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XFL Week 5 Fantasy POV: Start RB Smith, but LA will win

By Darwin (Deni) Martin

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 1: De'Veon Smith #24 of the Tampa Bay Vipers carries the ball during the XFL game against the DC Defenders at Raymond James Stadium on March 1, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/XFL via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 1: De'Veon Smith #24 of the Tampa Bay Vipers carries the ball during the XFL game against the DC Defenders at Raymond James Stadium on March 1, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/XFL via Getty Images) /
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Week 5 of the XFL schedule closes with each division’s cellar dwellar playing each other.  Tampa Bay (1-3) running back DeVeon Smith will have a great game running the ball, but in the end the L.A. Wildcats (1-3) will beat the Vipers.

Both teams are consistently inconsistent.  Consider the following similarities:

  • Their only victory was a blowout against the D.C. Defenders.  (Tampa Bay beat D.C. 25-0 in week 4 and Los Angeles beat D.C. 39-9 in week 3.)
  • Both teams are 1-1 at home and 0-2 on the road
  • Both teams suffered losses to the XFL’s No. 1 team, the Houaton Roughnecks.  (The Wildcats lost 37-17 in week 1.  The Vipers lost 34-27 in week 3.)
  • Both  teams have 3 players as top 5 players in offensive categories, according to XFL Stats.

The most notable of the offensive stars is XFL leading rusher DeVeon Smith of Tampa Bay.  Smith has rushed for 296 yards in 66 carries for a 4.5 yard per carry average.   Teammate Jacques Patrick is No.3 in rushing with 53 carries for 231 yards, which makes his average 4.4 yards per carry.

Smith and Patrick’s success running the ball makes life a little easier for quarterback Taylor Cornelius.  Cornelius emerged as the Vipers’ starting quarterback due to Aaron Murray‘s injury and some contention between Quinton Silvers and Tampa Bay’s management.

Cornelius had a good game in week 4’s victory over the D.C. Defenders. He completed 24 out of 31 passes for 211 yards and threw one touchdown pass and one interception.  He ran 4 times for 36 yards and scored a touchdown on a 17-yard scramble in the 3rd quarter of the game.

The third Viper among the XFL stat leaders is wide receiver Dan Williams.  Williams is No. 4 among receivers with 252 yards.  He has caught 18 passes for a 14 yard per catch average.

The Los Angeles Wildcats three XFL stat leaders start with quarterback Josh Jackson.  After sitting out the season opener due to injury, Johnson has thrown for 788 yards in four games.  Last week, in the 17-14 loss to New York, he threw for 325 yards.

Johnson’s favorite targets are the two remaining Wildcats among the XFL stat leaders.   Wide receiver Nelson Spruce, who has been out due to a knee injury, is No. 3 in receiving yards with 256. He has 20 pass receptions and 2 touchdowns.

Wide Receiver Tre McBride has stepped up while Spruce is injured with 13 receptions for 236 yards and 3 touchdown catches.  McBride is No. 5 among the receiving yards leaders, but seems poised to move up in this XFL offensive category.

Here are the DFS recommendations for this game:

  • START Tampa Bay running back DeVeon Smith
  • START Los Angeles quarterback Josh Johnson
  • START Los Angeles wide receiver Tre McBride
  • SLEEPER is Tampa Bay running back Jacques Patrick
  • SIT Los Angeles wide receiver Nelson Spruce
  • EXPECT the Los Angeles Wildcats to win by 2 with the total points not exceeding 44

The game will be played on:

  • Sunday, March 8, 9:00 p.m. EST at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA
  • TV Channel: ESPN and Live Stream: Watch ESPN and the ESPN App

Next. DraftKings XFL picks week 5. dark

Saturday’s first game has the Seattle Dragons (1-3) facing off against the Roughnecks (4-0) in Houston . Saturday’s second game is the New York Guardians (3-2) traveling to Dallas to play the Renegades (2-2).  The first game on Sunday features the St. Louis BattleHawks (3-1) playing the Defenders (2-2) in Washington, D.C.

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