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Week 7's UFL action did not disappoint, as the game of the week between St. Louis and Birmingham came down to the wire and delivered some impressive fantasy outings. The Renegades grabbed their first win of the season in an explosive 47-point offensive showing, the Panthers featured two new quarterbacks, and the Brahmas won a defensive battle in Houston.
Week 8 may put us back on the blowout wave, as the most intriguing matchup is the 3-4 DC Defenders taking on the 5-2 St. Louis Battlehawks. That game will kick off at noon ET on Sunday, followed by the Renegades (1-6) and Brahmas (5-2).
Saturday's slate features the Showboats (1-6) pitted against the Panthers (5-2) followed by a Roughnecks (1-6) and Stallions (7-0) matchup that could get ugly quickly. RotoBaller's UFL team has everything you need to prep for Week 8 below.
- Quarterbacks - Brant Henson
- Running Backs - Andrew Lennox
- Wide Receivers - Brant Henson
- Tight Ends - Andrew Lennox
Quarterback UFL Fantasy Football Rankings
Rankings and analysis by Brant Henson
Last week's Birmingham-St. Louis matchup did not disappoint from a fantasy perspective, although Adrian Martinez (27.2 fantasy points) significantly outpaced A.J. McCarron (12.8 fantasy points) from a fantasy perspective. Other teams, like Michigan, Memphis, and DC, rode quarterback carousels. Jarrett Guarantano (6.2 fantasy points) returned to action for Houston, although Reid Sinnett (0.7 fantasy points) still saw some action.
Rank | Player Name | Team |
1 | Adrian Martinez | Birmingham Stallions |
2 | Bryce Perkins/Brian Lewerke/Danny Etling | Michigan Panthers |
3 | Luis Perez | Arlington Renegades |
4 | Manny Wilkins | St. Louis Battlehawks |
5 | Quinten Dormady | San Antonio Brahmas |
6 | Troy Williams/Case Cookus | Memphis Showboats |
7 | Jordan Ta'amu/Jalan McClendon | DC Defenders |
8 | Jarrett Guarantano | Houston Roughnecks |
9 | Matt Corral | Birmingham Stallions |
Week 8's quarterback landscape is murky with all of the uncertainty at the position. Adrian Martinez has consistently lit the box score up and would easily be the QB1 this week if the matchup was not so easy. Houston has been uncompetitive this season, and it would not be surprising to see Birmingham pull Martinez early or even start Matt Corral in his place. If Corral is announced pregame as the starter, boost him to QB1 this week.
Following a down week fantasy-wise, A.J. McCarron has been ruled out for Week 8. It appears that Manny Wilkins will draw the start in his place, and could see some success against a DC passing defense that has allowed the second-most passing touchdowns (10) this season. A multi-touchdown performance is within range from the Battlehawks' backup quarterback.
The Michigan quarterback room is a giant question mark right now, as four different guys have seen snaps. E.J. Perry, the original starter, has not played since Week 4 and is still on the injured reserve. Danny Etling had filled in for him since the injury, but last week, they rolled with a mix of Bryce Perkins and Brian Lewerke in place of the injured Etling. With the quarterback room in such flux, this would typically be a spot to avoid, but if a starter is announced pregame, they should absolutely be in consideration for lineups this week. Memphis has by far the most porous pass defense in the league and just surrendered a 23.8 fantasy point performance to Luis Perez. Consider Michigan's QB1 this week, whoever it may be, although it is very possible that multiple quarterbacks see the field this week for them.
Running Back UFL Fantasy Football Rankings
Rankings and analysis by Andrew Lennox
After a slow Week 6, several running backs bounced back in Week 7, and the momentum they gained could continue going into the games this weekend.
Rank | Player Name | Team |
1 | John Lovett | San Antonio Brahmas |
2 | Jacob Saylors | St. Louis Battlehawks |
3 | Matthew Colburn II | Michigan Panthers |
4 | De'Veon Smith | Arlington Renegades |
5 | Ricky Person Jr. | Birmingham Stallions |
6 | Wes Hills | Michigan Panthers |
7 | C.J. Marable | Birmingham Stallions |
8 | T.J. Pledger IV | Houston Roughnecks |
9 | Darius Victor | Memphis Showboats |
10 | Mark Thompson | Houston Roughnecks |
11 | Morgan Ellison | San Antonio Brahmas |
12 | Cam'Ron Harris | D.C. Defenders |
13 | Titus Swen | Memphis Showboats |
14 | Devin Darrington | Arlington Renegades |
15 | Darius Hagans | D.C. Defenders |
Wide Receiver UFL Fantasy Football Rankings
Rankings and analysis by Brant Henson
Week 7's explosive games delivered some more strong receiver lines, including Daewood Davis (7-83-1), JaVonta Payton (4-82-2), Vinny Papale (7-55-1), and Hakeem Butler (7-89). While no game this week stands out as a passing clinic like Memphis-Arlington did a week ago, St. Louis and Michigan both have formidable matchups through the air this week. My top three receivers for Week 8 come from these two teams.
