The United Football League (UFL) Season is right around the corner, and that means that it is time for UFL fantasy football again. Whether you are new to spring fantasy football or have been kicking around since the AAF, welcome to the show! Spring fantasy football is a unique challenge unlike any other. With only eight teams and guys, you may not know that well, but it’s a challenge, to be sure. Fantasy rankings are hard to come by for the UFL, but SGPN has you covered Degen Nation!
This article and rankings have been updated with the news that Abram Smith is out for the season with a torn ACL.
You may be asking yourself, where can I play UFL Fantasy Football? There is only one correct answer to that question. AltFantasySports has been the home for Spring Football degens since the 2019 Alliance of American Football and offers the best and most customizable platform around. No other platform is worth discussing for season-long UFL fantasy.
The Draft Strategy
Attacking your UFL Draft is unlike your NFL Draft. You cannot wait on key positions. You have to land an elite option at either quarterback, wide receiver, or running back. Period. Without an elite player, you are going to be hard-pressed to win games. The gap between the QB01 in the XFL and QB04 was 80 points over a ten-game season. When your average score is in the 70s, that’s a huge margin to overcome.
Much of your draft strategy is based on the positional construct of your league. I recommend playing with the following structure:
| Quarterback | 1 |
| Running Back | 1 |
| Wide Receiver | 2 |
| Tight End | 1 |
| Flex | 1 |
| Defense/Special Teams | 1 |
| Kicker | 1 |
| Bench | 2 |
By keeping your benches short, you make waivers far more relevant. It is key to keeping everyone involved and making things fun. This leads to league size, I recommend playing with six fellow altfootball degens. Six means everyone can draft a quarterback and still have some options. Personally, I will always steer toward trying to leave the first round with either a quarterback or the best bell-cow back I can find. Then, in later rounds, spam receivers in pass-happy offenses. Even if they are not atop the depth chart now, they might develop later on.
Lastly, I am a firm believer in playing with individual quarterbacks and kickers. AltFantasy does offer the option for you to use the “Team” option where you get points regardless of who is kicking or throwing, but that’s like tennis with the net down.
Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | Name | Position | Team |
| 1 | AJ McCarron | QB | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 2 | Case Cookus | QB | SHOWBOATS |
| 3 | Jordan Ta’amu | QB | DEFENDERS |
| 4 | Quinten Dormady | QB | BRAHMAS |
| 5 | J’Mar Smith | QB | STALLIONS |
| 6 | EJ Perry | QB | PANTHERS |
| 7 | Luis Perez | QB | RENEGADES |
| 8 | Jarrett Guarantano | QB | ROUGHNECKS |
| 9 | Jalan McClendon | QB | DEFENDERS |
| 10 | Matt Corral | QB | STALLIONS |
| 11 | Brandon Silvers | QB | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 12 | Troy Williams | QB | SHOWBOATS |
AJ McCarron: UFL QB01
When looking at the quarterback position for UFL fantasy purposes, you have to bet on who you think will start all ten games for their team. Last year, six of the top seven quarterbacks started all ten games. The one exception was AJ McCarron. McCarron is a legitimate NFL-caliber quarterback who is choosing to chase on-field glory in the UFL. That makes him a dangerous man, and he should be the first overall pick in your UFL fantasy draft. Last season, McCarron set a modern spring football record for touchdown passes with 24. The next closest quarterbacks had 20 each, and they needed 10 games to hit that number. McCarron did it in 9.
Couple his explosive 2023 with a revamped and upgraded receiving corps, and McCarron should easily surpass that number. Joining the Battlehawks is the ever-dangerous Jahcour Pearson. Pearson gives McCarron and the Battlehawks an unstoppable 1-2 punch at receiver and should make McCarron a threat to throw for 30 touchdowns this season. Take McCarron at the 1.01 and let everything else fall into place.
More Quarterback Options
However, if you cannot get McCarron, do not worry that much. Case Cookus, Jordan Ta’amu, and Quinten Dormady are all respectable quarterbacks and form a solid second-tier of quarterback options for your UFL fantasy squad. Cookus had solid numbers in the USFL, and now, in Memphis with the Showboats, he gains a true WR01 in Jonathan Adams. Adams was dynamic for New Orleans last year and will provide Cookus with a solid fantasy floor. Ta’amu and Dormady are virtual locks, barring injury, to not lose their jobs and both have upgraded receiving corps from the 2023 season.
