USFL Expert Consensus Fantasy Football Rankings for 2022

Spring is almost here. Major League Baseball is officially happening and the MLB and NFL off-seasons have been nothing short of mind-boggling. Big name free agents and stars in both leagues have dominated our media airwaves and social media feeds for the better part of a month. This year feels a little different. Professional sports are moving forward with minimal COVID-related restrictions and it feels like we can finally just focus on the games again. To top it all off, we get spring football this year! The USFL is back and better than ever. Believe it or not we are a mere month away from having football grace our television screens on Sunday again. What better way to celebrate that than to put together some USFL Rankings.

USFL Rosters Are Taking Shape

The USFL has now wrapped up their initial and supplemental drafts and the majority of the USFL rosters have been selected. There are sure to be a few changes as we get into training camp and more free agents are signed. With that in mind, fellow USFL and football enthusiasts, Rodrigo Villagomez (@rjvillagomez), Adam Pelletier (@adampelletier) and Justin Mark ( @JMarkFootball) joined me (@MattMorse12) in developing our very first USFL consensus rankings. We ranked the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends.

MORE USFL POSITIONAL RANKINGS

Quarterback Rankings: A Breakdown of the USFL Quarterbacks

Running Backs Rankings: A Breakdown of the USFL Ball Carriers

Wide Receiver and Tight End Rankings: Deep Dive on All USFL Pass Catchers

Team Defense Rankings: A USFL Defensive Deep Dive

Fantasy Football Podcast

USFL Gambling Podcast

Overall USFL Fantasy Football Consensus Rankings

Overall Rank	All Players	Adam Pelletier Rankings	Justin Mark Rankings	Rodrigo Villagomez Rankings	Matthew Morse Rankings
1	Jordan Ta’amu	1	1	2	1
2	Bryan Scott	6	2	1	3
3	Kyle Sloter	4	4	17	2
4	Ben Holmes	2	3	16	8
5	Eli Lamar Rogers	5	12	3	5
6	De’Veon Smith	3	9	4	39
7	Clayton Thorson	18	5	22	11
8	Stevie Scott III	7	6	27	17
9	BJ Emmons	12	21	18	7
10	Kyle Lauletta	11	16	24	13
11	Shea Patterson	40	8	20	6
12	CJ Marable	19	7	13	45
13	Dalyn Dawkins	8	17	40	10
14	Mike Weber	61	20	44	18
15	Shawn Poindexter	54	14	63	12
16	Matt Colburn II	60	35	23	31
17	Alex McGough	10	15	25	9
18	Isaiah Zuber	68	18	76	19
19	Jordan Ellis	63	50	48	30
20	Larry Rose III	25	10	36	21
20	Victor Bolden Jr	20	24	32	16
22	Kavontae Turpin	36	19	15	23
23	Garrett Groshek	38	22	30	4
24	Darnell Holland	27	11	53	14
24	Quincy Adeboyejo	51	13	21	20
26	Devin Gray	66	25	12	15
27	Jonathan Abrams	65	42	77	46
28	Brennan Eagles	30	37	29	37
28	Nick Truesdell	26	32	11	64
30	Mark Thompson	29	34	42	38
31	Bug Howard	47	23	28	52
32	Jeff Badet	17	53	33	54
33	Juwan Washington	50	36	38	40
34	JoJo Ward	59	40	39	28
34	Jordan Suell	95	31	14	26
36	Trey Williams	49	48	6	68
37	J’Mon Moore	34	39	70	32
38	Brandon Barnes	45	45	35	53
39	Tony Brooks James	62	49	51	22
40	Matt Seybert	44	62	46	34
41	De’Quan Hampton	32	46	47	65
42	Teo Redding	9	91	9	82
