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 Risers and Fallers Week 9: Players With Expanding Roles Including Luis Perez, Phillip Lindsay, Landen Akers, More

Juan's look at Risers and Fallers for Week 9 of the 2023 XFL season. These players are seeing their stock either expand or narrow heading into the next XFL slate.

Welcome to the Week 9 edition of RotoBaller's XFL Risers and Fallers, where we'll aim to identify multiple players at each skill position each week that appear to be either be trending toward an expanding or shrinking role.  After you're done here, be sure to also read all our other weekly XFL fantasy football articles.

Naturally, the participation and success level of many players can vary from week to week. However, the goal will be to spotlight players that have clear-cut reasons to support a continued ascension or decline while factoring in conditions such as the offensive system they're in, injuries around them, and the roles of other teammates at their position.

One note about the general protocol I'll try to follow with the selection of players for this article – once a player has been designated as either Riser or Faller in a particular week, I'll usually refrain from assigning them the same designation the very following week. The rare exception will be when an additional factor that makes them even more of a Riser or Faller surfaces during that specific time frame.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

For a look at who was featured in the Week 8 edition of Risers and Fallers, click here.

 

XFL Quarterback Risers         

Luis Perez, Renegades | Week 9 matchup: at Defenders (Sun.)

Perez appears reasonably comfortable in his first game leading the Renegades offense, throwing for 190 yards in a close win over the Guardians. Perez should be much more comfortable in his second start after another week of practice, and he should continue to benefit from an underrated group of pass catchers that could include a returning Victor Bolden Jr. (hamstring) this week.

Additionally, Perez didn't even make use of pass-catching tight end Sal Cannella in the Week 8 win, which should change this week. The matchup also lines up very well on paper as long as the Renegades can keep Perez upright versus DC's ferocious pass rush -- the Defenders are allowing an XFL-high 254.9 passing yards per contest.

XFL Quarterback Fallers

Jack Coan, Brahmas | Week 9 matchup: vs. Guardians (Sat.)

Coan is set to draw another start Saturday, but his performances for the last several times he's suited up don't exactly inspire too much confidence fantasy-wise. The Notre Dame product posted a second straight zero-touchdown, two-interception game in Week 8, and he's completed 56.1 percent or fewer of his passes in each of his last four games.

 

XFL Running Back Risers  

Phillip Lindsay, Sea Dragons | Week 9 matchup: @ Battlehawks (Sun.)

Lindsay's Sea Dragons debut went reasonably well, with the veteran back finding the end zone on eight carries against the Defenders' league-best run defense. The one-time Pro Bowler added a pair of receptions as well, and he now has both an extra week of practice under his belt and a much more palatable matchup.

The Battlehawks have allowed a league-high 132 rushing yards per game, and Lindsay notably ceded just one carry to backfield mate T.J. Hammonds in Week 8, while Darius Bradwell didn't see any action. If that pattern holds and Lindsay sees a boost in workload over the last two games, he should finish the regular season with a flourish.

Leddie Brown, Renegades | Week 9 matchup: @ Defenders (Sun.)

Like Lindsay, Brown was listed in our "On The Radar" section for running backs last week, and he makes the leap to official Riser status this week thanks to another solid complementary performance. The West Virginia product carried a season-high nine times for 47 yards against the Guardians, adding a pair of receptions.

Brown has now logged 28 carries and five targets over three games while sharing snaps with De'Veon Smith. While the latter appears set to continue in his lead-back role to finish off the season, it appears clear head coach Bob Stoops likes what he has in his No. 2 back, who also offers enough speed to be utilized in a kickoff return role.

XFL Running Back Fallers

T.J. Hammonds, Sea Dragons | Week 9 matchup: @ Battlehawks (Sun.)

As alluded to in Lindsay's entry, Hammonds was relegated to just one carry in Week 8, his first game playing with the NFL veteran. It could be a sign of things to come as the Sea Dragons play a couple of must-win games to finish off the season, dimming Hammonds' prospects for the time being.

 

XFL Wide Receiver Risers

Landen Akers, Brahmas | Week 9 matchup: vs. Guardians (Sat.)

While we didn't exactly give the Brahmas' passing game a ringing endorsement in Coan's entry, that's not to say there isn't a member of the air attack that isn't seeming trending in the right direction of late. That in fact would be Akers, who's been especially busy the last two games with an 11-137 line on 13 targets against the Vipers and Roughnecks.

Akers also recorded seen catches, albeit for just 35 yards, back in Week 1, and he's only played in four games overall. With three of those contests featuring some full stat lines, the Iowa State alum seems to have a relatively safe floor as a trusted target, particularly in full PPR formats.

Geronimo Allison, Vipers | Week 9 matchup: @ Roughnecks (Sat.)

