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It's time for Week 9 of USFL action. We're nearing the end of the season but things are still tight. The entire South Division is separated by just one game, with the Memphis Showboats being the big story of the league right now, bouncing back from an 0-3 start to win five in a row.
With DraftKings offering USFL contests again this year, I'll be here every week with lineup picks for the league, covering the four-game slates every weekend.
Below, you'll find my thoughts on the Week 9 DFS slate of USFL contests on DraftKings, which goes live on 6/10/2023 at 12:00 p.m. ET. Be sure to also read all our other weekly XFL fantasy football articles. Let's get to it, and good luck RotoBallers!
DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 9 USFL DFS Picks
Alex McGough - Birmingham Stallions - vs Houston Gamblers - $12,500
This is a clear smash spot for Alex McGough, as he faces the league's worst pass defense in a game where his own defense allows the second-most passing yards per game. This could be a shootout.
McGough is coming off his best game of the season, going 24-for-35 for 333 yards and three touchdowns. He also added five carries for 19 yards.
This'll be McGough's second game against the Gamblers this season. In the first one, he had another big showing, going 24-for-37 for 208 yards and two touchdowns while also adding six carries for 76 yards.
Kenji Bahar - Houston Gamblers - vs Birmingham Stallions - $9,100
Bahar isn't known for being a major passing threat, but I think he's worth a shot this week against a Stallions team that allows the second-most passing yards in the USFL.
Last week, Bahar was 11-for-20 for 146 yards and a touchdown. The week before, he threw 39 pass attempts, but completed just 46.2% of them. His efficiency is a concern, but he's had some good showings this year, and this matchup is a plus.
I wish we could look at Bahar's stats in the first meeting of these teams, but he missed that game. However, backup QB Terry Wilson completed 64.3% of his passes in that game with a touchdown.
DraftKings Running Backs - Week 9 USFL DFS Picks
Mark Thompson - Houston Gamblers - vs Birmingham Stallions - $12,800
The Stallions allow 121.0 rushing yards per game, the second-most in the USFL. That makes this a great spot for Mark Thompson, who has been the league's best running back.
Thompson has found the end zone in every game he's played this season, and just once did he fail to find it multiple times. The first time he faced Birmingham, he had 16 carries for 78 yards and three touchdowns. Thompson has just been a beast all season, and he's the safest bet in this entire league.
Darius Victor - New Jersey Generals - vs Philadelphia Stars - $7,800
The Stars allow 128.5 rushing yards per game, the most in the USFL. Maybe this will be the thing Darius Victor needs to get his run game back on track.
I should note I specifically said "run game" there. Victor averaged just 2.9 yards per carry last week, but he had six catches for 39 yards and a touchdown, his second week in a row to find the end zone on a pass play. If his receiving volume stays consistent and he can get a little more running room against a weak defense, he should have a shot to post to some good numbers. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry when these teams met back in Week 5.
DraftKings Wide Receivers and Tight Ends - Week 9 USFL DFS Picks
Davion Davis - Birmingham Stallions - vs Houston Gamblers - $9,400
The Gamblers allow the second-most passing yards per game, so I like targeting the Stallions' passing game in DFS this week. I already recommended the team's quarterback above, so let's look at one of his best options.
Davion Davis has a couple of weeks, with just four targets between Week 6 and Week 7, but he bounced back last week, catching four of his eight targets for 120 yards and a touchdown. He struggled when these teams last met, but it wasn't for a lack of opportunities, as he was targeted seven times in that one—he just only brought in two of them.
Risky because he's had some bad weeks, but Davis has a really high ceiling.
Jonathan Adams - New Orleans Breakers - vs Memphis Showboats - $8,100
The Showboats have allowed the third-most passing yards in the league, making this a good spot for the Breakers passing attack.
Last week, Jonathan Adams had his best game of the season, hauling in eight of his nine targets for 117 yards. He still hasn't found the end zone yet this season, but he's had six or more targets in four consecutive games, so you get a sense that a touchdown's coming based on the volume.
Josh Simmons - Pittsburgh Maulers - vs Michigan Panthers - $3,100
I think there could be some value here if you're trying to do a build with a lot of high-priced options and need a punt play to throw in. The Maulers receiving game has mostly been built around Isiah Hennie and Bailey Gaither, but Simmons has had some interesting usage lately, with three targets in each of the past two games, plus a carry in each game as well. It's not a ton of usage, but it's something, and at just $3,100 that "something" could be useful for lineup building.
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