We inch closer to the UFL postseason as Week 7 dawns, and the contenders are definitely starting to separate from those who won't play past Week 10. There are intriguing contests across the board this week, and plenty of equally interesting individual matchups to look to exploit in our DFS lineups.
As was the case for both the XFL and USFL, DraftKings is offering a full array of cash games and tournaments based on UFL regular-season and postseason games. DraftKings' UFL 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.
QUARTERBACKS
AJ McCarron, STL at BHAM ($11,000):
McCarron's broken-record-like run in this article continues in Week 7, as the veteran signal-caller simply continues to produce no matter the opponent. On that subject, this week should be particularly intriguing, considering he and his cache of weapons get to test themselves against the two-time USFL champion Birmingham Stallions.
McCarron most recently went off for 25.6 DK points in Week 6 against the Roughnecks, completing 64.9 percent of his passes and tossing a trio of touchdowns. He's averaging 21.4 DK points per contest overall for the season, and despite Birmingham's very talented defense, the Stallions' unit has allowed the second-most completions (128) and eight touchdown passes.
Adrian Martinez, BHAM vs. STL ($10,800):
As good as McCarron has been, the breakout star of the UFL's inaugural season has been Martinez, who appears well on his way to earning multiple NFL training camp invites this summer. The one-time Nebraska and Kansas State two-way threat has eclipsed 20 DK points in four of the first six games, and he's yet to score under 17.6 DK points in any game.
Martinez's elite rushing upside complements his passing exploits perfectly, and he's averaging 10.6 yards per carry on his 31 rush attempts thus far. The opposing Battlehawks will admittedly pose a stiff challenge through the air for Martinez, as they've allowed a league-low 135.8 passing yards per game. However, Martinez is very difficult to game-plan against because of his elite mobility, and the floor that affords him keeps him firmly in play for me.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jordan Ta'amu, D.C. vs. MICH ($9,000)
RUNNING BACKS
John Lovett, SAN at HOU ($8,700):
Anthony McFarland is questionable to return to action in Week 7 after missing the last three games, but even if he's active Sunday, it will be difficult to justify docking too much playing time from Lovett. The versatile back has maximized his lead-back opportunity, producing 25.8 and 26.4 DK points in his last two games.
Lovett has four straight double-digit DK-point tallies overall, and he's also seen multiple targets in every game this season. The Penn State product is now averaging an impressive 4.7 yards per carry on the season, and despite the tough matchup on paper against the Roughnecks run defense, his seemingly locked-in volume should make him a solid play at his salary.
C.J. Marable, BHAM vs. STL ($8,000):
Marable is more of a gut-instinct call in Week 7, as the one-time lead back could find himself with a bigger workload after consecutive highly inefficient efforts where he's gained just 54 rushing yards on 25 carries overall. Person has managed three rushing TDs during that span to salvage his fantasy production, but Marable offered a spark in Week 6 with 6.2 yards per carry on his five rush attempts.
If head coach Skip Holtz opts to make the division of labor a bit more even in Week 7, Marable could benefit against a Battlehawks defense that's allowed nine rushing touchdowns on the campaign. As mentioned in Martinez's entry, St. Louis' pass defense can be particularly stingy, which could mean a more ground-based attack for Birmingham this week.
ALSO CONSIDER: Mark Thompson, HOU vs. SAN ($8,200)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Hakeem Butler, STL at BHAM ($10,200):
Like McCarron, Butler, his top target, is facing a talented defensive unit, but it doesn't take anything away from the big-bodied receiver's massive ceiling. Butler has contributed elite tallies of 36.7 and 34.4 FD points in the last two games on the strength of a combined 12-281-4 line.
Butler has also logged at least eight targets in four consecutive games overall, and there's no question McCarron will be looking his way regardless of matchup. Additionally, the Stallions have given up their fair share of completions and passing touchdowns as already enumerated in McCarron's entry, furthering Butler's case despite the five-figure salary.
Kelvin Harmon, D.C. vs. MICH ($7,800):
Harmon has established himself as the most consistent member of the Defenders' pass-catching corps by far, posting tallies of 20.3, 13.7 and 27.1 DK points in the last three games. Harmon has a total of 29 targets in his last four contests overall as well, clearly corroborating his chemistry with signal-caller Jordan Ta'amu.
Harmon's ability to both stretch the field and make contested catches keeps him in play irrespective of down and distance, and he'll project for another expanded role in Week 7 at home. The Panthers have surrendered 9.5 yards per completion and seven touchdown passes, making them close to an above-average matchup for air attacks as well.
Siaosi Mariner, MICH at D.C. ($5,600):
Mariner has started to leverage his past pro football experience in the CFL to make his mark in the UFL, drawing 13 targets in the last two games and posting an 8-86-1 line in the process. The one-time Ottawa Redblack will be working with yet another new quarterback in Week 7, as Brian Lewerke will be under center for Michigan.
While that does introduce uncertainty to the equation, the Defenders haven't been a daunting challenge to opposing air attacks. D.C. has allowed 10 passing touchdowns through six games, along with the second-most passing yards per game (200.7). Mariner's experience and solid hands could make him a favorite of the first-time starter as well, and his salary keeps him a very low-risk investment.
ALSO CONSIDER: JaVonta Payton, ARL vs. MEM ($6,700)
FLEX
Darius Victor (RB), MEM at ARL ($6,900)
Victor continues to enjoy a steady role in the passing game, and although his offensive line doesn't do him many favors in terms of opening up running lanes, the big-bodied back could be poised for one of his better games in Week 7.
The opposing Renegades have been a sieve against the run, allowing a UFL-high 118.5 rushing yards per contest at a league-high 4.9 yards per carry. Arlington has also yielded eight rushing touchdowns along the way, and Victor has garnered multiple rush attempts in four of six games, as well as multiple targets in every contest thus far this season.
ALSO CONSIDER: Sal Cannella, ARL vs. MEM ($5,900)
TEAM DEFENSE
Houston Roughnecks vs. San Antonio Brahmas ($3,400): The Roughnecks are the lowest-salaried defense on the slate, but they're far from a bottom-of-the-barrel unit. Houston has 11 sacks, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown, as well as a trio of double-digit DK-point tallies in the first six games. The Brahmas have struggled to get going under Quentin Dormady at quarterback as well, and San Antonio is now averaging the third-fewest points per game in the league (17.3). The Brahmas are also tied for the second-most giveaways (nine), upping the Roughnecks' prospects.
