Who’s ready for some Week 4 XFL action? Let’s dive right in.
Here are the four games this weekend.
- Los Angeles Wildcats @ New York Guardians: Sat., Feb 29 – 2 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Seattle Dragons @ St. Louis Battlehawks: Sat., Feb 29 – 5 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Houston Roughnecks @ Dallas Renegades: Sun., March 1 – 4 p.m. ET (FS1)
- DC Defenders @ Tampa Bay Vipers: Sun., March 1 – 7 p.m. ET (ESPN 2)
Be sure to check out our Week 4 XFL fantasy projections, which will be updated based on injury reports and depth chart news as we head into the weekend.
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XFL Quarterbacks
P.J. Walker – Roughnecks ($12,000 DK; $23 FD): Walker continues to dominate, leading the XFL in completion percentage (79.1%), passing yards (748) and touchdowns (10) through three weeks. In Week 4, he gets a Renegades defense that has struggled against the pass, allowing the league’s second-worst coverage grade at 58.6 (per Pro Football Focus). Walker is the most expensive option on the slate but is yet to disappoint.
Josh Johnson – Wildcats ($10,200 DK; $21 FD): Johnson gets a favorable draw against the Guardians, who have the worst overall PFF defensive (59.9) and coverage (56.4) ratings. Johnson leads the position with 7.8 yards per attempt and is No. 2 behind only Walker with 21.9 DraftKings points per game. Top wide receiver Nelson Spruce (knee) is expected to be out, but he still has enough weapons to find success against this poor defense.
Landry Jones – Renegades ($9,800 DK; $18 FD): Jones is a mid-priced option playing in the game with a slate-high total of 50.5 points. While inconsistent at times, Jones has had success against two solid defenses (LA and Seattle) and should be able to move the ball against a Roughnecks team giving up 22.7 points per game. The over in Roughnecks games is 3-0, and the Renegades are underdogs by only 1.5 points at home. Jones could get a lot of pass attempts in a tight, high-scoring contest.
XFL Running Backs
Cameron Artis-Payne – Renegades ($8,000 DK; $18 FD): As involved as teammate Lance Dunbar will be, Artis-Payne is the lead back in Dallas. In two games with Jones at quarterback, CAP has averaged 120.5 yards on 13.5 carries and 5.5 targets per game. He’s the most expensive back on both sites, but he has a high floor with his usage and how frequently Jones targets his running backs.
Matt Jones – BattleHawks ($7,100 DK; $17 FD): The BattleHawks are 11.5-point home favorites and No. 1 in the league with a 57.8% rush rate, so Jones seems likely to have a run-heavy game script, and his matchup is favorable, as the Dragons have the third-worst PFF run defense rating (62.4). Teammate Christine Michael should continue to be involved, but Jones has the edge in carry volume (52-35) and yards per carry (4.3-2.3). He has had 15-plus carries in each game and is a fine pivot off of CAP.
Lance Dunbar – Renegades ($6,700 DK; $16 FD): Although he’s technically the No. 2 option in a split backfield, Dunbar is easily No. 1 on the team in receptions (20) and is a close No. 2 behind tight end Donald Parham with 23 targets. Despite playing in a middling 24-12 game last week, Dunbar was 8-23-0 rushing and 9-56-0 receiving on a team-high 11 targets. In a projected shootout that could feature a pass-heavy game script, Dunbar is especially cheap on DraftKings.
Trey Williams – Dragons ($4,400 DK; $14 FD): Williams is still splitting work with teammates Kenneth Farrow and Ja’Quan Gardner, but his usage in the passing game is encouraging. The Dragons are 11.5-point road dogs, and in their two losses, Williams has averaged four targets per game. He’s also the team’s most effective rusher and is No. 7 in the league with a 75.9 PFF run grade. At his price, Williams is a nice alternative to the higher-priced options.
Check out our Week 4 XFL Bargain Ratings piece, which highlights the players who offer the most value on DraftKings and FanDuel.
XFL Wide Receivers
Cam Phillips – Roughnecks ($11,700 DK; $22 FD): Phillips is easily the No. 1 wide receiver in the league, and last week he led the slate with 194 yards receiving and 223 air yards. In Week 4, he faces a Dallas defense that has the league’s second-worst PFF coverage rating (58.6). He’s expensive, but he’s a priority in cash games.
Rashad Ross – Defenders ($8,700 DK; $16 FD): Stymied in Week 3 by an awful performance from quarterback Cardale Jones, Ross managed just 17 yards against the Wildcats. But he still was No. 1 on the team with six targets and No. 3 in the league with 168 air yards. The Vipers have a subpar 60.0 PFF coverage grade, and cornerback Anthoula Kelly in particular has been exploitable with a league-high 184 yards and two touchdowns allowed in his coverage. With a reduced ownership rate, Ross has the upside to outperform.
