XFL Fantasy Draft Guide, Top 50 Players, Where To Play

We are less than two weeks away from the first action of the relaunched XFL, and fantasy football enthusiasts are starting to jump on board the XFL Train. The best place to play season-long fantasy so far appears to be altfantasysports.com, it was created last year to provide fantasy football degener- I mean fans, a place to play fantasy AAF.

Brian, the site’s creator, brought it back again for the XFL and is constantly improving the site. It has a clean sleek look to it, and he is constantly updating it and providing new features and he welcomes any feedback via social media!

If season-long isn’t your thing, head on over to DraftKings for daily contests, FanDuel is also starting to explore the possibility of daily contests, but for now, it’s just DraftKings.

For the purposes of these rankings, I’m operating under the assumption of a 0.5 PPR, six-team League with 1 QB, 1 RB, 2WR, 1 TE, 2 Flex, 1 DST, 1 K, 2 Bench Slots. Use these rankings as a jumping-off point based around your own league and scoring settings!

I advocate for a six-team league so you have two QBs (possibly) on waivers. Personally, I’m not a fan of “Team QB” leagues, so these rankings will definitely change if you play “Team QB.”

Rounds 1 and 2: Go get your Studs, Grab Josh Johnson

Missing in Rounds 1 and 2 in Spring Fantasy isn’t the death sentence it can be in NFL Fantasy, but if you hit on some of the more dominant players, you give yourself a leg up that others will be tough to overcome.

Last year, Jhurrell Pressley and Kenneth Farrow rewarded fantasy managers who went in on them early by dominating the AAF. This year, running back is going to be a convoluted and confusing position. Almost every top-tier RB has a solid back behind him (Pressley has Pumphrey, Farrow has Gardner, Michael has Jones), but do not shy away from these guys. Each one is a capable receiver, a huge plus in what looks to be a pass-heavy league.

As of right now, there’s only one quarterback you should go get in the first two rounds, Josh Johnson. Landry Jones may jump back into the fray as a top rounds pick if his injury prognosis is as good as it sounds. Initial projections had him out until about Week 3 (25% of the regular season), but he could be back for Week 1 or 2 if that’s the case you could move him into the first two rounds. Johnson will be dominant in the XFL, he’s an accurate passer with a high caliber arm and mobile enough to take.

Just droppin’ dimes out here ?@Head8cke ➡️ @RaaShad_TTG #TheWildcatWay | #ForTheLoveOfFootball pic.twitter.com/187HWiHUIL

— Los Angeles Wildcats (@XFLWildcats) January 13, 2020

Look to go wide receiver heavy early, you want to leave your draft with at least one team’s leading receiver… Going back-to-back WRs in Rounds 1 & 2 will definitely reward you, you could corner the market on some highly talented wideouts… Throughout the draft, go back to offenses you believe in,  lock in on them, St. Louis, DC, and Houston are three to believe in.

Rounds 3 and 4: The mess of names and big-time potential

You want to try to leave Rounds 3 and 4 with your quarterback if possible. If you can’t land one of these top 4 QBs, just wait and pick the last starter. Cardale Jones gets a bump in the rankings over McGloin and Jones due to his status as a big physical runner.

That rushing floor will be tough to pass up, but Landry Jones could be a steal depending upon his injury status. He could finish the year competing with Josh Johnson as the best QB in the XFL. Ta’amu won the starting job in St. Louis and could be the key to unlocking that potent offense.

Cameron Artis-Payne is a “big name” for the XFL, but if you go draft him, you probably want to make sure you have another back you believe in. Lance Dunbar is a better receiver and could steal snaps and touches from CAP throughout the whole season. Matt Jones is a very talented back who should be a relevant part of a 1-2 punch in St. Louis with Christine Michael.

There are not a lot of receivers in this tier of players, so if you don’t go in on receivers early be ready to take them heavily in rounds 4-8. There will be many “surprise” receivers who catch on as the season progresses and provide you an opportunity to win your league.

