XFL

XFL Best Bets Week 3

By Doug Burrell

Posted on March 2, 2023

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We’re in week 3 of the XFL season and the top teams are starting to emerge. The Houston Roughnecks are looking like the ones to beat, with the DC Defenders close behind. Unfortunately, the football hasn’t been too pretty, and we’re seeing lower scores than we would expect. It’s making predicting game totals a bit of a challenge, as we learned when we went 1-3 in our over/under picks last week. But it wasn’t all bad news! We were 3-1 in our moneyline picks and 3-1 against the spread, so it was still a profitable week. In fact, our Best Bets have a 17.4% return on investment year to date. 

The NFL offseason has shifted to the XFL, and many sports bettors are using their winnings to bet on XFL games to pass the time. Places like Ohio, which just got sports betting legal after several false starts and failed bills, saw Ohio betting apps go legal on January 1st of this year. There is a lot of excitement for people in Ohio, despite the fact they don’t have an XFL team. However, baseball is only a month away, and the Cleveland Guardians should be a pretty good team this year.

Power Rankings

1. Houston Roughnecks
2. DC Defenders
3. St Louis Battlehawks
4. San Antonio Brahmas
5. Seattle Sea Dragons
6. Vegas Vipers
7. Arlington Renegades
8. Orlando Guardians

ATS Picks

• Vegas Vipers +3 over Seattle Sea Dragons
• DC Defenders -2 over St Louis Battlehawks
• Arlington Renegades -8.5 over Orlando Guardians
• Houston Roughnecks -4 over San Antonio Brahmas

Over/Under Picks

• Seattle Sea Dragons at Vegas Vipers- Under 38.5
• St Louis Battlehawks at DC Defenders- Under 37
• Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades- Over 37
• San Antonio Brahmas at Houston Roughnecks- Over 36.5

Moneyline

• Vegas Vipers +140
• DC Defenders -135
• Arlington Renegades -425
• Houston Roughnecks -190

XFL Week 2 Recap

Still not fully onboard with the XFL? Not sure where to start or who to cheer for, that’s fine. Let me catch you up.

DC Defenders vs Vegas Vipers

Even if the Battlehawks have more talented individuals, the Defenders are still the best team. Saturday’s 18-6 victory over the Vipers was proof of their superiority. The Defenders gave away an early lead due to careless play, but they recovered in the second half. With a balanced rushing attack that included both quarterbacks and running backs, DC gained 231 yards and scored twice. The Defenders were able to squeak by with a victory thanks to a combination of strong rushing efforts from Abram Smith and Ryquell Armstead and a stifling defensive effort. They won both of their games in Vegas to leave as early-season favorites.

San Antonio Brahmas vs Orlando Guardians

The Brahmas are the Rock’s team, so naturally, I root for them, and Hines Ward is an excellent coach. Thus, I am crossing my fingers that the team’s pedigree and history will serve as motivation throughout the season. Perhaps I should also cheer for Jack Coan, quarterback for the Brahmas. His collegiate resume includes stops at Wisconsin and Notre Dame, yet he was nonetheless undrafted in 2022 despite his credentials.

Arlington Renegades vs Houston Roughnecks

The second week’s finale was a tense affair. With their 23-14 victory over the Renegades, Wade Phillips’ Roughnecks are starting to look like serious contenders. The top defense in the league, Houston took no prisoners against the quarterback of Arlington, Drew Plitt. Just allowed 120 passing yards and 43 rushing yards to the Renegades. The Houston defense has been superb, and the team’s offense has gotten good enough production to keep them in the game. Wide receiver Max Borghi scored on the ground, while quarterback Brandon Silver passed for two scores. It gives them a perfect 2-0 record in the XFL South.

Player Notes

• Wide Receiver Ben Putman, who is not a starter, pleasantly surprised the Roughnecks in week 2, coming through in key situations. With four receptions for 65 yards, he concluded the game as Houston’s leading receiver. Putman’s role was bigger than usual without Travell Harris, but with such a potent offense, there’s little reason to doubt he’ll continue to have strong outings in the weeks to come
• Wide Receiver Jontre Kirklin caught two catches for 56 yards; he had the Roughnecks’ biggest play of the night (40 yards) and tied with Max Borghi for the game’s most targets (4). Kirklin has made a strong case for a return to the NFL after the conclusion of the current season, despite having just a few opportunities to do so.