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XFL Week 1 Preview & Depth Charts: Seattle Sea Dragons at D.C. Defenders

The wait is over! After three long years, the XFL has finally returned! Closing out kickoff weekend, the Seattle Sea Dragons travel to Washington D.C. to face the Defenders in a rematch of their 2020 season opener.

Seattle Sea Dragons (0-0) at D.C. Defenders (0-0)

Kickoff: Sunday, February 18th at 5:00 pm P.T.

Where: Audi Field, Washington D.C.

TV: ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, TSN Plus, ESPN Player, Sport1+

Broadcast Team: John Schriffen, Tom Luginbill, Stormy Buonantony, Harry Douglas (Field Analyst)

Weather

Sunday evenings forecast around Audi Field calls for cloudy skies with temperatures around 56 degrees and winds around 13 mph. While no precipitation is expected, there will be around 45% humidity.

Betting Odds Per DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread:

  • Seattle Sea Dragons: +1.5
  • D.C. Defenders: -1.5

Moneyline:

  • Seattle Sea Dragons: +100
  • D.C. Defenders: -120

Over/Under: 35.5


Seattle Sea Dragons Week 1 Depth Chart

Offense123
QBBen DiNucci – 6 (Captian)Stephen Montez – 12Harrison Frost – 14
RBBrendan Knox – 28Morgan Ellison – 25
WRJosh Gordon – 0Damion Willis – 15
WRJah’cour Pearson – 3TJ Hammonds – 19Kelvin McKnight – 86
WRBlake Jackson – 80Jaylon Redd – 13
WRJuwan Green – 4Jordan Veasy – 88
TECharlie Tamoepeau – 89
OTLiam Jimmons – 71Barry Wesley – 69
OGMike Menet – 72Paul Gratten – 65
OCJared Thomas – 73Tejan Koroma – 56
OGChris Owens – 55Josh Seltzner – 70
OTColin Kelly – 67
Defense123
DENiko Lalos – 97 Daniel Jones – 96
DNAntwuan Jackson – 52PJ Hall – 92Sama Paama – 50
DTAustin Faoliu – 58Trayvon Hester – 93
OLBElijah Ponder – 44Shareef Miller – 48
ILBTre Walker – 8Emmanuel Smith – 43
ILBJordan Evans – 26 (Captian)Clarence Hicks – 9
OLBTuzar Skipper – 51
CBChris Jones – 5Rojesterman Farris – 17Zafir Kelly – 36
CBLinden Stephens – 21Shabari Davis – 24Mykael Wright – 16
SBryce Thompson – 1Qwynnterrio Cole – 32
SAntoine Brooks – 2 Alijah Holder – 33
Special Teams123
KDominik Eberle – 11
PCameron Nizialek – 10
LSThomas Fletcher – 45
KRJeylon Redd – 13Morgan Ellison – 25
PRJah’cour Pearson – 3Kelvin McKnight – 86

D.C. Defenders Week 1 Depth Chart

Offense123
QBJordan Ta’amu – 10D’Eriq King – 3Eric Dungey – 2
RBAbram Smith – 4Ryquell Armstead – 23
WRJosh Hammond – 0Chad Hansen – 16
WRJaquez Ezzard – 12Pooka Williams Jr. – 8
WRLucky Jackson – 11Chris Blair – 1Josh Malone – 81
TEEthan Wolf – 82Briley Moore – 88Trae Barry – 80
OTCody Conway – 67Kyle Murphy – 53
OGLiam Ryan – 63Rod Taylor – 73
OCMike Maitetti – 51Ty Clary – 66
OGLiam Fornadel – 77
OTT.J. Storment – 72D’Marcus Hayes – 78
Defense123
DEJacub Panasuik – 96
NTCauan Reid – 97Gabe Wright – 98
DTJoe Wallace – 99Jarrell Owens – 95
DEFadol Brown – 6Malik Fisher – 92
EdgeDavin Bellamy – 17Andre Mintze – 48
LBFrancis Bernard – 43Jamal Brooks – 20
LBReggie Northrup – 5Anthony Hines III – 57Ferrod Gardner – 27
CBMichael Joseph – 15Travon Fuller – 22K.J. Sails – 9
CBDeJuan Neal – 26Anthoula Kelly – 24Nydair Rouse – 38
SSantos Ramirez – 39Joshua Allen – 21
SKentrell Brice – 29Cam Lewis – 31
Special Teams123
KMatt McCrane – 34
PDaniel Whelan – 19
LSTrae Barry – 80
KRJaquez Ezzard – 12Pooka Williams Jr – 8
PRJaquez Ezzard – 12Pooka Williams Jr – 8

Injury Report

Seattle Sea Dragons

  • DT – Treyvon Hester – Ankle – Questionable
  • DT – Austin Faoliu – Hamstring – Questionable
  • WR – Jordan Veasy – Illness – Questionable
  • NT – PJ Hall – Shoulder – Probable
  • WR – Jaylon Redd – Hamstring – Probable

D.C. Defenders

  • WR – Chad Hansen – Illness – Out
  • WR – Pooka Williams Jr – Knee – Questionable
  • DE – Davin Bellamy – Ankle – Probable
  • DB – Michael Joseph – Adductor – Probable

Seattle Sea Dragons – D.C. Defenders Prediction

With a north division matchup to kick off the season, this should be an exciting game between two very talented teams.

The D.C. Defenders have been regarded as one of the league’s more talented squads in the lead-up to the season. Between a fantastic staff led by DPP Von Hutchins, head coach Reggie Barlow, and the talented roster of players headed by quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, this team will be a problem as the season progresses.

The Seattle Sea Dragons seem to have flown under the radar more than D.C. regarding their staff and roster. The men in charge in Seattle are former NFL Executive of the year, DPP Randy Mueller, and former NFL coach of the year, head coach Jim Haslett. Mueller has experience operating in leagues like the XFL, as he was also DPP of the undefeated Houston Roughnecks in 2020 alongside head coach June Jones, who now serves as Seattle’s offensive coordinator under Haslett. They’ve added several players with NFL experience, like wide receiver Josh Gordon, quarterback Ben DiNucci, linebacker Jordan Evans, and cornerback Chris Jones to name a few.

Overall this should be a hard-fought matchup, but Seattle’s experience gives them an edge in week 1. When these teams meet again in week 8, Seattle’s experience may not mean quite as much, but with no real preseason, it should give the Sea Dragons the boost they need to pull off the win this time around.

Prediction: Seattle Sea Dragons 24 – D.C. Defenders 20


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Matt Lyons is a Writer/Contributor for XFL News Hub, USFL News Hub, & CFL News Hub, covering the XFL, USFL, ELF, and TSL since August of 2020.

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