Remember, any receiver who will see 4-6 targets a game will have flex play capability, especially in a deeper (eight-team or greater) leagues. If a receiver is a consistent red-zone target, he’ll be a “must-start” as well.

Rounds 5-6: Take some shots, then draft the long shots

This is where you start to roll the dice, keep your eyes fixed on @XFLKonnor and other insiders as they bring you news about who’s excelling in the weeks ahead. There will be some starting-caliber players in Rounds 5 &6, but it’s important to note that these are guys in congested depth chart situations or do not have a firm hold on their snap share.

This is a great place to go after a guy like Seantavius Jones or Reece Jones, two talented receivers in Tampa, one of them will most likely step up and be the #1 in Tampa (pending Antonio Callaway’s injury status as well). Horn was a solid receiver last year with the Memphis AAF team, despite subpar quarterback play all season.

Seantavius Jones has some previous chemistry with presumed Tampa starter Aaron Murray, and he could capitalize on that to get the lion’s share of the work there.

Meet your 2020 Tampa Bay Vipers Wide Receivers. #ReadyToStrike | #ForTheLoveOfFootball pic.twitter.com/RMJbtLZ9Wg

— Tampa Bay Vipers (@XFLVipers) January 27, 2020

This is also a great spot, right now, to target the New York running back you believe most in. As of right now, there is not a ton of separation that can be seen between Cook, Stockton, and Victor. Stay tuned as depth charts come out over the next few days.

In addition, the Los Angeles Wildcats backfield is also convoluted, look for DuJuan Harris to have an early shot at the lead back spot, but consider using a bench spot on another LA back or one of the many capable long shots.

Brandon Silvers secured the starting job in Seattle, but last year in the AAF he struggled at times and could struggle to hold onto his job. Seattle has the dynamic playmaker BJ Daniels sitting behind him who could steal snaps similarly to how Taysom Hill steals snaps from Drew Brees.

Rest of the Way: Dig deep for potential breakout-sleeper candidates

Down the stretch, be calculated with how you take shots at the late-round sleepers. Do not go all-in on running backs or wide receivers with your bench slots, mix it up. That being said, continue to abide by the rule discussed earlier, trust offenses you believe in.

Be hesitant to go heavy on Seattle due to a lack of belief in Brandon Silvers, as a named starter he deserves some consideration, but he could be on a short leash. Aaron Murray also could struggle down in Tampa as he struggled in the AAF with Atlanta. Try to have your QB locked down before the late rounds or make sure you grabbed a stack of breakout players earlier.

Starting in Round 7, you could start to target some tight ends. Nick Truesdell may be the most established, dynamic receiving threat so far in the XFL. He was a massively talented presence in the AAF last year, similarly, Evan Rodriguez and Brandon Barnes had solid seasons last spring in the AAF.

There are some other wild cards who may have higher ceilings than these three, but these three will provide a solid floor. Tight end could be a struggle again, just like in the AAF you could be looking at rolling the dice and hoping for five points.

Nick Truesdell with an impressive grab, touchdown @aafstallions!#SLvsAZ pic.twitter.com/yL3G2ef4jl

— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 11, 2019

Donnell Pumphrey should see solid work relieving star Jhurrell Pressley in DC, and if you draft Pressley he could be a must draft if you feel comfortable in the later rounds… Keith Mumphrey could continue to climb draft boards and seize an opportunity within a potentially high-octane St. Louis offense… Whoever seizes the Houston QB job, whether Connor Cook or Philip Walker, will climb the draft board assuming they can hold the job could be the late-round quarterback who wins you your league…Simmi Cobbs may start slow, but your patience could be rewarded, he had a huge preseason, but only just arrived in DC so he may need some time to get acclimated.

At the end of the day, come up with a plan and stick to it! Hopefully, these rankings are helpful, stay up-to-date on social media, xfl.com and more. Things will change before kickoff and be prepared to adapt on the fly, if you can do that, you will have success in Spring Fantasy!

Top 50 for XFL Fantasy Drafts (0.5 PPR)