43	Diondre Overton	84	52	31	29
44	Peyton Ramzy	64	41	19	73
45	Anthony Ratliff-Mitchell	23	55	87	33
46	Osirus Mitchell	52	27	85	35
47	Derrick Willies	102	30	43	25
48	Alonzo Moore	16	94	8	83
49	Johnnie DIxon	78	28	69	27
50	Branden Mack	58	26	65	55
51	Reggie Corbin	75	33	49	49
52	Paul Terry	28	86	5	89
53	Darrius Shepherd	43	54	71	41
54	Bailey Gaither	73	29	62	47
55	Darius Victor	13	83	37	84
56	Vinny Papale	53	68	26	71
57	Sal Cannella	71	63	34	51
58	Chad Williams	14	72	78	56
59	Maurice Alexander	42	66	55	61
60	Joseph Emmanuel Hall	77	43	81	24
60	Delvon Hardaway	86	69	10	60
62	Taywan Taylor	22	70	60	75
63	Tre Walker	41	56	67	66
64	Ray Bolden	72	58	41	62
65	De’Andre Johnson	56	61	UNR	105
66	Derrick DIllon	103	51	45	43
67	Paxton Lynch	55	59	57	74
68	Devwah Whaley	74	81	7	85
69	T.J. Logan Jr.	24	82	56	86
70	Jeffrey Thomas	83	44	86	36
71	Lance Lenoir	92	38	80	42
72	Jordan Lasley	79	67	50	57
73	Randy Sutterfield	37	71	79	76
74	Tyler Simmons	101	73	52	48
75	Cheyenne O’Grady	80	65	88	44
75	Braden Bowman	82	78	54	63
77	Cameron Scarlett	48	84	59	87
78	Marlon Williams	15	92	96	80
79	Cary Angeline	81	64	83	58
80	Chris Roland	21	90	97	79
81	Keith Mumphery	31	88	93	77
82	Christopher Platt Jr.	93	57	74	69
83	Kenji Bahar	57	74	64	103
83	John Franklin III	94	79	58	67
85	Joseph Magnifico	104	47	89	59
86	Manasseh Bailey	67	80	82	72
87	Jordan Chunn	39	85	90	88
88	La’Michael Pettway	88	100	75	50
89	Julian Allen	89	77	84	70
90	Josh Love	98	60	61	104
91	J’Mar Davis-Smith	96	75	66	102
92	Bobby Holly	76	87	91	90
93	Case Cookus	97	76	73	101
94	Connor Davis	33	99	UNR	96
95	Devin Ross	85	93	95	81
96	EJ Bibbs	46	102	UNR	93
97	Zach Smith	99	104	68	99
97	Tyler Palka	35	89	UNR	UNR
99	Brady White	100	105	72	100
100	Marcus Baugh	70	96	UNR	91
101	Hunter Thedford	69	103	UNR	97
102	Justin Johnson	87	95	UNR	92
103	Sage Surratt	90	97	UNR	94
104	Artayvvious Lynn	91	101	UNR	98
105	Jacob Williams	105	98	UNR	95

Quarterbacks Dominate the Top 10

Quarterbacks dominate the top half of our expert’s consensus rankings. This likely comes as a surprise to no one. Football is a quarterback-driven game even on the biggest stage and having a serviceable quarterback will likely be even more important for teams looking to make their mark on the 2022 USFL season. Six of our consensus top 10 players will be leading the offensive assault for their respective teams. A few position players snuck into the top 10 of our consensus rankings. Most notably, Eli Rogers comes in as our consensus ranked number five overall player and number one wider receiver.

It is likely that, just like the NFL, the teams that see the best performances out of their quarterbacks will be sitting atop the USFL standings as the season rolls on. For fantasy football purposes, landing a top-flight quarterback option likely will be the difference between dominating your league and being a cellar dweller by season’s end. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at our top-ranked Quarterbacks.

Quarterback USFL Fantasy Football Consensus Rankings: Which QB will be the face of the league?