Rank | Player Name | Team |
1 | Hakeem Butler | St. Louis Battlehawks |
2 | Marcus Simms | Michigan Panthers |
3 | Jontre Kirklin | San Antonio Brahmas |
4 | Kelvin Harmon | DC Defenders |
5 | Darrius Shepherd | St. Louis Battlehawks |
6 | Daewood Davis | Memphis Showboats |
7 | Justin Hall | Houston Roughnecks |
8 | JaVonta Payton | Arlington Renegades |
9 | Deon Cain | Birmingham Stallions |
10 | Samson Nacua | Michigan Panthers |
11 | Vinny Papale | Memphis Showboats |
12 | Kevin Austin Jr. | Birmingham Stallions |
13 | Marlon Williams | Birmingham Stallions |
14 | Marquez Stevenson | San Antonio Brahmas |
15 | Tyler Vaughns | Arlington Renegades |
16 | Ty Scott | DC Defenders |
17 | Chris Rowland | DC Defenders |
18 | Deontay Burnett | Arlington Renegades |
19 | Keke Chism | Houston Roughnecks |
20 | Cyril Grayson | Houston Roughnecks |
21 | Jonathan Adams | Memphis Showboats |
22 | Steven Mitchell Jr. | St. Louis Battlehawks |
23 | Trey Quinn | St. Louis Battlehawks |
24 | Keke Coutee | DC Defenders |
25 | Gary Jennings | Birmingham Stallions |
26 | Anthony Ratliff-Williams | Houston Roughnecks |
27 | Vyncint Smith | DC Defenders |
28 | Binjimen Victor | Birmingham Stallions |
29 | Emmanuel Butler | Houston Roughnecks |
30 | Dee Anderson | Memphis Showboats |
31 | Amari Rodgers | Birmingham Stallions |
Hakeem Butler continued his stretch of dominance into Week 7, grabbing seven receptions for 89 yards on a 33% target share. Butler is the alpha receiver in the St. Louis offense and grades as my WR1 this week with a soft DC Defenders pass defense awaiting even with A.J. McCarron on the bench. Jahcour Pearson and Marcell Ateman are also inactive, meaning Butler will dominate target share again this week. Don't be afraid of the absence of McCarron.
While the Panthers' quarterback situation is in flux and they typically win games through defense and the run game, it is hard not to throw the ball against what is by far the league's worst pass defense in Memphis. With a 21% target share on the season and 37% of the Panthers' receiving yards, Marcus Simms is a good bet to step back up after a down game with just three catches for 36 yards. Samson Nacua also cannot be ignored, as he led the team in targets last week and Siaosi Mariner is on the shelf.
Quinten Dormady has been an awful downgrade at quarterback from Chase Garbers but should have a chance to redeem himself against Arlington this week. Jontre Kirklin has been hogging targets all season long in San Antonio and is in a good spot to bounce back from his three-catch, 40-yard game a week ago.
JaVonta Payton (Arlington) and Daewood Davis (Memphis) have been two of the league's hottest receivers the past few weeks, but both draw tough matchups this week. Be careful slotting them into your lineups.
Tight End UFL Fantasy Football Rankings
Rankings and analysis by Andrew Lennox
The top three tight ends in this week's rankings remained consistent in Week 7 and should factor into fantasy for the final three weeks of the regular season.
Rank | Player Name | Team |
1 | Sal Cannella | Arlington Renegades |
2 | Jace Sternberger | Birmingham Stallions |
3 | Cody Latimer | San Antonio Brahmas |
4 | Cole Hikutini | Michigan Panthers |
5 | Sage Surratt | Memphis Showboats |
6 | Kaden Smith | D.C. Defenders |
7 | Alex Ellis | D.C Defenders |
8 | Marcus Baugh | Birmingham Stallions |
9 | JayJay Wilson | Memphis Showboats |
10 | Alize Mack | San Antonio Brahmas |
Birmingham's tight end Jace Sternberger has had some competition in the last couple of contests, with Marcus Baugh hauling in three passes for 63 yards. However, Sternberger is still a strong fantasy option, catching two passes for 25 yards on four targets in Week 7 against St. Louis.
Arlington's Sal Cannella continues to be a major fantasy asset. He caught nine passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns against the Showboats. Cannella's tally of 44 targets and 32 catches propels him into the league's Top 10 for both categories, while his 288 receiving yards have earned him the 11th spot in the UFL.