Allison has certainly had his ups and downs this season, but he may have finally hit his stride with new quarterback Jalan McClendon. The veteran wideout has put together his two most productive games yardage-wise in the last pair of contests, netting a 5-93-1 line on six targets in Weeks 7 and 8 against the tough secondaries of the Brahmas and Battlehawks, respectively.

McClendon has proven to be effective overall as a passer in his first two starts and clearly has some chemistry with Allison, who has the experience to maximize the opportunity. Although Vegas is eliminated from postseason contention, the Vipers continue to play hard for head coach Rod Woodson and are likely to continue putting the ball up at a solid clip over the final two games of the season.

ON THE RADAR: Eli Rogers, Guardians | Week 9 matchup: @ Brahmas (Sat.) // Mathew Sexton, Vipers | Week 9 matchup: @ Roughnecks (Sat.)

 

XFL Wide Receiver Fallers

Steven Mitchell, Battlehawks | Week 9 matchup: vs. Sea Dragons (Sun.)

Mitchell flashed with a 50-yard touchdown reception back in Week 5, but he's been quiet over the next three games. The former NFL wideout has just four receptions for 23 yards on five targets in the next three contests, and other than the aforementioned 50-yard breakout, he hasn't topped 19 receiving yards all season. With St. Louis' receiver group a deep bunch, Mitchell's stock simply isn't very high at the moment.

 

XFL Tight End Risers / Fallers  

There aren't any tight ends that particularly fit the bill for Riser or Faller this week, as the position has been a very top-heavy and mostly unproductive one from a fantasy perspective all season.

We won't even put the Renegades' Sal Cannella, who, as alluded to in Perez's entry, went without a target for the first time all season in Week 8, in the Faller category just yet, as his body of work suggests he'll likely be in for a resurgence in Week 9.



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 Weekly DFS Analysis




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

Alex Laferriere20 mins ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Paul Goldschmidt21 mins ago

Hitting Leadoff Again
Donte DiVincenzo22 mins ago

Suspended For One Game
Jonathan Aranda28 mins ago

Christopher Morel Sitting Against Pirates
Miles McBride29 mins ago

Still Out On Tuesday Night
Luke Schenn31 mins ago

A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Jose Siri34 mins ago

Making Another Start In Center Field
Dante Fabbro37 mins ago

Returns Against Predators
Karl-Anthony Towns38 mins ago

Now Questionable Versus Philadelphia
Brett Baty39 mins ago

Sitting Against A Right-Hander
Kyle Higashioka45 mins ago

Back In The Lineup, Jonah Heim Takes A Seat
Naz Reid46 mins ago

Suspended For One Game
Vinnie Pasquantino1 hour ago

Sitting On Tuesday
Clarke Schmidt1 hour ago

Throws Three-Inning Sim Game
Sean Manaea1 hour ago

Shut Down For Two Weeks
David Bednar2 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Jake McCarthy2 hours ago

Back In The Lineup Tuesday
Zach Neto2 hours ago

Starting Rehab Assignment On Tuesday
Jo Adell2 hours ago

Starting On Tuesday
Nick Robertson2 hours ago

Astros Acquire Nick Robertson From Blue Jays
Iván Herrera2 hours ago

Ivan Herrera Sitting, Pedro Pages Will Start At Catcher Tuesday
Francisco Lindor2 hours ago

Returns To The Lineup On Tuesday
Detroit Lions3 hours ago

Alim McNeill Could Miss Start Of Regular Season
Christian Encarnacion-Strand3 hours ago

Not In Reds Lineup Tuesday
Jesse Chavez3 hours ago

DFA'd, Braves Select Zach Thompson To MLB Roster
Tennessee Titans3 hours ago

Justin Hardee Sr. Returning To Titans
Washington Commanders3 hours ago

Brandon Coleman Moving To Right Tackle For Commanders
Adam Ottavino3 hours ago

And Yankees Agree On One-Year Deal
Raheem Blackshear3 hours ago

Returning To Carolina
Kirk Cousins4 hours ago

Not Expected To Attend Voluntary Offseason Training
NFL4 hours ago

NFL Ownership Votes To Move Kickoff Touchbacks To 35-Yard Line
Olli Määttä4 hours ago

Olli Maatta A Game-Time Call On Tuesday
Jordan Greenway4 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Tuesday
Dallas Cowboys4 hours ago

Cowboys Willing To Make Micah Parsons The Highest-Paid Non-QB
Jordan Staal4 hours ago

Doubtful For Wednesday
Matt Roy4 hours ago

Not Traveling With Team
Geno Smith4 hours ago

Raiders Working On Extension With Geno Smith
Chris Godwin4 hours ago

Buccaneers Optimistic Chris Godwin Will Be Ready For Week 1
Josh Norris4 hours ago