Dormady is an interesting case, as he had the fourth-best fantasy quarterback on a points-per-game basis in modern spring football history. He did this while only playing seven games for a dysfunctional Orlando Guardians squad. Now he finds himself quarterbacking a San Antonio Brahmas team that has up-and-coming offensive coordinator AJ Smith calling plays and dynamic receiver Jontre Kirklin in the fold. Add in the reliable Cody Latimer and Landen Akers, and you will have a recipe for fantasy success.
Quinten Dormady vs. DC in Week 7 ⬇️
328 Passing Yards ✅
3 Passing TDs ✅
3 Rushing TDs ✅@qdormady | #TBT pic.twitter.com/NqZA7AZAaz— Orlando Guardians (@XFLGuardians) May 25, 2023
If you strike out at the top of the draft, Luis Perez and J’Mar Smith are established veteran options. J’Mar has Matt Corral breathing down his neck now, and Perez has the prolific collegiate passer Lindsey Scott behind him. Both veterans are less secure than the top options. If you want to take a chance on a player late, Jarret Guarantano of the Houston Roughnecks has played well in multiple NFL preseason appearances and could be in line to be the starter.
Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Name | Position | Team |
| 1 | Mark Thompson | RB | ROUGHNECKS |
| 2 | Wes Hills | RB | PANTHERS |
| 3 | De’Veon Smith | RB | RENEGADES |
| 4 | CJ Marable | RB | STALLIONS |
| 5 | Darius Victor | RB | SHOWBOATS |
| 6 | Wayne Gallman | RB | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 7 | Matthew Colburn II | RB | PANTHERS |
| 8 | Trey Williams | RB | SHOWBOATS |
| 9 | Devin Darrington | RB | RENEGADES |
| 10 | John Lovett | RB | BRAHMAS |
| 11 | Cam’Ron Harris | RB | DEFENDERS |
| 12 | Pooka Williams | RB | DEFENDERS |
| 13 | Leddie Brown | RB | RENEGADES |
| 14 | T.J. Pledger | RB | ROUGHNECKS |
| 15 | Mataeo Durant | RB | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 16 | Toa Taua | RB | PANTHERS |
| 17 | Larry Rountree III | RB | STALLIONS |
| 18 | Tiyon Evans | RB | ROUGHNECKS |
| 19 | Darius Hagans | RB | DEFENDERS |
| 20 | Kennedy Brooks | RB | SHOWBOATS |
Top Running Back Rankings
No matter what order they appear in, Mark Thompson, Wes Hills, and Abram Smith are the top three backs in most UFL fantasy rankings. If they aren’t, seriously question if you can trust that person’s rankings. Last season, Hills finished with an astounding 958 scrimmage yards, 38 receptions, and 10 total touchdowns. Hills was the focal point of the New Orleans Breakers’ prolific offense, and now he is the ENTIRE offense for the Michigan Panthers. Even though Matthew Colburn is no slouch, Hills is an elite running back and should be atop your draft target list.
Wes Hills is great, but his potential loss of work to Colburn has him slotted in behind Mark Thompson in my rankings. Mark Thompson is also the entire offense for the Houston Roughnecks. Last season, Thompson finished with 14 total touchdowns and 745 yards from scrimmage. Although not the dynamic pass catcher that Hills is, Thompson can find the endzone. The Roughnecks offense does not look like they have any intention of putting the game in the hands of whichever quarterback they pick. Trust Thompson to post another monster workload.
We can’t wait to see Wes run for the Hills 😮💨🔥💨 pic.twitter.com/MzaiRNHm2Z
— Michigan Panthers (@USFLPanthers) March 12, 2024
More Running Back Options
So your league mates found these rankings and sniped Hills, Thompson, and Smith off the board before you could pick them in the second round. Never fear! The second tier of UFL fantasy running backs has the potential for some big games. Darius Victor, CJ Marable, and De’Veon Smith form a solid second-tier fantasy backs for the 2024 UFL season. All three have found themselves atop fantasy rankings for other spring leagues and are hampered by the consolidation of talent. Smith of the Arlington Renegades is my first choice. Arlington ran early and often in 2023 and should repeat that approach in 2024. Smith can carry you to UFL fantasy glory this season.
