X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

XFL DFS Lineup Picks: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Fantasy Advice for Week 2

The top daily fantasy XFL lineup picks for DraftKings for Week 2 (2023). Justin provides XFL DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

So, how'd you like that first week of XFL football? Personally, I think it was among the best weeks of spring football I've seen since the concept of spring football leagues returned in 2019 with the AAF. We had some good games. Exciting endings. And we got to remember some names, like Kalen Ballage, who I mentioned last week as a top DFS play.

With DraftKings offering XFL contests again this year, I'll be here every week with lineup picks for the league. It looks like the plan at DraftKings is to do one four-game slate each weekend, even when there's a game on Thursday.

Below, you'll find my thoughts on the Week 2 DFS slate of XFL contests on DraftKings, which goes live on 2/23/2023 at 9:00 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!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 2 XFL DFS Picks

Ben DiNucci - Seattle Sea Dragons, $10,200

Ben DiNucci wasn't the most effective quarterback in the XFL during Week 1. He was only eighth in yards per attempt, and he threw a pair of interceptions. But while those things are discouraging, what makes him my top pick this week is that DiNucci had the volume—a whole lot of it. He led the XFL in Week 1 with 282 passing yards, largely because he attempted 54 passes, the most in the league. Houston's Brandon Silvers was second with 42 pass attempts.

It wasn't that long ago that DiNucci was in the NFL, and of all the quarterbacks in this league, he's the most likely to end up using the XFL as a springboard back into the NFL. Because of that, I expect Seattle to keep letting him throw; they've got to know they have a potential positional advantage over most other teams, though it's fair to value A.J. McCarron's veteran know-how in St. Louis over what DiNucci brings.

St. Louis and Seattle meet this week in what should be a great Thursday night game. Last week, the Battlehawks allowed San Antonio quarterback Jack Coan to throw for over 200 yards.

Luis Perez - Vegas Vipers, $9,300

The name Luis Perez should be seared into your brain if you watch spring football. The former Texas A&M-Commerce quarterback, who led the Lions to a Division II title in 2017, spent 2019 in the AAF with the Birmingham Iron, then 2020 in the XFL with the New York Guardians, 2021 with the Jousters of The Spring League, and 2022 in the USFL with the New Jersey Generals, where he threw the first touchdown pass in the revamped league.

The point is: Perez has a lot of experience doing this thing where he comes in and quarterbacks a group of guys who he barely knows. I think that's a skill. Last week, Perez was third in the XFL in pass attempts and yards, and his three touchdown passes led the league. Yes, he was picked off twice, but I think in a league like this, we have to expect most quarterbacks will turn the ball over. Perez is a solid fantasy option against a Defenders team that allowed a league-high 282 passing yards last week.

 

DraftKings Running Backs - Week 2 XFL DFS Picks

Max Borghi - Houston Roughnecks, $8,000

The Roughnecks ran the football 20 times in Week 1, with eight of those carries going to Max Borghi. Not great volume, but he made the most of those chances, gaining 42 yards on the ground, an average of 5.3 yards per carry, making him one of just three players to average over five yards per carry with at least five touches in the run game.

Borghi also made an impact in the receiving game, as he was targeted four times, catching all four of them for 32 yards. Overall, that's 12 touches for Borghi. You might prefer that number go up to the 15 range to raise his floor.

One potential issue is that Vegas saw its run game shut down by the Renegades last week, and Houston plays Arlington on Sunday. But Vegas also ran the ball just 15 times, and they also don't have the same talent at running back that some other teams have.

Kalen Ballage - San Antonio Brahmas, $7,100

Ballage's salary almost doubled this week, which makes sense because of how his usage went last weekend. His numbers make the rest of the league look like it didn't run the ball at all. He had 24 carries; Deveon Smith was second with 15 carries. He also had 84 rushing yards; Brian Hill was second with 55. He also added three catches for 13 yards and was targeted four times.

It wasn't all great, though. His 3.5 yards per carry rank eighth among players with at least five carries. Still, volume matters, and the volume was there for Ballage. We might see a drop in volume this week, but Brahmas ran the ball a lot, ranking third in run percentage per DK Nation. While a lot of other teams spread their carries out, San Antonio just trusted Ballage to tote it. Bet on that continuing.

