We have a second marquee matchup in three weeks involving the Defenders and all-Texas battle that should make for an exciting Sunday and constitute our two bets this week.
Read on for a look at which Week 5 UFL betting scenarios catch my eye on DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbook.
D.C. Defenders at Arlington Renegades Best Bets (Sunday, April 27, 12:00 p.m. ET)
The Defenders rode high and were the talk of the league for the first three weeks, but at the same time, the Renegades were rather quietly gaining momentum. D.C. was then surprisingly tripped up by the Brahmas at home in Week 4, while Arlington atoned for a one-point loss to the Stallions the week prior by impressively doubling up the Battlhawks.
That leaves both squads at 3-1 heading into Sunday's XFL conference battle, one that unsurprisingly sees the home team as a slight favorite. Despite the Defenders' reputation for disruptive defense, it's actually Arlington that's fielded the top unit on that side of the ball thus far and has allowed a league-low 43 points.
Nevertheless, the Defenders could pose the toughest all-around test for Arlington yet, considering the usual quality of their defense and an offense that showed plenty of life in Week 4. Jordan Ta'amu threw for a season-high 300 yards and added 74 on the ground, shaking off the absence of top receiver Ty Scott (IR-arm) to put together his best performance yet.
The Renegades play a cautious style of offense that relies heavily on short and intermediate passes complemented by the running game. Arlington has also played stingy defense, but with D.C. sporting a well-rounded attack that includes a two-headed backfield of Abram Smith and Deon Jackson and Ta'amu still having the likes of Chris Rowland, Jaydon Mickens and Braylon Sanders to throw to, they should have enough to keep any potential loss to a field goal or less.
UFL Picks for Defenders at Renegades
- Defenders +3.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Houston Roughnecks at San Antonio Brahmas (Sunday, April 27, 3:00 p.m. ET)
The Roughnecks have shown improvement over the last couple of weeks, squeezing out a one-point win against the Showboats in Week 3 and then giving the Stallions all they could handle in Week 4 before falling by a 23-16 score.
Houston particularly showed a spark on offense in Week 4, when Jalan McClendon took over for Nolan Henderson, who suffered a shoulder injury. McClendon was sharp as a passer but also did damage with his legs, finishing with 253 total yards and a rushing touchdown. If McClendon can come close to replicating that type of performance on a consistent basis, the Roughnecks have skill-position pieces such as Lorenzo Lingard, Justin Hall, Keke Chism and Emmanuel Butler to move the ball.
The Brahmas also showed plenty in Week 4 by handing the Defenders their first loss of the season, a true team effort that saw Kellen Mond significantly improve his accuracy and Anthony McFarland looking effective as the lead back. Jontre Kirklin, Jacob Harris and Greg Ward are among Mond's top targets, and all of those players appear to be taking very well to Payton Pardee's offensive tweaks after he took over playcalling duties from the departed A.J. Smith.
Both teams have had their share of struggles on defense – Houston and San Antonio are surrendering the second-most (344.0) and most (347.2) total yards per game, and both squads also field the league's worst pair of units against the run (142.8 and 144.5 RYPG allowed, respectively).
Given the talent on offense and the deficiencies on defense for each side, I like the Over as the top bet.
UFL Picks for Roughnecks at Brahmas
- Over 38.5 points (-108 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
UFL Week 5 Best Bets Recap
- Defenders +3.5 (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Roughnecks-Brahmas Over 38.5 points (-108 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
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