Marable and Victor both had two prolific seasons in the USFL during 2022 and 2023. Marable is one of the most versatile backs in the UFL and should get the lion’s share of the work with Bo Scarborouh’s retirement. Birmingham likes to trust its veterans, and Marable is entering year three in the system. He does not post gaudy touchdown numbers, but his receiving work makes up for it. Darius Victor was a victim of touchdown regression in the 2023 USFL season. After posting 9 rising touchdowns in 2022, he only found the endzone 4 times on the ground in 2023. He did expand his receiving role and finished with 7 total touchdowns, though. In a new system in Memphis, it remains to be seen if he can find success again. Bet on him in the late second round.
Outside of the top two tiers, there is nice cluster of eight backs in the third tier you could win with. The challenge with this next tier is they are either backing up one of the top tier guys, or could just end up being irrelevant.
Wide Receiver Rankings
| Rank | Name | Position | Team |
| 1 | Hakeem Butler | WR | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 2 | Jontre Kirklin | WR | BRAHMAS |
| 3 | Jonathan Adams | WR | SHOWBOATS |
| 4 | Keke Coutee | WR | DEFENDERS |
| 5 | Chris Rowland | WR | DEFENDERS |
| 6 | Myron Mitchell | WR | STALLIONS |
| 7 | Landen Akers | WR | BRAHMAS |
| 8 | Jordan Suell | WR | PANTHERS |
| 9 | Jazz Ferguson | WR | DEFENDERS |
| 10 | Rashard Davis | WR | SHOWBOATS |
| 11 | Deontay Burnett | WR | RENEGADES |
| 12 | LuJuan Winningham | WR | RENEGADES |
| 13 | Victor Bolden Jr. | WR | STALLIONS |
| 14 | Jordan Veasy | WR | BRAHMAS |
| 15 | Blake Jackson | WR | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 16 | Anthony Ratliff-Williams | WR | ROUGHNECKS |
| 17 | Justin Hall | WR | ROUGHNECKS |
| 18 | Diondre Overton | WR | SHOWBOATS |
| 19 | Josh Hammond | WR | DEFENDERS |
| 20 | Amari Rodgers | WR | STALLIONS |
| 21 | Marlon Williams | WR | STALLIONS |
| 22 | Marquez Stevenson | WR | BRAHMAS |
| 23 | Jahcour Pearson | WR | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 24 | Isiah Hennie | WR | ROUGHNECKS |
| 25 | Isaiah Zuber | WR | ROUGHNECKS |
| 26 | Tyler Vaughns | WR | RENEGADES |
| 27 | JaVonta Payton | WR | RENEGADES |
| 28 | Devin Gray | WR | PANTHERS |
| 29 | Trey Quinn | WR | PANTHERS |
| 30 | Darrius Shepherd | WR | BATTLEHAWKS |
Top Wide Receivers to Target
Much like running backs, the wide receiver position features a clear top tier. Hakeem Butler averaged 59.9 yards per game and scored 8 touchdowns on the season as well. Butler is reunited with AJ McCarron, but he has fierce competition now with the arrival of Jahcour Pearson. In 2023, Butler finished as the WR01, but right behind him at WR02 was his new teammate Pearson. Pearson and Butler were both capable of being the WR01 this season in the UFL. That being said, Pearson is now on injured reserve and will miss multiple weeks of the UFL season. Butler is the clear WR01 this season as a result.
Hakeem Butler with an XFL touchdown for St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/vhyJKd1B36
— CycloneFanatic.com (@cyclonefanatic) February 19, 2023
Joining the Battlehawks’ Dynamic duo in the top tier of the UFL fantasy wide receiver rankings are Jontre Kirklin and Jonathan Adams. Before he got hurt last season, Kirklin was the WR04 in points per game and was the engine making the dynamic Houston Roughnecks’ offense go early on. His injury derailed their season, and they looked like a different team in the second half of the XFL season. Now, in San Antonio, Kirklin has a clear running mate, with tight end Cody Latimer drawing attention from defenses. Quinten Dormady has the tools to help Kirklin prove he can perform at the highest level too.
