It was another week of outstanding finishes and high-scoring battles in Week 8, and the UFL serves up more tantalizing matchups for this Week 9 holiday slate that includes a USFL conference showdown between the Panthers and Stallions.
DraftKings is offering a full array of cash games and tournaments based on UFL regular-season and postseason games. DraftKings' UFL DFS rosters largely mirror that of NFL contests, with a notable exception -- there is no TE-specific spot, but rather two WR/TE spots and two additional flex spots that can be filled with a running back, wide receiver, or tight end.
QUARTERBACKS
Jordan Ta'amu, DC at HOU ($11,000):
Ta'amu came through again in Week 8, compiling 27.6 DK points with three total touchdowns, including a receiving score on a trick play. The spring league vet now has five straight games of over 22 DK points, which naturally has led to an incremental bump in salary. However, Ta'amu was also requiring an $11K investment in Week 8, meaning his third-highest haul of the season didn't lead to any increase.
The Roughnecks have been more vulnerable against the run overall, but Houston is still allowing the third-most passing yards per game (183.1) while also surrendering nine touchdown passes. The Roughnecks are also conceding an elevated 11.3 yards per completion, and they haven't been particularly proficient getting home on the QB (14 sacks). Ta'amu has also been at his best on the road, where he's averaging 26.4 DK points per game and boasting an 11:3 TD:INT.
J'Mar Smith, BHAM vs. MICH ($9,300):
Smith went toe to toe with the Battlehawks at their place in Week 8 and nearly pulled off a hard-fought win, finishing with 26 DK points on the strength of 307 total yards and three touchdown passes. Smith showed off his rocket arm on a pair of scoring tosses to Deon Cain, and he supplemented his production nicely by rushing 10 times for 45 yards. Ball security was an issue – he committed three fumbles, recovering one – but his upside makes him very appealing in a critical home game in Week 9.
The opposing Panthers are surrendering a UFL-high 204.0 passing yards per contest, along with a co-UFL-high 11 touchdown passes. Michigan is also yielding the third-highest yards per attempt (6.93) and the league's second-highest passer rating (86.9), buttressing the high-upside Smith's case even further.
ALSO CONSIDER: Max Duggan, STL at SAN ($9,700)
RUNNING BACKS
Jacob Saylors, STL at SAN ($9,500):
Saylors had been stuck in a multi-week slump heading into the Week 8 showdown against the Stallions, and he broke out for his best game of the campaign against what had been the league's stingiest run defense. Saylors finished with 24.1 DK points on a 16-carry, 118-yard, one-TD performance, and he also saw three targets, his most since Week 3.
The Brahmas are allowing a robust 4.3 yards per carry, and they've given up a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns as well. San Antonio is also surrendering a UFL-high 123.9 rushing yards per contest, and when Saylors last saw the Brahmas in Week 2, he recorded a season-high 30.1 DK points on the strength of three rushing touchdowns.
Deon Jackson, DC at HOU ($8,300):
Jackson continued to lead the Defenders backfield in the high-scoring Week 8 win over the Renegades, and although game script somewhat capped his rushing opportunities overall, the speedy former NFL back still finished with a season-high 21.6 DK points courtesy of 116 total yards and a rushing TD. Jackson's production included a 57-yard touchdown run that showed off his explosiveness, and he now has three straight games with 10 carries and at least one target.
The Roughnecks check in allowing the second-most yards per carry (4.5) and third-most rushing touchdowns (nine), leading to Houston conceding the third-most rushing yards per game (120.9). Jackson already has two other double-digit DK-point tallies this season despite playing what could be described as a part-time role, giving him plenty of upside in this matchup.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jashaun Corbin, SAN vs. STL ($7,600)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Malik Turner, MICH at BHAM ($9,100):
Turner continued to deliver in Week 8 despite Danny Etling serving as a last-minute replacement for Bryce Perkins (ankle), posting 14 DK points thanks to a 4-40-1 line. That extended the veteran's run of productive fantasy performances, as he'd also supplied 14.4 to 21.1 DK points in the three games prior while recording a touchdown grab in each and seeing between five and 11 targets.
Turner will be working with Etling again in Week 9, as Perkins will remain out. However, given the two already displayed some chemistry a week ago, that isn't necessarily a concern. Additional, although the Stallions were surprisingly dominated by Saylors in Week 8, Birmingham is still allowing the second-fewest rushing yards per game (90.8), meaning Michigan's best path to success will likely be taking to the air. Turner is averaging 15.5 DK points per road game, and the Panthers figure to have to remain aggressive to keep pace with Smith and Birmingham's high-powered passing attack.
Deon Cain, BHAM vs. MICH ($8,600):
As alluded to in Smith's entry earlier, Cain was on the receiving end of two touchdown passes in Week 8, with those catches totaling 115 yards and resulting in a season-high 29.4 DK points. The veteran also had a one-point conversion catch and even accumulated 75 kick-return yards, underscoring how integral he is to the Stallions' attack. Cain has been surging in recent weeks even before that performance, as he also boasts tallies of 14.9 and 18.4 DK point since Week 4.
As already highlighted in Smith's entry, the Panthers have been vulnerable through the air. In addition to the numbers already cited, it's also worth noting Michigan has given up a league-high 151 completions while facing a league-high 246 pass attempts, so Cain should certainly be in line for another busy afternoon.
Cornell Powell, DC at HOU ($7,500):
Powell was a key figure in Ta'amu's success once again in Week 8, as the one-time Chiefs draft pick continued to make his strong UFL case with another pair of trips to the end zone. Powell finished with a 4-59-2 line overall on five targets, numbers that netted a season-high 21.9 DK points.
The two scores were Powell's third and fourth touchdowns of the last four games, a stretch where he also has tallies of 18.9 and 18.0 DK points. Some of the numbers that substantiate the Roughnecks' vulnerability to the pass were already highlighted in Ta'amu's entry, and with Powell displaying plenty of downfield prowess, he should be in good position to capitalize on Houston's tendency to give up occasional chunk plays through the air.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tyler Vaughns, ARL at MEM ($8,100)
FLEX
Zaquandre White (RB), HOU vs. DC ($7,900)
White has rather quietly been churning out solid fantasy production for weeks now, scoring 10.6 to 21.7 DK points in Weeks 3-7 before seeing the streak of double-digit tallies snapped in Week 8. However, White still gained 59 rushing yards on eight carries in that game against the Panthers, so his dip in production was more due to a lack of opportunity than anything else. Additionally, White has seen a $300 reduction in salary for Week 9 as a result, adding to his appeal.
The Defenders have been the league's most generous run defense on a per-carry basis, surrendering a UFL-high 4.77 yards per tote, along with the second-most rushing touchdowns (10). DC is also allowing the fourth-most rushing yards per game (115.6), and with the Defenders also having a very aggressive pass rush, it's likely White, who'd logged between nine and 15 carries in Weeks 3-7, will have a bump in workload over Week 8.
ALSO CONSIDER: Dae Dae Hunter (RB), ARL at MEM ($7,700)
TEAM DEFENSE
St. Louis Battlehawks at San Antonio Brahmas ($4,600): The Battlehawks came through handsomely as a Week 8 suggestion, despite the fact the opposing Stallions hit for several big plays and scored 28 points overall. St. Louis' defense still managed 15.0 DK points thanks to a pick-six, two fumble recoveries and four sacks, which led to the unit's second-highest DK-point total of the season.
Anthony Becht's squad now sports an average of 10.4 DK points per game, and they're allowing the second-fewest points per contest (17.8) and total yards per game (275.0), along with snagging a UFL-high nine picks. Additionally, they're now up to 19 sacks after tormenting the Stallions' Smith last week, and that figure also ranks them No. 2 in the league. To tilt matters even more in the Battlehawks' favor Friday, this game will be played at The Dome instead of in San Antonio due to a scheduling conflict at the Alamodome.
The Battlehawks also recorded four sacks against the Brahmas in Week 2, a game in which they posted 10.0 DK points. San Antonio is showing more life on offense with Kevin Hogan under center and Jashaun Corbin now leading the backfield, but San Antonio QBs have thrown seven INTs in eight games while taking 20 sacks, and Jack Pardee's squad is averaging the second-fewest passing yards per contest (128.2). And, even with Corbin's recent surge, the Brahmas are still sitting on a league-low 234.8 total yards per game on offense, furthering the Battlehawks' case.