Position Rank	QBs	Adam Pelletier Rankings	Justin Mark Rankings	Rodrigo Villagomez Rankings	Matthew Morse Rankings
1	Jordan Ta’amu	1	1	2	1
2	Bryan Scott	4	2	1	3
3	Kyle Sloter	3	4	4	2
4	Ben Holmes	2	3	3	5
5	Shea Patterson	8	6	5	4
6	Clayton Thorson	7	5	6	7
7	Alex McGough	5	7	8	6
8	Kyle Lauletta	6	8	7	8
9	Paxton Lynch	9	9	10	9
10	De’Andre Johnson	10	11	9	16
11	Kenji Bahar	11	12	12	14
12	J’Mar Davis-Smith	12	13	13	13
13	Josh Love	14	10	11	15
13	Case Cookus	13	14	16	12
15	Brady White	16	16	15	11
15	Zach Smith	15	15	14	10

 

Jordan Ta’amu QB1 and First overall

Jordan Ta’amu not only comes in as our number 1 ranked QB but also our number 1 ranked player overall. If you have been following the USFL up until this point, this probably comes as no surprise. Ta’amu has been an explosive quarterback everywhere he has played. In two seasons as the starter for Ole Miss (2017-2018) he racked up 5,600 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Ta’amu went on to be the starting QB for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL. If passing touchdowns weren’t enough for you, Ta’amu is likely good for 450 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns this USFL season. Those are the kind of numbers that win you a fantasy season even if you have a few hiccups along the way.

Bryan Scott: A Fan Favorite and a Close Second

Bryan Scott came in as our consensus number two overall quarterback and number two overall player. Scott is talented, experienced and has a history of dominating spring football leagues. That bodes well for his USFL success. Scott really started to perform up to his potential in college when he took the SCIAC by storm and was named the first-team all-conference quarterback. The accolades didn’t stop there for Scott who would win the starting quarterback job for the Generals of the Spring League (TSL) in 2020, and go to lead the generals to an undefeated season and a championship. Scott would go on to be named the TSL MVP and the MVP of the Spring League Championship game in 2020. Bryan Scott has a lot to offer and a lot of folks are excited about this Philadelphia Stars Offense.

The Rest of the Signal Callers

Kyle Sloter

Our rankings put Kyle Sloter as the 3rd overall player and 3rd ranked quarterback among our experts. Sloter split his time in college between Southern Miss and Northern Colorado where his senior year as the full time starting quarterback threw for 2,656 yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Larry Fedora could be the key to an offensive juggernaut for the Breakers. He never quite stuck with an NFL team but flashed potential in the 2017 NFL preseason when he threw for 13 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions for the Denver Broncos. He led the league that preseason with a passer rating of 125.4.

Ben Holmes

In two years as the starter for Tarleton St., Ben Holmes (OVR 4, QB4) led the Texans to a 23-2 record and was electrifying his senior season when he passed for 3,338 yards and 34 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions. Holmes had a ton of college success but is still a raw athlete with upside. He as a 500 yard rushing season under his belt, doing so for Tarleton in 2018.

Clayton Thorson

Clayton Thorson (OVR 11, QB5) is a traditional pocket passer. Thorson started 53 consecutive games as the quarterback at Northwestern which is the most ever for a Big Ten quarterback. He also happens to be tied with Colt McCoy for the most ever in all of the Power Five conferences. In four years as the starter Thorson amassed 35 wins, over 10,000 passing yards, 991 completions, and 61 passing touchdowns (all Northwestern records). Look for Thorson to be a steadying presence for the Gamblers.

Shea Patterson

The USFL community was shocked that Patterson (OVR 11, QB5) went ahead of players like Jordan Ta’amu. He is an exceptional pocket passer and a great leader. He ended his career seventh on Michigan’s all-time passing yardage leaderboard, passing Tom Brady in the process. The Panthers added one Paxton Lynch to the QB room later in the draft to serve as the backup quarterback to Patterson. Patterson may be able to do just fine in the USFL but our ranker just had a hard time buying his upside given his limited rushing ability. I recommend looking elsewhere to fill your QB spot.

Alex McGough

Alex McGough (OVR 17, QB7) is a dual threat quarterback. Skip Holtz must be excited to get the chance to utilize his skillset this season. McGough has a strong arm and has no problem maneuvering out of the pocket to make throws on the run. He is more than capable of fitting the ball in tight windows. McGough has familiarity with a read option offense and will likely be asked to utilize his legs in the USFL.