Last in the top tier, but certainly is Jonathan Adams. Last season, Adams shared the target load with Johnnie Dixon. Now, in Memphis, Adams is clearly the best receiver and, possibly, the only true receiving threat. Case Cookus loves to sling it all over the yard, and Adams will be the biggest beneficiary of that.
Other Receivers to Watch
With Jahcour Pearson missing time, that introduces some room for Darius Shepherd and Blake Jackson to establish themselves as favorite targets for AJ McCarron. Last season, Shepherd finished as the WR04, and Jackson finished as the WR13. Shepherd was the clear second option behind Butler in the Battlehawks’ prolific offense and should easily slot into that role again. Jackson, on the other hand, was battling with a crowded Seattle Sea Dragons’ receiver room. Despite this, Jackson still managed to claw out a respectable fantasy finish. Both Shepherd and Jackson will climb slightly in the fantasy rankings, but both will remain a value ahead of the 2024 UFL season.
Marlon Williams was a dynamic force for the Birmingham Stallions in 2022 but did not repeat in 2023 due to injury. Now fully healed, Williams is a value in the mid rounds for a Stallions’ offense that is sneakily pass-happy. The Stallions and Renegades both benefit from ambiguous pecking orders when it comes to target share and investing in receivers like Williams, Amari Rodgers, Tyler Vaughns, and JaVonta Payton, could be a steal if they can emerge as the guy in their respective offenses.
Lastly, Marquez Stevenson has size and athletic ability that could benefit from AJ Smith’s Air Raid offense. Take a flier on him in the middle rounds as a breakout candidate for 2024.
Tight End Rankings
| Rank | Name | Position | Team |
| 1 | Cody Latimer | TE | BRAHMAS |
| 2 | Jace Sternberger | TE | STALLIONS |
| 3 | Sal Canella | TE | RENEGADES |
| 4 | Sage Surratt | TE | SHOWBOATS |
| 5 | Jake Sutherland | TE | BATTLEHAWKS |
| 6 | Alex Ellis | TE | DEFENDERS |
| 7 | Braedon Bowman | TE | ROUGHNECKS |
| 8 | Cole Hikutini | TE | PANTHERS |
| 9 | Derrick Deese Jr | TE | PANTHERS |
| 10 | Ryan Izzo | TE | ROUGHNECKS |
| 11 | Marcus Baugh | TE | STALLIONS |
| 12 | Alize Mack | TE | BRAHMAS |
| 13 | Wes Saxton Jr | TE | SHOWBOATS |
| 14 | Shaun Beyer | TE | DEFENDERS |
Tight end is traditionally a challenging position to draft in spring football. However, heading into the 2024 season, we might have our deepest tight end class yet. With Cody Latimer, Jace Sternberger, and Sal Canella all returning to the fold, spring fantasy mangers can breath easier. Cody Latimer was the unquestioned TE01 in the XFL and should repeat that performance. Despite the Air Raid not traditionally featuring a tight end, Latimer is still listed as such. That is a cheat code for fantasy managers. Latimer finished third in total receiving yards in the XFL and 40 more than Sage Surratt, the USFL tight end leader. Latimer maintains his connection with Quinten Dormady and is now in more pass-happy offense. Look for him in the second round.
Jace Sternberger was a touchdown machine in 2023 for the Birmingham Stallions, finishing with 7 total touchdowns. Sternberger also added in 517 yards on 33 catches to his total stat line. He remains the clear go-to guy in Birmingham and should see work on point after touchdown conversions as there will be no kicked extra points in the UFL. Look for him in the late second round and early third to gain an edge on your league.
Rounding out the top three, Sal Canella was a reliable option for Luis Perez and was a force in the XFL Championship game. Canella also had a monster performance in the 2022 USFL Semifinal as he posted a 12-catch, 154-yard game. Canella feasts on defenses and will get you catches and yardage in bunches. He may not find the endzone like Latimer and Sternberger, but he has a connection with Perez. Additionally, he is the most reliable receiving option in Arlington. Target him in the early third round.
After the top three and Sage Surratt, it is a dart throw. If you cannot get one of the top guys, stream the position off of whoever has the hot hand.
