With little prior knowledge going into Week 1, I’d say I had a solid week last week. We learned some things about the pace and style of play in the XFL, but we certainly don’t know everything that these players and teams are capable of. We found out that picking the right WRs is crucial to the DraftKings format and I kept that in mind with my lineup this week. I haven’t given my thoughts on the XFL yet, but I don’t think I would be writing a Week 2 preview if I thought it sucked.

I really liked what I saw from the XFL last week. Hopefully things will be just as interesting in Week 2 and I have a feeling that they will be. I thought that the broadcast was cool and the transparency with the officials and the replay judges was awesome. It was also cool hearing coaches call plays and the commentators breaking down the plays. One thing that was getting a little bit of negative feedback was the sideline interviews during the game. I think they were fine for the most part, especially in the first week, but I don’t think I will like it when it gets into the heart of the season. It had an all-star game feel to it, which can be a good thing, but most people that I heard talking about it hated it. We’ll see if they continue to do those in Week 2. Using the same approach as last week, I will break down my personal lineup that I use in tournament play. The XFL format is different than the NFL, so it makes it a little more interesting when constructing a lineup. Without further ado, here is my lineup for this week.

QB: Landry Jones ($9.500)

The former backup to Ben Roethlisberger did not play in the season opener for the Dallas Renegades, but this week he is a full go and will be the starter against the LA Wildcats. The Wildcats made a change at defensive coordinator following their Week 1 loss to the Houston Roughnecks and it could be an interesting thing to look out for. In the Renegades loss to the Battlehawks, their backup threw the ball 42 times. I think we can expect a similar volume for Landry Jones this week. Jones was clearly their guy going into the season and now that he is healthy, it should be just what they were looking for. It is also difficult to ignore the fact that Jones and Head Coach Bob Stoops are going to be reunited. Look for big things to happen for Landry Jones.

RB: Nick Holley ($4,800)

If we learned anything from the first week of the XFL, it appears that rushing the ball isn’t going to be a big force. Only 2 players rushed for over 50 yards last week and it wouldn’t surprise me if we get another similar week. If you guys didn’t get a chance to check out Nick Holley last week, all you need to know is that he is pure grit. He played QB/RB/WR at Kent State and I think he is an absolute steal at $4,800. Although he didn’t run the ball last week, I think he could be in for a couple carries against the Battlehawks this week. I know what you’re thinking, a couple carries? That’s right, he is a starting WR in the Roughnecks depth chart, but a RB on DK. I think playing this technicality will be an advantage this week, because the Battlehawks allowed 15… Yes, 15 receptions to RBs alone in Week 1. Look for Houston to exploit this with Nick Holley, a pass catcher with RB breakaway ability.

WR: Nelson Spruce ($10,400)

The Wildcats wideout is the most expensive FLEX option going into Week 2 and if he produces like he did last week, he is worth every dollar. Spruce grabbed 11 catches for 103 yards last week and was the first XFL player to do so. It is clear that Spruce is their top target and if Josh Johnson is available to start tomorrow, I think that only opens up more opportunities for him. He had two 1,000 yard seasons at Colorado and I think he can find similar success in the XFL. This week could be a tougher matchup for him, but I think he will get ample targets and if he catches at least one touchdown, it is worth it.

WR: Rashad Ross ($9,900)

I wanted to choose someone this week with big-play ability and I don’t think there is another player in the XFL that exemplifies that more than Rashad Ross. Ross was the main Kick Returner for the Washington Redskins in 2015 and even returned a kick for a TD that year. I think he will have a couple big plays and especially against a NY Guardians defense that allowed a lot of yardage last week. Ross had 2 catches for 52 yards and a TD against the Dragons last week, but I think he will have more opportunities to shine this week.

FLEX: Nick Truesdell ($6,700)

I picked Truesdell last week and I think I would be making a mistake to give up on him after an average showing last week. The reason why I picked him last week was his projected targets and TD potential and this week is no different. The Seattle Dragons allowed the 2nd most points last week and I think that can happen again. The Vipers didn’t have bad numbers on paper, they just couldn’t capitalize when they needed to. Tampa Bay has a better shot to get going offensively this week and expect Truesdell to be a big target this week.

FLEX: Flynn Nagel ($5,200)

Nagel was the leading receiver last week for the Battlehawks with 6 catches for 43 yards. He is strictly a slot receiver and I think that will work again even with Landry Jones starting this week. If Week 1 is any indication of what is to come, the Renegades do a lot of dink and dunk plays and Nagel is a perfect recipient of catch volume. Nagel is out of Northwestern and his time there was hit and miss, but when he was playing well, he was on fire. For example, he had 12 catches for 220 yards and 2 TDs against Nebraska. I think the XFL is giving him a perfect opportunity to showcase what he can do.

D/ST: Houston Roughnecks ($3,400)

Week to week, defense and special teams is going to be the toughest decision to make. I decided to go with the Roughnecks this week due to the fact that it appears that the Battlehawks are a rushing offense. The Roughnecks held Elijah Hood back pretty well last week and I think they can do the same this week. Also, the Battlehawks were the lowest scoring winners in Week 1, so this could be another indication that picking their opponents defense is a wise move, but it’s early in the season and anything can happen, so use caution when picking a D/ST.

Yacs

Week 2 XFL DraftKings Tips