Kyle Lauletta

Kyle Lauletta (OVR 10, QB8) started for Richmond for three years and set school records while throwing for 10,465 yards and 73 touchdowns. He was named the Senior Bowl MVP in 2018 when he threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Lauletta now looks to lead the Pittsburgh Maulers to the promise land of the USFL. Landing with Kirby Wilson must feel good for Lauletta who can rest easy knowing the Maulers will feature a prominent power running game and utilizing play action passes extensively.

Running Back USFL Fantasy Football Consensus Rankings: Who’s getting the rock?

Position Rank	RBs	Adam Pelletier Rankings	Justin Mark Rankings	Rodrigo Villagomez Rankings	Matthew Morse Rankings
1	De’Veon Smith	1	3	1	12
2	Stevie Scott III	2	1	8	5
3	BJ Emmons	4	8	6	2
4	CJ Marable	6	2	5	14
5	Dalyn Dawkins	3	6	13	3
6	Garrett Groshek	12	9	9	1
7	Darnell Holland	9	5	19	4
8	Mike Weber	18	7	15	6
9	Matt Colburn II	17	12	7	10
10	Mark Thompson	11	11	14	11
11	Trey Williams	15	14	3	16
11	Juwan Washington	16	13	12	13
13	Jordan Ellis	20	16	16	9
14	Tony Brooks James	19	15	18	8
15	Reggie Corbin	22	10	17	15
16	Larry Rose III	8	4	10	7
17	Darius Victor	5	19	11	17
18	Paul Terry	10	21	2	22
19	Devwah Whaley	21	17	4	18
20	T.J. Logan Jr.	7	18	20	19
21	Cameron Scarlett	14	22	21	20
22	Jordan Chunn	13	23	22	21
23	Bobby Holly	23	20	23	23

Who is RB1?: The Maulers Have Two Candidates

Interestingly enough, we have two running backs from the Pittsburgh Maulers ranked in our top 6 running backs. Maybe this is not a surprise since most anticipate the Maulers to have an elite and maybe the best running game in the league. Kirby Wilson is well known long time running backs coach in the NFL and loves the ground and pound scheme.

Where there continues to be question marks is whether or not there will be enough work to go around to sustain production for both De’Veon Smith (OVR 6, RB1) and Groshek (OVR 23, RB6) Smith played his college ball for Michigan Wolverines from 2013 to 2016. Smith was Michigan’s leading rusher in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Groshek was also drafted by the Kirby Wilson-led Maulers. Kirby Wilson is a former long time running backs coach that has been a part of several successful run-heavy offenses. Groshek is a bruising running back that will run downhill and run right through you. There is a good chance he sees the majority of the running back work for the Maulers but even if he doesn’t, he is likely to see the majority of the goal line work.

Which Other Running Backs Did Our Rankers Favor?

Stevie Scott III

Stevie Scott III (OVR 8, RB2) was selected by Jeff Fisher and the Michigan Panthers to be the lead back of this pro style offense. He was incredibly productive during his time at Indiana where he was named Second-Team All-Big Ten in 2020 after leading Indiana in rushing yards with 586. He is one of only three Hoosiers to score ten or more rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons.

BJ Emmons

Before sustaining a season-ending injury, BJ Emmons (OVR 9, RB3) rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown for Alabama in 2016. He then transferred and played for Hutchinson Community college and Florida Atlantic for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. In two years at Florida Atlantic Emmons produced 353 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 88 attempts. He is known as an exceptional pass blocker which makes his selection by a Todd Haley-led pass-first offense make perfect sense.