Tre McBride – Wildcats ($8,100 DK; $17 FD): McBride came out of nowhere in Week 3 with a 5-109-2 receiving performance against a Defenders secondary considered to be one of the league’s stronger units. No. 1 wide receiver Nelson Spruce (knee) is expected to be out, so McBride should get his opportunities as a go-to option for Johnson. He should have no problem getting open against a Guardians defense with a league-worst 56.4 coverage rating. McBride (thigh) exited Week 3 early and has been limited in practice this week, so his status should be monitored, but he’s expected to play.
Jalen Tolliver – Vipers ($6,000 DK; $16 FD): Despite a huge Week 1 from teammate Daniel Williams (6-123-0 receiving), Tolliver is No. 1 on the team with 23 targets and 13 receptions. In Week 3, he showed good chemistry with backup-turned-starting quarterback Taylor Cornelius, tallying 104 yards receiving and 128 air yards on 13 targets, two of which were in the end zone. If tight end Nick Truesdell (knee) misses Week 4 — he sat out last week and is yet to return to practice — Tolliver could once again have 10-plus targets. He’s especially cheap on DraftKings.
Austin Duke – Guardians ($3,300 DK; $13 FD): Duke had a coming out party last week, going 4-43-1 receiving on six targets in a loss to the BattleHawks. The Guardians are seven-point dogs this week, so Duke could benefit from another pass-heavy game script. One of the slate’s cheapest viable receivers, Duke won’t need much production to hit value.
XFL Tight Ends
Donald Parham – Renegades ($9,900 DK; $19 FD): Parham is the No. 1 receiving option for Dallas, and the Roughnecks-Renegades game has a slate-high 50.5-point over/under. He leads his team in targets (24), yards receiving (217) and air yards (275) and should see significant volume. In his two games with Jones at quarterback, Parham has a 10-177-3 receiving line.
XFL Defense
Los Angeles Wildcats ($4,500 DK): This Wildcats defense surprised everyone in Week 3 by holding the Defenders to just nine points in a decisive home victory. They recorded five turnovers (including four interceptions) and sacked quarterback Cardale Jones three times. This week, they face a poor Guardians team that has mustered only nine points over the past two weeks and will reportedly be without starting quarterback Matt McGloin (thorax).
Cash Game Strategy
Cash game lineups this week should start with quarterback P.J. Walker ($12,00 DK; $23 FD) and wide receiver Cam Phillips ($12,100 DK; $23 FD). The Roughnecks teammates have been the most consistent duo in the league and have a strong Week 4 matchup. They’re expensive, but they provide a strong nucleus.
Renegades running backs Cameron Artis-Payne ($8,000 DK; $18 FD) and Lance Dunbar ($6,700 DK; $16 FD) offer safe floors in a likely high-scoring affair. BattleHawks running back Matt Jones ($7,100 DK; $17 FD) has a good matchup and should have a run-heavy game script as a large home favorite. He offers a safe floor at an otherwise unreliable position.
Wide receivers Tre McBride ($8,100 DK; $17 FD) and Jalen Tolliver ($6,000 DK; $16 FD) are both in enticing spots and are fine alternatives to the higher-priced options.
It’s not necessary to roster a tight end, but it’s tough to overlook Donald Parham ($9,900 DK; $19 FD) here. He offers WR1 upside in a projected shootout.
Tournament Strategy
As strong as their matchup is, Walker and Phillips can be faded in guaranteed prize pools because of their elevated salaries and ownership rates.
At quarterback, I’d rather take my chances with Landry Jones ($9,800 DK; $18 FD) at lower ownership in the same game. And I might prefer Donald Parham ($9,900 DK; $19 FD) to Phillips, as he is cheaper and will likely be lower owned.
Jones could also be paired with one of his running backs, given their usage in the passing game.
Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius ($7,000 DK; $14 FD) is an intriguing pivot if you want to roster high-priced players elsewhere. Quarterback Aaron Murray (foot) is expected to back up Cornelius this week, and change-of-pace quarterback Quinton Flowers has reportedly left the team, so Cornelius could take 100% of the snaps. If DC’s defense underperforms again this week, a Cornelius could be a GPP winner in a stack with his wide receivers.
After a disappointing Week 3, wide receiver Rashad Ross ($8,700 DK; $16 FD) will likely have reduced ownership in a great spot.
Salaries are tight in Week 4, so finding a bargain wide receiver will be crucial. My favorite low-priced option is Austin Duke ($3,300 DK; $13 FD).
Favorite Stacks
Dallas Renegades: Landry Jones (QB), Lance Dunbar (RB) and Donald Parham (TE) – Cash or GPP. The opportunities will be there in a projected shootout.
Houston Roughnecks: PJ Walker (QB), Cam Phillips (WR) – Cash. They’re the top players in the league’s No. 1 offense. Wide receiver Khalil Lewis is also a strong option, but fitting all three in the same lineup is tough.
Tampa Bay Vipers: Taylor Cornelius (QB), Jalen Tolliver (WR) and Dan Williams (WR) – GPP. This stack is inexpensive and allows you to squeeze in some high-priced players. It may not be fun to watch, but this build could provide contrarian upside.
Credit: Rod Mar/XFL via Getty Images
Pictured: Landry Jones
