XFL 2023: Top 10 Players to watch in the XFL’s Week One

| American Football | 02/18/2023

The XFL is scheduled to kick off its 2023 season today on Feb. 18, just one week after the NFL’s Super Bowl.

Each of the XFL’s eight teams finalized their 51-man rosters ahead of the league’s opening weekend and several clubs boast former NFL coaches, players and high NFL draft picks. The league features an intriguing mix of NFL veterans, spring football savants, and hungry rookies looking to make their pro dreams come true.

Whether you’re wondering what the XFL week one schedule is, what teams are playing, or who the XFL’s starting quarterbacks are, curious football fans will surely be tuning into Dwanye ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s 2023 XFL.

With kick-off just hours away lets take a look at the top 10 players to watch in the league’s opening weekend:

10. Marquette King, P, Arlington Renegades

Fans may remember Kings as a flashy and productive punter for the Raiders and Broncos from 2012-2018, earning All pro honors in 2016. King, a former college receiver often flashed athleticism that was typically unheard of from the punting position. Far from a shy personality, King often stole the spotlight on fourth downs dancing, celebrating, and injecting swag into lacking ‘cool’ deficient position.

9: Abram Smith, RB, DC Defenders

The 6’0 215- running back out of Baylor was the first pick in the XFL Draft after spending the 2021 NFL pre-season with the New Orleans Saints. While at Baylor, Smith ran for a school-record 1,601 rushing yards and led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns. He will likely be the Defenders bell-cow back.

8: Brett Hundley, QB, Vegas Vipers

The former Green Bay Packers and UCLA Bruins dual-threat quarterback Brett Hundley was a late addition to the XFL signing carousel earlier this month. The 29-year-old spent the 2022 season with the Baltimore Ravens, after stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers, where he started nine games in replacement for Aaron Rodgers in 2017.

The seven year NFL vet is one of the highest–paid players in the XFL and will likely get a lot of playing time and maybe even take the starting role down the line. This makes Vegas’s quarterback situation one I would hesitate to bet on.

7: Andrew Jamiel, WR, Orlando Guardians

A 5 ’10 receiver from an NCAA D2 school, in this case Stonehill College, might not turn the heads of NFL scouts (besides the New England Patriots). Jamiel, however, exploded last season in the niche Fan–Controlled– Football League (FCF) making several viral catches. The All-American WR and return man could be Swiss army knife for a XFL team if used correctly.

6: Matt Elam, DB, Orlando Guardians

A first-round pick out of Florida for the Ravens back in 2013, Elam spent four years in Baltimore. After two stellar initial seasons, his career legal trouble ended his time with the Ravens following two arrests in 2017. Elam has since played in the XFL, IFL and CFL after he last played in the NFL, including in the 2020 XFL for the DC Defenders.

5: Paxton Lynch, QB, Orlando Guardians

A former 1st round pick, Lynch was released by the Broncos early in the 2018 season after two disappointing seasons. He signed with the Seahawks in 2019 and lasted through to the end of the preseason before being released. He was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers in September of 2019 and spent most of his time on the practice roster before being released in 2020. After that he played in the CFL and USFL with very limited success. Now Lynch looks to take another crack at pro football in another pro-spring league. Lynch has been named the starter for Orlando, an interesting move after he looked mediocre at best in the USFL.

4: Martavis Bryant, WR, Vegas Vipers

Martavis Bryant was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft after a stellar career at Clemson University. In his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he looked like a promising player putting up 76 catches for 1,314 yards and 14 scores. However, in 2016 he was suspended for the entire season due to a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse. After stints in Oakland and the CFL, Bryant now hopes to revive his football career in the XFL.

3: AJ McCarron, QB, St. Louis Battlehawks

The nine-year NFL vet made over $15 million during his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans. Now after one year away from the game, McCarron is back under center in the XFL. The former Alabama great is one of the XFL’s biggest names coming into the season, as he brings the most NFL experience to the table at a pivotal position.

2: Vic Beasley, Edge, Vegas Vipers

Beasley is back on the gridiron bringing with him one of the strongest resume’s in the league. Beasley is a former 1st round pick of the Atlanta Falcons and actaully led the NFL in sacks in 2016, earning first team all pro honors, notching a impressive 15.5 sacks. Beasley has 37.5 career NFL sacks in six seasons, last suiting up in the NFL in 2020.

1: Josh Gordon, WR, Seattle Sea Dragons

The former All-Pro was once one of the NFL’s brightest young stars. Since his break-out, 2013 season with the Cleveland Browns, Gordon has battled suspension after suspension due to violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. When on the field, Gordon still flashes the skills that once made him one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass catchers.

After bouncing around several NFL teams including a short stint with the Seahawks in 2019, Gordon finds himself playing football in the city of Seattle once again. After loads of ups and downs, Gordon is still one of the most exciting players to watch. Barring any off-the-field incidents he should be a name that is high up on Sea Dragons stat sheets week in and week out for the upcoming season.

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Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and