We're set for what should be a highly entertaining UFL Championship Game between two productive offenses in those of the Defenders and Panthers. With two capable quarterbacks and plenty of skill-position talent on either side, there are high offensive expectations and the two squads could certainly produce multiple useful fantasy scores.
With only one game on the slate, DraftKings UFL contests will feature the Showdown format – one Captain's Spot that accrues fantasy production at a 1.5x rate but also requires a higher investment on each player and five Flex positions that accrue those points at a normal rate and assigns a lower salary to each player. Any position is eligible to be rostered at any spot.
Captain's Spot Candidates
(Captain's salary listed)
Jordan Ta'amu (QB), DC ($16,500):
Both quarterbacks are major considerations for this game, which carries a projected total of 51.5 points on DK Sportsbook as of early Saturday. Ta'amu put together a fine finish to the regular season, scoring 22.1 to 39 DK points in Weeks 4-8 before playing only one half in Week 9 and then getting Week 10 off. The low end of that range came against the Panthers in Week 6, one of five games in which he threw multiple touchdown passes.
Michigan struggled against the pass throughout the regular season and allowed a league-high 190 completions and 2,204 yards through the air, and Ta'amu will have plenty of capable downfield targets in Chris Rowland, Cornell Powell, Seth Williams and Braylon Sanders to choose from in the offense-friendly environment of The Dome.
Bryce Perkins, MICH (QB) ($15,000):
Perkins arguably has as much upside as Ta'amu, especially after he proved in his return from a three-game absence last week against the Stallions that he hadn't missed a beat. The one-time Los Angeles Rams signal-caller tallied 25.9 DK points on the strength of 272 total yards and two total TDs in that USFL Conference Championship victory, picking up right where he'd left off before his ankle injury.
Perkins didn't score less than 14.3 DK points in any game this season, and he's posted over 20 in six straight contests dating back to Week 3. Perkins' mobility adds plenty of safety to his fantasy floor, and the fact he's scored a rushing TD in three straight contests serves to underscore how much it boosts his ceiling as well. Perkins also put up a season-high 31.1 DK points against the Defenders back in Week 6, a game where he rushed for 76 yards while also completing 72.2 percent of his 18 attempts.
Toa Taua, MICH (RB) ($14,100):
Taua is a darkhorse candidate for an MVP spot if you're really trying to catch lightning in a bottle and differentiate in tournaments. The third-year back enjoyed a spectacular USFL Conference Championship Game against the Stallions' typically tough defense, as he recorded three rushing touchdowns and gained 85 rushing yards on his way to 30 DK points.
Prior to that contest, Taua had posted 12.3 to 23.2 DK points in five of the previous six games as well, including 15.4 against the Defenders in Week 6 on the strength of a 19-94-1 line on the ground. DC remains a good team to target with the run, as the Defenders finished the regular season allowing a league-high 4.8 yards per carry, 117.8 rushing yards per game and the second-most rushing TDs in the league (12) before also allowing a rushing score to Birmingham's CJ Marable last week.
Flex Spot Candidates
Malik Turner, MICH (WR) ($8,400):
Turner was a steady presence in the Panthers' passing game throughout the season, and including his 6-99-1 receiving line in the USFL Conference Championship Game win over the Stallions, he's scored at least 14 DK points in five of his last seven games. Turner logged between five and 11 targets in all but one game during the entirety of that stretch, and he also recorded 14.4 DK points in the Week 6 win over the Defenders.
Chris Rowland, DC (WR) ($8,200):
Rowland was a factor in the Defenders' air attack and return game since the start of the season, and the shifty wideout is coming off a five-catch tally in the XFL Conference Championship Game win against the Battlehawks. He also posted 11.6 to 32.4 DK points in six games during the regular season, underscoring his upside. The high end of that range notably came against the Panthers in Week 6, when Rowland erupted for a 9-144-1 receiving line on 12 targets, marking one of four instances in which he earned double-digit looks from Ta'amu.
Deon Jackson, DC (RB) ($7,800):
Jackson progressively worked himself into the lead-back role over the latter portion of the regular season, logging 10 carries apiece in Weeks 6-9 before seeing a very reduced role in Week 10 in anticipation of the postseason. Jackson recorded 11.7 to 21.6 DK points in the last three games during that stretch, and he then proved capable of handling a higher workload successfully when he turned 21 carries into 110 yards and two touchdowns during the XFL Conference Championship Game win against St. Louis in the same building he'll be playing in Saturday night. Jackson averaged a solid 4.7 yards per carry in Week 6 against Michigan as well, keeping him firmly in play for this title clash despite the Panthers' typically tough run defense.
Cornell Powell, DC (WR) ($7,400):
Powell is a 2021 fifth-round pick of the Chiefs that never had a chance to get extended reps with Patrick Mahomes at the highest level, but the one-time Clemson wideout may have earned himself another shot in the NFL with his performance this season. Powell took off beginning in Week 5, scoring 18.9 DK points against the Renegades in that contest and then proceeding to turn in 18 to 33.4 DK points in Weeks 7-9 after missing the Week 6 matchup against the Panthers. Powell earned between five and 13 targets in each game during that stretch, affording him a seemingly safe floor in an enticing matchup.
Seth Williams, DC (WR) ($5,400):
Williams could be one of the best fantasy-point-per-dollar plays of the night if he keeps up the trend that saw him record 10 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets in Weeks 9, 10 and last week's XFL Conference Championship Game. Like Powell, Williams is a late-round NFL pick (sixth round) – in his case by the Broncos – who appears to be making good use of his spring reps. Williams brings excellent size at 6-foot-2, 211 pounds, so he's a viable target for Ta'amu in any area of the field and could essentially pay off his salary with a TD catch.
ALSO CONSIDER: Siaosi Mariner, MICH (WR) ($7,000); Briley Moore-McKinney, DC (TE) ($1,600)
