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Welcome to the Week 2 edition of RotoBaller's XFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 2 XFL contests. Each week during the XFL 2023 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 XFL fantasy football articles.
The XFL's opening weekend didn't disappoint, as three of the first four games were decided by four points or less and the play around the league was of solid quality overall. Offenses should continue to make strides each week as they catch up to the defenses, which should lead to increasingly fruitful performances for DFS purposes.
DraftKings' XFL 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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XFL DFS Bargain Bin Intro
Before we go XFL 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 rollercoaster 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.
XFL Quarterback DFS Value Plays
Brandon Silvers, HOU vs. ARL | $8,600
Silvers looked proficient for the most part running coordinator A.J. Smith's aggressive offense against the Guardians in Week 1, accruing 16.9 DK points across 42 pass attempts. The spring league vet displayed plenty of chemistry with the capable trio of former NFL wideout Deontay Burnett, as well as LSU alum Jontre Kirklin and Washington State product Travell Harris.
Silvers does seemingly have a tough task against a Renegades defense that picked off the Vipers' Luis Perez twice and sacked him three times in Week 1. However, there's little doubt he'll have plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the air given Smith's aggressive approach, and Arlington did demonstrate some vulnerability against the pass in the opener while allowing Perez to complete 11 of his first 12 attempts.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jack Coan, SA at ORL | $8,200
XFL Running Back DFS Value Plays
Kalen Ballage, SA at ORL | $7,100
Ballage saw an encouragingly hefty workload in Week 1 against the Battlehawks, logging a whopping 24 carries and four targets through the air as well. The bruising back generated a respectable 12.7 DK points in the process, and he now gets a crack at a Guardians team the Brahmas could potentially overwhelm by the second half, which would give Ballage a chance at a robust touch total once again.
Orlando allowed the Roughnecks running back duo of Max Borghi and Dejoun Lee to net 67 rushing yards and a touchdown (Borghi) on 14 carries in Week 1. What's more, Borghi also recorded four receptions along the way, which brightens Ballage's prospects further considering his own impressive pass-catching chops.
De'Veon Smith, ARL at HOU | $5,700
Smith logged 15 carries out of the gate in Arlington's opener Saturday against the Vipers, and while he only parlayed them into 42 yards, it was still encouraging to see he was the clear-cut lead back. Smith also posted a 2-15 line on three targets, helping lead to an acceptable 8.7 DK points. The one-time Tampa Bay Vipers bruiser back in XFL 2.0 should be in line for a run as lead back against the Roughnecks after outpacing backfield mate Keith Ford by six carries.
The Roughnecks had the luxury of building a big early lead against the Guardians in the opener and therefore didn't have to worry much about the running game after a certain point. However, Orlando lead back Jah-Maine Martin did enjoy some success while recording 41 yards on nine carries, while backup Kelvin Taylor chipped in 28 yards on just five rushes. Therefore, Smith could find the running room a bit less at a premium versus Houston, especially with Wade Phillips' unit typically focused first and foremost on getting after the quarterback.
ALSO CONSIDER: Brenden Knox, SEA vs. STL | $6,400
XFL Wide Receiver DFS Value Plays
Jahcour Pearson, SEA vs. STL | $7,300
Pearson was exceedingly busy right out of the gate for the Sea Dragons in Week 1, recording a massive 14 targets and parlaying them into a 12-95 line that yielded 21.5 DK points. The Western Kentucky and Ole Miss product proved to be similarly productive and involved in college while compiling over 1,500 all-purpose yards, and he could well play a pivotal role again in June Jones' pass-happy offense Thursday night.
The Battlehawks gave up 16 receptions to wideouts in Week 1, and that was against an inexperienced quarterback in Jack Coan and a much more run-centric game plan than they'll face Thursday night. Pearson was frequently targeted in the shorter, high-percentage areas of the field in the opener, and that could certainly lead to another strong return in Week 2.
Travell Harris, HOU vs. ARL | $5,900
Harris is another accomplished college wideout that had a solid Week 1 and plays in a pass-heavy offense, which makes him appealing at his current salary. The Washington State alum was able to post a 5-48 line on 11 targets against the Guardians in Week 1, and although he has plenty of competition for looks in the likes of Burnett and Kirklin, Harris' versatility could still result in a fruitful role.
The Renegades' pass defense was more effective against the Vipers' Perez as the game went on Saturday, but the Roughnecks don't shape up as the type of team that will back down offensively. Additionally, Arlington's run defense was an absolute brick wall versus Las Vegas, which could lead to Houston going even more pass-heavy than they already would be.
Austin Proehl, STL at SEA | $4,400
Proehl looked the part in the Week 1 comeback against the Brahmas, making a clutch sideline catch on the 4th-and-15 onside kick alternative play that began what would turn out to be St. Louis' game-winning march, and then hauling in the game-winning touchdown as well.
The North Carolina product finished with a solid 4-49-1 line that netted 17.9 DK points, and given the trust he undoubtedly earned from A.J. McCarron, he should be in for another solid role Thursday night against a Sea Dragons defense that will be facing a more polished quarterback than they did while going up against the Defenders' Jordan Ta'amu in the opener.
ALSO CONSIDER: Cody Latimer, ORL vs. SA | $3,700
XFL Flex DFS Value Plays
Sal Cannella, TE - ARL at HOU | $6,500
Cannella looked like he hadn't missed a beat since his standout season in the USFL last spring when he racked up 14 DK points on the strength of a 7-70 line in Week 1 against the Vipers. The Auburn alum led the Renegades across the board in receptions, receiving yards, and targets for the night, and that was while working with a quarterback previously unfamiliar to him in Drew Plitt.
The Roughnecks allowed four catches on five targets to Guardians tight ends Logan Carter and Ryan Becker in Week 1, and although those receptions only totaled 12 yards, Cannella has the downfield prowess to make much better use of his opportunities. Additionally, Houston's blitz-happy ways could indeed lead to Plitt having to get the ball out especially quickly, a circumstance in which Cannella could often serve as a safety valve.
Hakeem Butler, WR - STL at SEA | $5,400
Butler wasted no time beginning to build his case for an eventual return to the NFL in Week 1, coming down with a clutch 18-yard scoring grab in traffic to help ignite the Battlehawks' miracle comeback versus the Brahmas. The 6-foot-5 target and one-time fourth-round pick of the Cardinals could have an even bigger role Thursday night after getting one game with McCarron under his belt.
The Sea Dragons did play excellent pass defense against the Defenders' Ta'amu in Week 1 while forcing him well under a 50.0 percent completion rate, but McCarron, who has 17 games of NFL experience on his resume, could certainly enjoy more success. Then, Butler's size makes him a very difficult player to defend and quite the asset in the red zone, affording him plenty of upside at a very modest salary.
ALSO CONSIDER: Ryquell Armstead, RB - DC at LV | $4,600; Cinque Sweeting, WR - LV vs. DC | $4,500
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