CJ Marable

CJ Marable (OVR 12, RB4) will be leading the backfield for the Birmingham Stallions and comes in as our consensus ranked 4th running back. His college years were spent at Coastal Carolina were he totaled over 3,300 scrimmage yards. He was known as a dual threat and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. Clearly our rankers are intrigued by his ability to be used in both phases of the game and are looking for him to continue to have value in the passing game in addition to being the lead running back for the Stallions

Dalyn Dawkins

Look for Dalyn Dawkins (OVR 13, RB5) to lead the backfield for the Houston Gamblers and see a lot of opportunities to touch the ball. Likely a traditional pro-style offense with Clayton Thorson at the helm, there will likely be a concerted effort made to establish the run early and often. Dawkins player for both Purdie and Colorado State University in college. He originally transferred because Purdue was so pass heavy. This has created some lingering questions as to his commitment to be a three down back and contribute on passing downs.

Regardless, his talent is serious and he comes in ranked as our consensus 5th ranked running back. Dawkins finished his career at Colorado State University as the third all-time leading rusher with 3,185 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He has spent some time in the NFL with the Titan and Lions but has no seen extensive playing time. He’ll look to reestablish himself as a professional running back with the USFL.

Wide Receiver USFL Fantasy Football Consensus Rankings: Which Receivers will flourish?

Position Rank	WRs	Adam Pelletier Rankings	Justin Mark Rankings	Rodrigo Villagomez Rankings	Matthew Morse Rankings
1	Eli Lamar Rogers	1	1	1	1
2	Kavontae Turpin	15	5	7	7
3	Quincy Adeboyejo	20	2	9	6
4	Devin Gray	28	7	5	3
5	Shawn Poindexter	23	3	25	2
6	Jeff Badet	6	24	14	25
7	Isaiah Zuber	30	4	32	5
8	Victor Bolden Jr	7	6	13	4
9	Derrick Willies	45	12	17	9
10	Osirus Mitchell	21	9	39	16
11	Peyton Ramzy	26	18	8	37
12	Bailey Gaither	32	11	24	23
13	Anthony Ratliff-Mitchell	10	26	41	15
14	Darrius Shepherd	19	25	30	19
15	Maurice Alexander	18	30	21	30
16	Chad Williams	3	36	34	27
17	Jonathan Abrams	27	19	33	22
18	Brennan Eagles	11	14	11	18
19	Tre Walker	17	27	27	32
20	Lance Lenoir	40	15	36	20
21	Jeffrey Thomas	36	21	40	17
22	JoJo Ward	25	17	15	12
23	Jordan Suell	43	13	6	10
23	J’Mon Moore	13	16	29	14
25	Randy Sutterfield	16	35	35	38
26	Tyler Simmons	44	37	20	24
27	Johnnie DIxon	34	10	28	11
28	Branden Mack	24	8	26	26
29	Diondre Overton	37	23	12	13
30	Christopher Platt Jr.	41	28	31	34
31	Marlon Williams	4	43	48	43
32	Teo Redding	2	46	3	45
33	Joseph Emmanuel Hall	33	20	37	8
33	Alonzo Moore	5	45	2	46
35	Vinny Papale	22	32	10	35
36	Delvon Hardaway	39	33	4	29
36	Taywan Taylor	9	34	23	39
38	Ray Bolden	31	29	16	31
38	Derrick DIllon	46	22	18	21
40	Jordan Lasley	35	31	19	28
41	Devin Ross	38	44	45	44
42	Chris Roland	8	42	42	42
43	John Franklin III	42	38	22	33
43	Keith Mumphery	12	40	43	40
45	Tyler Palka	14	41	44	41
46	Manasseh Bailey	29	39	38	36

The Wide Receivers to Target

Eli Rogers and Shawn Poindexter are two of the most popular receivers going into the 2022 USFL season. They both project to lead the receiving corps of high powered offenses and have the pedigree and size to put up huge numbers. It is no surprise our rankers felt they belonged near the top of the wide receiver list. The top 5 wide receivers round out to be Rogers, Turpin, Quincy Adeboyejo, Devin Gray and Poindexter. I highly recommend landing one of these guys who all project to be significantly ahead of the pack in terms of fantasy WR production.

