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Passing Game Outlook
Until he agreed to join the USFL as the Pittsburgh Maulers’ head coach, Kirby Wilson served as an NFL running backs coach for 23 seasons. With no head coaching or offensive coordinator experience to his name, the Maulers’ fantasy outlook is the league’s most ambiguous. Having made a career out of coaching running backs, Wilson is a leading candidate to fully #EstablishIt. The Maulers did get a quarterback with NFL pedigree in former New York Giants fourth rounder Kyle Lauletta. A three-year starter at the collegiate level in Richmond, Lauletta went 758-1,194 (63.5%) for 10,465 yards, 73 TDs, and 35 INTs, good for 8.8 YPA. He would spend the next four seasons on various NFL practice squads before getting waived by the Cleveland Browns following the 2021 season. In 11 NFL preseason appearances, he posted 6.9 YPA while completing 58.0% of his passes against competition that was as good, or better, than what he’ll face come April.
The Maulers used their first wide receiver selection on 5’9”, 170-lb speedster Jeff Thomas. The former four-star recruit never fully lived up to his potential at Miami, setting season highs in receptions (35), yards (563), and touchdowns (3) on a 17.7% target share as a sophomore before twice being dismissed from the football program. As the team’s first WR pick, Thomas should get a chance to put his 4.45 speed on display.
Third-round selection Branden Mack offers a size + college production profile that suggests he could potentially separate as the team’s most valuable fantasy pass catcher. The 6’5”, 217-lb WR was a three-year starter at Temple, where he posted season highs in receptions (59), yards (904), and touchdowns (7) on a 24.4% target share during his junior season. He signed with Denver as a 2021 UDFA, but was waived prior to the regular season.
Both Bailey Gaither and Tre Walker spent time with presumed backup QB Josh Love at San Jose State University.
Pittsburgh used their lone tight end pick in the primary draft to select Matt Seybert before adding Hunter Thedford in the supplemental draft. While neither profile as prolific pass catchers, Thedford especially looks like a block-first TE after securing just five catches in his final 26 collegiate games.
Running Game Outlook
If long-time running backs coach Kirby Wilson deploys a ‘Run The Damn Ball’ offensive game plan as expected and as his offensive personnel would indicate, he’ll have just two backs to lean on, matching the Tampa Bay Bandits for fewest RBs on a USFL depth chart. Wilson has mentioned the importance of winning at the line of scrimmage, securing the football and controlling the clock in his offensive game plan so we should expect his backfield to be busy on the ground.
The Maulers used their first running back pick to select Garrett Groshek, who likely crossed paths with Wilson at the end of his tenure at Las Vegas where Groshek was signed as a 2021 UDFA. A converted high school quarterback, Groshek carried the ball 65 times in his 46-game collegiate career, adding 79/611/1 receiving. While he brings with him higher draft capital, Groshek profiles more as a fullback/H-back hybrid to complement Pittsburgh’s second RB draft pick, De’Veon Smith.
In spring leagues that have generally leaned on running back committees as opposed to bellcow backs, Smith has been a true workhorse outlier, amassing a 75/345/6 rushing line with the AAF’s Orlando Apollos before leading the XFL in rushing (90/365/0) with the Tampa Bay Vipers. The 5’11”, 223-lb Smith once again looks like one of the league’s top fantasy assets on the ground.
UPDATE 10:12AM ET: De’Veon Smith was a surprise camp casualty, released by the Maulers in their first week of training camp. His departure of course opens the door for Groshek to take a lion’s share of the team’s carries as Wilson’s right-hand man. It also created an opening for former European League of Football MVP, Madre London. The 6’1″, 220-lb back totaled 2,177 rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns in 11 games across the pond. While the ELF to USFL talent gap is going to sap some of London’s efficiency metrics, he proved more than capable of being a team’s lead back.
