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Welcome to the Week 3 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 3 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings' wide array of tournaments and cash games. After you're done here, be sure to also read all our other weekly UFL fantasy football articles.
The XFL and USFL had both defied the odds over the last pair of springs to complete full seasons -- one in the case of the former and two in the case of the latter -- and they've now joined forces in the hopes of forming a stable and long-lasting pro football alternative for fans that also serves as a launchpad to the NFL for as many players as possible. There's a solid degree of carryover in terms of personnel from both leagues for the 2024 season, even though several teams from each league didn't make the cut for the UFL.
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.
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UFL DFS Bargain Bin Intro
Before we go UFL DFS Bargain Bin hunting, a few particulars about format and content.
The nature of the beast with value plays is at least a modest amount (and sometimes substantially more) of risk. Therefore, the Bargain Bin may prove to be a bit more of a roller coaster ride on some slates than your typical “tout” article! Naturally, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an upside to be had. All of these selections are therefore suitable for GPPs and can also often serve as solid cash game plays, while often helping you accommodate multiple higher-priced studs into your lineup.
This article is by no means intended to serve as an exhaustive list of all value options for the week. Rather, it’s meant to take a deeper dive into those I feel offer some of the best combinations of savings and upside.
The goal is to recommend truly affordable players, as opposed to, say, a player priced just $300-$400 away from the highest-priced option at his position. I don’t have set-in-stone price limits in mind for each site, but I do consider legitimate affordability a very important criterion.
UFL Quarterback DFS Value Plays
Reid Sinnett, HOU at MICH | $7,900
Roughnecks starter Jarrett Guarantano is set to miss extended time with a rib injury suffered in Week 3, meaning Sinnett is the next man up to lead Houston's offense. Sinnett, who's spent offseason and preseason time with multiple NFL teams and also got into four games with the XFL's Brahmas last season, was effective in relief of Guarantano against the Defenders, completing 19 of 30 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown in a performance that netted 12.8 DK points.
The Panthers make for good targets, considering Michigan has only one interception and three sacks through two games. The Ford Field fast track could also be conducive for better downfield success for Sinnett's pass catchers, even though the loss of Kirk Merritt to a season-ending wrist injury does rob him of a valuable weapon.
ALSO CONSIDER: Luis Perez, ARL vs. DC | $8,500
UFL Running Back DFS Value Plays
Ricky Person, BHAM vs. MEM | $6,100
Person came through as a value suggestion in Week 2 despite modest production, as he crossed the goal line for his second touchdown in as many games to open the season. The North Carolina State product is still clearly behind lead back C.J. Marable in the pecking order, but Person seems to be earning his keep as a dependable red-zone option that has a nose for the end zone.
Moreover, Person is a more-than-serviceable pass catcher, posting a 4-39 line through the air in part-time duty thus far after finishing his college career with 46 catches in his last two seasons. The matchup against a Showboats squad that's been effective against the run over the first two games isn't the most appealing on paper, but given Person's red-zone usage and ability to spell Marable as both runner and receiver, he's still worth a look at his salary.
Darius Hagans, D.C. at ARL | $5,300
The Defenders' ground attack is still finding its way in the absence of Abram Smith (knee), but Hagans may be making a claim for the top job over Cam'Ron Harris. The Virginia State product, who logged 12 carries across three preseason games with the Steelers last summer, served as the top option in Week 2 against the Roughnecks after sitting out Week 1 for undisclosed reasons.
Hagans' efficiency wasn't great -- he gained only 29 yards on 11 carries -- but he complemented that with a rushing TD and two receptions in his way to 12 DK points. The Renegades have been highly vulnerable to the run over the first two games while allowing 140.5 rushing yards per contest, making Hagans all the more appealing at his very reasonable salary.
UFL Wide Receiver DFS Value Plays
Marcell Ateman, STL at SAN | $7,200
Ateman has distinguished himself early on a very talented Battlehawks pass-catching corps, following up his 6-60-1 line in Week 1 with an even more spectacular 4-114-2 tally against the Renegades on Saturday. The NFL veteran, who has 19 games of regular-season experience with the Raiders, has the size and speed to make an impact all over the field and certainly benefits from playing with a highly capable veteran quarterback in AJ McCarron.
The Brahmas have been fairly effective defensively over the first two games, but Wade Phillips' defenses traditionally can leave themselves vulnerable over the middle due to their aggressive blitzing schemes. San Antonio is allowing 210.5 passing yards per contest thus far, and Ateman and McCarron should feel very comfortable in an environment that closely mirrors their dome home in terms of the playing surface.
Daewood Davis, MEM at BHAM | $7,000
Davis continued ascending in Week 2, recording six catches for 58 yards and a touchdown against the Brahmas on his way to 17.8 DK points. The Western Kentucky product already has 13 receptions through two games, cementing him as one of talented signal-caller Case Cookus' top targets.
Davis should once again play an integral role in a big matchup against the defending USFL champion Stallions, which force teams to remain aggressive offensively thanks to their talent. The Stallions once again boast a talented defense this season, but they've yielded 208.5 passing yards per contest in the first two games, suggesting Davis could enjoy some success once again.
Tyler Vaughns, ARL vs. D.C. | $5,100
Vaughns put together some solid tape at the major college football level during his time at USC, where he recorded 189 receptions for 2,395 yards and 17 touchdowns over his first three seasons before COVID-19 shortened his 2020 senior campaign. After preseason stints with the Colts and Steelers in the following two summers, Vaughns then posted a productive 31-302-1 line in nine regular-season games for the XFL champions last season.
He was then stellar in the championship win with eight receptions for 83 yards and a score, putting his rapport with capable quarterback Luis Perez above question. The Defenders have been significantly vulnerable against the pass early this season as well, surrendering 220 passing yards per contest over the first two games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Deon Cain, BHAM vs. MEM | $6,400
UFL Flex DFS Value Plays
Cody Latimer, TE - SAN vs. STL | $6,700
Latimer was arguably the most consistent component of an often struggling Orlando Guardians offense during the 2023 XFL season, and the NFL veteran has already rounded into form for his new Brahmas squad just two games into the new season. After a quiet debut in Week 1, Latimer was a Week 2 star with an 8-91-1 line on nine targets that included the winning touchdown to cap off a wild comeback, displaying excellent rapport with now long-term starting quarterback Sinnett.
Ty Scott, WR - D.C. at ARL | $5,000
Scott's salary continues to be refreshingly modest, certainly a welcome sight for us DFS players after he's opened the season with tallies of 12.7 and 8.7 DK points in his first two contests. The speedy Missouri State product has a home-run quality to his game and turned his only target in Week 2 into a touchdown, and he could potentially deliver again Saturday with just a handful of touches against a Renegades defense whose vulnerabilities versus the pass already surrendering 237.5 passing yards per game thus far this season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Sage Surratt, TE - MEM at BHAM | $6,000
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