Eli Rogers (OVR 5, WR1) was the clear consensus number one receiver among our rankers and the only positional player to crack the top 5. Rogers will likely will be relied upon by Todd Haley as a consistent chain-mover in the slot and could be an absolute target monster.

Missed Out on Eli Rogers? Draft Shawn Poindexter (OVR 15, WR5)

Poindexter is a huge receiver that fits the mold of a WR1 that can win and make contested catches. Our Rankers have him as the fifth wide receiver but that could be his floor in this Breakers’ offense. He stands at 6-5 and 213 pounds. It is well known that there is a strong correlation between quarterback and wide receiver performance in fantasy football. With Sloter projected to have an excellent year, you can bet that his WR1 will be on the receiving end of more than his fair share of his success.

Tight End USFL Fantasy Football Consensus Rankings: Who will set themselves apart?

Position Rank	TEs	Adam Pelletier Rankings	Justin Mark Rankings	Rodrigo Villagomez Rankings	Matthew Morse Rankings
1	Nick Truesdell	1	2	1	10
2	Bug Howard	7	1	2	5
3	Brandon Barnes	5	3	4	6
4	De’Quan Hampton	2	4	6	11
5	Matt Seybert	4	6	5	1
8	Sal Cannella	10	7	3	4
11	Cary Angeline	12	8	9	7
7	Cheyenne O’Grady	11	9	11	2
10	Braden Bowman	13	12	7	9
6	La’Michael Pettway	15	10	8	3
9	Joseph Magnifico	19	5	12	8
15	Julian Allen	16	11	10	12
14	Connor Davis	3	17	17	18
16	Marcus Baugh	9	14	14	13
11	EJ Bibbs	6	18	13	15
16	Hunter Thedford	8	19	18	19
19	Justin Johnson	14	13	19	14
13	Sage Surratt	17	15	15	16
18	Artayvvious Lynn	18	20	16	20
20	Jacob Williams	20	16	20	17

Tight End Can Be Tricky: Who Should Be the First Off The Board?

Our Rankers felt Nick Truesdell (OVR 28, TE1) was deserving of the top spot in our tight end rankings. This is not entirely surprising given his incredible plethora of professional football experience. Truesdell has seen more than his fair share of professional football reps making appearances in the IFL, AFL, AAF, XFL, and even the NFL on a limited basis. His most impressive season came in 2014 when playing in the IFL for the Colorado Ice and Bemidji Axemen. He managed to catch 28 passes for 402 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Other Tight Ends Likely To Set Themselves Apart

De’Quan Hampton (OVR 41, TE4) is known for being a big bodied tight end with good route running skills and sure hands. He has a huge wingspan and a large catch radius. He played his college ball at USC and spent the 2020 season in the XFL with the Los Angeles Wildcats. Hampton comes in raked within the top 5 of our consensus top 5 tight end rankings but he clearly possess the ability to take over the number one spot. In addition, he found himself on what looks to be a high power vertical passing Bandits’ offense. Hampton is known more as a receiver and has been known to split out wide. It would not surprise anyone if he spent more time in the slot than he did as an in-line tight end. Ta’amu projects to be chucking it all over the field and Hampton will likely benefit.

Matt Seybert: Think Darren Waller

Matt Seybert’s (OVR 40, TE5) story is truly amazing. He was a walk on tight end at Michigan state and did not even start until his senior season. He was not invited to the NFL combine and had to hold is own “pro day” on Twitter to show off his skills to the world. The Maulers are going to be led by Kirby Wilson who believes in a run first approach and often employs formations that included more than one tight end. This bodes well for Seybert who is like to see a lot of playing time and run a lot of routes.

Kirby Wilson was part of an offensive staff for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019 and 2020 that saw TE Darren Waller have multiple breakout campaigns with 115+ targets and 90+ receptions, Wilson has seen how a team can be successful with an elite RB and TE combination and I would expect him to attempt the replicate that success with Seybert in the fold.

Look Ahead

Make sure you check SGPN regularly for updates to our 2022 USFL positional rankings and for all things USFL.

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