involved as a pass catcher, recording 18 receptions for 150 yards for the Stars last season. It probably doesn’t make sense to list Cookus and Colburn, as it’s unlikely that both hit their Week 1 ceiling.
Also consider: mother london ($6,900) in New Orleans
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Derrick Dillon ($3,400) vs. Philadelphia
The Showboats have three talented receivers in Dillon, John Franklin ($8,600) and Rashard Davis ($4,900). It’s unclear what order they’ll go first in the offense, but Franklin is priced among the elite wide receivers. That makes Dillon a more attractive value option, as he offers direct leverage from one of the highest-priced pass catchers on the slate. As for Dillon’s game itself, he finished fifth in the USFL with 386 receiving yards, 11th in receptions and 14th in targets in 2022. It’s a crowded receiving corps in Memphis, but still, this seems to be a price to take advantage of.
Jonathan Adams ($7,700) vs. Pittsburgh
We’re turning to another talented receiving corps for our next pick, as Adams and teammate Johnnie Dixon ($9,000) are expected to be the top duo in the league. Last year, Adams finished in the top 10 in yards, targets and receptions. It’s certainly possible that Dixon outperforms what he did this week, but the target distribution should be narrow enough that Adams has a chance to get there even if Dixon does as well. Both are solid options.
Corey Coleman ($7,500) in Memphis
Coleman has plenty of NFL pedigree as he was selected 15th overall in the 2016 draft. Things didn’t work out for him from there, but he was another important influx of talent for the league. He just appeared on the Chiefs practice squad early in the 2022 season, but he already has a chance to serve as the Stars’ second wide receiver behind Jordan Suell ($9,100), who is questionable with a hamstring injury.
Defense/Special Groups
New Orleans Breakers ($4,600) vs. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has the worst offense in the league in 2022. Its coaching staff and quarterback have both changed, so there’s no guarantee it will be poor again. However, it still looks like one of the biggest mismatches available in the opening weekend, so it’s worth paying for the highest-priced defense on the slate.
The author(s) of this article may play daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – the games for which they provide recommendations or advice in this article. In the course of playing these games with their personal accounts, it is possible that they use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have given above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Marcus plays in daily fantasy contests with the following accounts: FanDuel: marcusd91 DraftKings: dmarcus87.