The first season of the new USFL has made it to its championship game, which will be held Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Birmingham Stallions and Philadelphia Stars each won their playoff games last week in Canton, Ohio, as well, and will meet in a rematch of their Week 5 showdown from the regular season. Birmingham running back CJ Marable stole the show in that matchup, when he ran for 114 yards and a touchdown in the 30-17 win. Philadelphia quarterback Case Cookus was playing in just his second game as the Stars’ starting quarterback, and threw for 215 yards, but couldn’t hit a receiver in the end zone.
Those who have played tournaments and cash games all season on DraftKings should have a handle on the names for both teams in the USFL DFS player pool, but who are the smartest choices for USFL DFS lineups in the league’s title game? Before you make your USFL DFS picks for Sunday’s game, be sure to check out the USFL DFS advice, strategy and projections from CBS Sports Fantasy and gambling editor R.J. White.
CBS Sports’ Fantasy and gambling managing editor, White has delivered consistently on a high volume of picks over the long-term, returning $2,542 to $100 bettors on more than 800 against the spread picks since the start of the 2017 NFL season. It’s no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest.
CBS Sports’ Fantasy and gambling managing editor, White has delivered consistently on a high volume of picks over the long-term, returning over $2,500 to $100 bettors on more than 800 against the spread picks since the start of the 2017 NFL season. White had a successful finish to the 2022 USFL season, going 8-4 with his last 12 USFL picks. His combination of expert pick knowledge and Fantasy background means he can find the best USFL DFS values.
Now, White has turned his attention to the USFL action for its championship game and locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top USFL DFS picks for Championship Game
One of the players that White suggests considering for your USFL DFS strategy is Birmingham running back Bo Scarbrough. The Birmingham backfield has become more of a split over the last few weeks with Scarbrough getting the slight edge in workload over Marable. Although he has delivered more lunch pail productivity than eye-popping numbers, he’s a punishing runner that can lead a power rushing attack.
Two weeks ago in the Stallions’ 21-18 win over Tampa Bay, Scarbrough handled nine carries for 38 yards. Marable had a rushing touchdown in the win, but the following week, Scarbrough out-touched him 11-9 and averaged nearly 1.5 more yards per carry. J’Marr Smith is a dual-threat quarterback, so both runners lose a bit of opportunity to him, but Birmingham will want to keep Smith upright while going for the title, which should result in a more traditional game plan when it comes to incorporating Scarbrough in the rushing attack.
Another one of White’s USFL DFS picks is Cookus. He is listed as probable this week after taking a big hit in the third quarter of last weekend’s win against the Generals. Things looked a bit scary after his arm was bent back on a near-sack that instead resulted in an interception. However, the week before against the same opponent in the regular season finale, he threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
Although he had an interception in that start, he also ran four times for 33 yards. Cookus only started seven regular season games, but finished with the fourth-most passing yards (1,334) and the second-most passing touchdowns (12). Should Cookus lead your USFL DFS lineups on Sunday, White also suggests considering Philadelphia receiver Bug Howard in a flex position, who finished the regular season with the seventh-most receiving yards in the league.
How to set USFL DFS lineups
White is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode for huge numbers this weekend. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So who is R.J. White putting in his optimal USFL DFS lineups for the USFL Championship Game? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal USFL DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a Fantasy expert with a history of success predicting alternative football leagues, and find out.