 

DraftKings Wide Receivers and Tight Ends - Week 2 XFL DFS Picks

Josh Gordon - Seattle Sea Dragons, $10,100

It was clear in Week 1 that the Sea Dragons are the best passing offense in the XFL. Seven XFL players were targeted at least nine times, and three of those seven played for Seattle.

NFL veteran (and former fantasy hype train) Josh Gordon was only third on Seattle's team in targets with nine, behind Jahcour Pearson's 14 and Blake Jackson's 11. He finished the game with six catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Gordon's the most talented of the three main receivers in Seattle, which is why I prefer him to the other two this week. But really, I think my point here is that until something changes, I want to have exposure to at least one Seattle receiver in every lineup I make.

Deontay Burnett - Houston Roughnecks, $8,500

Houston threw the ball the second-most times of any team in Week 1, and at the third-highest rate. While I'm not treating Houston like Seattle in a "you have to play a receiver from their team" sense, I am high on this Roughneck offense, especially since they face the Renegades this week, who let Luis Perez throw for 249 yards and three touchdowns last week.

Deontay Burnett was tied for second in the league last week in receptions, hauling in eight passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. His 12 targets ranked only behind Seattle's Jahcour Pearson. And despite that, Burnett is on the sixth-most expensive play at WR/TE. There's some value here.

Sal Cannella - Arlington Renegades, $6,500

You know what? Let's talk about a tight end. DraftKings combining WR and TE into one position probably means a lot of lineups will be played with no tight ends, but I think there's some value available at the position. Sal Cannella is the most expensive tight end, and he's $6,500, which ranks 16th in salary at the WR/TE position.

Cannella's eight targets tied him for eighth in the XFL last week, while his 70 receiving yards ranked seventh and his seven catches tied him for fourth. He's a reliable option for Arlington who can move the chains, and while he doesn't have the same ceiling as a wide receiver, he's a really safe floor play.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More XFL Coverage




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Quinshon Judkins

Likely to Make NFL Debut in Week 2
Christian McCaffrey

a Big Part of Saturday's Walkthrough, Trending Toward Playing
Xavier Worthy

Suffers Dislocated Shoulder
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Ty Gibbs

Toyota Speed May Help Ty Gibbs at Gateway
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best DFS Place-Differential Option
Chris Buescher

May Have Qualified Too Well to Start for DFS
Kyle Busch

If Kyle Busch Contends Anywhere, it Could be at Gateway
NASCAR

John Hunter Nemechek Could Benefit From Toyota Speed Like he Did at Darlington
Michael McDowell

Slow Hendrick Setups Will Likely Slow Michael McDowell at Gateway
Jameson Williams

Extending Tenure in Motor City
Pittsburgh Steelers

Cameron Heyward, Steelers Reach Agreement on Revised Deal, Will Play in Week 1
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Travis Hunter

to be Every-Down Wide Receiver
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
Shedeur Sanders

Unlikely to Play in 2025
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
Christian McCaffrey

Signs Pointing Towards Christian McCaffrey Playing in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Signs Fully Guaranteed Deal with Cleveland
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Quentin Johnston

Scores Twice in Brazil
Justin Herbert

Spectacular in Win Over Chiefs
Marquise Brown

Sees Absurd Target Share Friday
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Xavier Worthy

Injures Shoulder Early in Brazil, Questionable to Return
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Jayden Reed

Questionable to Play in Season Opener
Christian McCaffrey

Listed as Questionable for Season Opener With Calf Issue
Tyreek Hill

Cleared for Week 1
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Christian Kirk

Ruled Out for Week 1
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
De'Von Achane

Without Injury Designation Heading Into Week 1
Christian McCaffrey

Seen Working on Side Field During Friday's Practice
Malik Nabers

Cleared to Play on Sunday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Chris Godwin

Officially Ruled Out for Week 1
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Brandon Sproat

to Start for Mets on Sunday
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Mike Trout

Plans to Return on Thursday
Will Smith

X-Rays Negative on Will Smith's Hand
Will Smith

Exits With Hand Contusion
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP