RADIO
Week 9 of the USFL season is here. The season is quickly nearing its end. The Stallions still lead the league with an 8-0 record and are the clear team to beat at this point, though the Generals are just behind them at 7-1. Those teams should continue to pace the league this week, as both face 1-7 teams.
In this article I will be providing you with daily fantasy football USFL DFS picks on DraftKings for Week 9 of the USFL season. These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks.
This slate locks on 6/11/2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET. If you have any questions, you can follow me on Twitter: @juscarts
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USFL Quarterback DFS Picks
J'Mar Smith (Birmingham Stallions) - vs Houston ($10,600)
Smith went 20-for-20 for 222 yards and two touchdowns in his first meeting with the Gamblers. He also rushed for 31 yards in that game. While his numbers have been down a little over the last few games, Smith's rushing ability gives him a nice floor, and I like his track record against this team.
Kenji Bahar (Houston Gamblers) - vs Birmingham ($6,500)
Hate the matchup. But if you want to scrape the bottom of the barrel at QB, I'll go ahead and let you know that Kenji Bahar costs $6,500, which is less than any other starting quarterback. He was okay last week, going 19-for-34 for 159 yards and also adding 49 rushing yards. Two fumbles killed his fantasy value. Houston will likely be down a lot in this game, but that might be good for Bahar, as it offers some chances for garbage time numbers. You can see him tossing a late touchdown to bring the team within 20, right?
USFL Running Back DFS Picks
Darius Victor (New Jersey Generals) - vs Michigan Panthers ($9,200)
Sure, he's pricy, but Victor has had 10 or more carries in every game this season. He finished with 87 yards and three touchdowns last week, plus caught a 19-yard pass. If we want to go for volume at running back, there's no one with more guaranteed volume than Victory. Michigan has been decent against the run, allowing the third-fewest rushing yards per game, and they held Victor to a season-low 40 yards when these teams first met, but I think the volume-based upside is too great to ignore here.
Matt Colburn II (Philadelphia Stars) - vs Pittsburgh ($9,000)
Philly vs. Pittsburgh is a battle of the two USFL teams that allow the most rushing yards per game in the league. The Stars allow more than the Maulers, but Pittsburgh has a three-headed backfield that I just can't get myself to trust. As for the Stars, Colburn has become the clear lead back here, with 16 or more carries in each of the last three games. He has five rushing touchdowns over that span, plus a receiving touchdown. He's now scored at least 19.5 fantasy points in each of these three games. High floor with a high ceiling as well.
USFL Wide Receiver/Tight End DFS Picks
Kavontae Turpin (New Jersey Generals) - vs Michigan ($10,000)
Turpin has hit a season-high in salary, which makes him a little riskier than he was before, when you were getting a huge value with him. Still, he has four touchdown catches over the last three games and 80 or more yards in three of the last four. He caught all five of his targets last week for 83 yards and a score, plus added 10 rushing yards. The Deebo Samuel of the USFL faces a Michigan team that allows the third-fewest passing yards and third-fewest rushing yards in the league, so it's possible this team gets shut down more than usual, but I still think we should bet on Turpin's role and talent.
Marlon Williams (Birmingham Stallions) - vs Houston ($6,100)
Nothing wrong with stacking Smith with one of his top two receivers this season, but I think you can gain an edge by stacking him with Williams, who was targeted 12 times last week, catching seven passes for 109 yards. Sure, Victor Bolden Jr. was out, but Smith could have looked to Osirus Mitchell more. He didn't, targeting Mitchell just twice. I would expect Bolden to take some targets away, but Williams seems like he's ahead of Mitchell in the pecking order. It's also worth noting that Houston allows the most passing yards per game.
Teo Redding (Houston Gamblers) - vs Birmingham ($5,000)
Playing Gamblers players against Birmingham is obviously risky, but with Isaiah Zuber (illness) out this week, there's room for someone else to be the team's productive receiver. Maybe that person is Redding, who was targeted nine times last week with Zuber playing, catching five passes for 44 yards. Redding has one touchdown this season and seems to be a favored target of Kenji Bahar.
Isiah Hennie (Pittsburgh Maulers) - vs Philadelphia ($4,100)
The Stars allow the second-most passing yards per game. And while Pittsburgh isn't known for their passing as they have the second-fewest passing yards in the league, I think there's some upside with Hennie based on his growing involvement in this offense. He was targeted eight times last week, and in the three games he's played this year, he has at least five targets each week. He caught his first touchdown against New Jersey and should maintain a key role in this offense. His ceiling is a little limited by the team's struggles to move the ball through the air, but at $4,100, I'm fine taking on the risk involved with him.
USFL D/ST DFS Picks
Birmingham Stallions - vs Houston ($5,500)
The Stallions and Generals both have great matchups this week, but I lean on Birmingham here. The defense averages 9.3 fantasy points per game, tied with the Breakers for second-best in the league. The best fantasy defense has been Houston, but I refuse to play the Gamblers defense against Birmingham.
Last week, the Bandits DST scored 13 fantasy points when facing Houston, the team's best result all season. And back in Week 2, Birmingham had 14 fantasy points against this team. Love this play.
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