Not Traveling With The Team On Tuesday
Los Angeles Rams4 hours ago

Coleman Shelton Expected To Start Again In 2025
Brady Tkachuk4 hours ago

Not Playing On Tuesday
Los Angeles Rams4 hours ago

Rams Open To Drafting A Quarterback
Kyren Williams4 hours ago

Rams To Discuss Long-Term Deal With Kyren Williams
Aaron Rodgers5 hours ago

Signs "Pointing" Toward Aaron Rodgers Signing With Steelers
Brock Purdy5 hours ago

49ers Optimistic On Getting Extension Done With Brock Purdy
Sam Hilliard5 hours ago

Outrighted To Triple-A Albuquerque
Trea Turner5 hours ago

Appears As Pinch-Hitter On Monday
Dominic Smith6 hours ago

Returning To Yankees On Minor-League Deal
Jordan Spieth6 hours ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp6 hours ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim6 hours ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood7 hours ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau7 hours ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole7 hours ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Cole Anthony8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Tuesday
Jerami Grant8 hours ago

Likely To Miss Another Game Tuesday
Anfernee Simons8 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday's Game
Scoot Henderson9 hours ago

Unavailable Tuesday
Deandre Ayton9 hours ago

Out Against Hawks
AJ Green9 hours ago

May Miss Another Game Tuesday
Kyle Lowry9 hours ago

Picks Up A Questionable Tag
Tyrese Maxey9 hours ago

Remains Out Against Knicks
Quentin Grimes9 hours ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Casey DeSmith11 hours ago

Sharp In Monday's Victory
Mason Marchment11 hours ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Monday
Adam Klapka11 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Shootout Victory
Ivan Fedotov11 hours ago

Sharp Against Nashville
Matvei Michkov11 hours ago

Continues Hot Stretch On Monday
Luke Hughes11 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Sam Stevens20 hours ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA20 hours ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Ochai Agbaji20 hours ago

Resting On Tuesday
RJ Barrett20 hours ago

To Be Rested Tuesday Night
Immanuel Quickley20 hours ago

Returning To Action Against Bulls
Jakob Poeltl20 hours ago

Available On Tuesday
Jonathan Kuminga20 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday's Game
Christian Braun21 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Meeting With Timberwolves
Aaron Gordon21 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Tuesday
Jamal Murray21 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday
Denny McCarthy22 hours ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman22 hours ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ilya Samsonov24 hours ago

Nursing An Upper-Body Injury
Tomas Hertl24 hours ago

To Sit Out At Least One More Week
Garnet Hathaway1 day ago

Rejoins Flyers Lineup
Erik Johnson1 day ago

Available Monday
Rasmus Ristolainen1 day ago

Not Expected To Return This Season
Ryan Preece1 day ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
Colton Sissons1 day ago

Likely Out For Rest Of The Season
NASCAR1 day ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland1 day ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno1 day ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg1 day ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober1 day ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres1 day ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall1 day ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
Denver Broncos1 day ago

Denver To Take A Running Back In The Draft
CJ Vergara1 day ago

Gets Submitted
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Showing Improvement Heading Into The Valero Texas Open
Édgar Cháirez1 day ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Courtland Sutton1 day ago

"No Timeline" On Courtland Sutton Extension
Vince Morales1 day ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.1 day ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
New York Jets1 day ago

Jets To Wait On Contract Extensions For Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner
Saimon Oliveira1 day ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez1 day ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Jameson Williams1 day ago

Detroit To Exercise Jameson Williams' Fifth-Year Option
Kevin Borjas1 day ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Brandon Aiyuk1 day ago

49ers Expected To Hold Brandon Aiyuk
Ronaldo Rodríguez1 day ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

Scores Top-20 Finish At Texas Children's Houston Open
Jacob Bridgeman1 day ago

Had Some Rest Heading Into The Valero
Sami Valimaki1 day ago

Finishes Fourth At Texas Children's Houston Open
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 32nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tom Kim1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 36th At Valspar Championship
Rickie Fowler1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 52nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Bud Cauley1 day ago

Finishes Tied For Fourth At Valspar Championship
Sam Burns1 day ago

Misses The Cut At Valspar Championship
Daniel Berger1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 20th At The PLAYERS Championship
Treylon Burks1 day ago

Unlikely To Be Ready For Training Camp
Keenan Allen1 day ago

Chargers Not Ruling Out Reuniting With Keenan Allen
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott1 day ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson1 day ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron1 day ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano1 day ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick1 day ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain2 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe2 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones2 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry2 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano2 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott2 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney2 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres4 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum4 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira4 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Three Aging Fantasy Football Players To Sell In Dynasty Leagues

It's hard to always know when to sell off your aging fantasy football players. Often, it's also difficult to accept that it's better to move on from a player when he's coming off a productive season and still has a lot left in the tank. But I believe it's better to be a year early […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]