Is there anything St. Louis Battlehawks running back Jacob Saylors can’t do?
One week after shredding the Houston Roughnecks for 145 yards on 20 total touches, Saylors was at it again in Week 2, tying the UFL single-game rushing record with three touchdowns against the Brahmas.
Where does the former East Tennessee State standout rank among the UFL MVP candidates after two weeks of action?
Here’s a look at my second UFL MVP power rankings of the season:
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Every Touchdown of Week 2 | United Football League
5. Memphis Showboats WR Jonathan Adams
Week 2 stat line: Nine catches, 128 receiving yards
Week 2 result: 17-12 loss at D.C.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Adams has amassed nearly 100 more receiving yards (221) than the next closest wide receiver in the UFL. Though the Showboats are winless, it’s clear that Adams is establishing himself as one of the premier offensive players in the league. The future success of the Showboats might very well depend on how many catches he can snag each week.
4. D.C. Defenders QB Jordan Ta’amu
Week 2 stat line: 12 of 16 passing for 152 passing yards, one passing TD
Week 2 result: 17-12 win against Memphis
Ta’amu has completed less than 50% of his passes but still ranks second in the league in passing yards (363) and is tied for No. 1 in passing TDs. More importantly, the Defenders are 2-0 with wins against USFL Conference opponents Birmingham and Memphis.
3. St. Louis Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins
Week 2 stat line: 12 of 16 passing for 162 yards, nine rushes for 58 yards
Week 2 result: 26-9 win against San Antonio
The former Arizona State product has proven to be quite efficient in the pocket. Wilkins has completed more than 76% of his passes for 351 yards — third-best in the UFL — and is the only QB with more than 35 pass attempts who has yet to throw an interception.After sitting behind former Alabama QB AJ McCarron last season, Wilkins has taken ownership of the starting job in St. Louis with no signs of relinquishing the job, even with former TCU QB and 2022 national title runner-up Max Duggan in the same QB room.
2. Arlington Renegades QB Luis Perez
Week 2 stat line: 19 of 27 passing for 211 yards with a TD
Week 2 result: 11-9 win vs. Houston
Perez threw for 211 yards in the Renegades’ win over the Roughnecks, surpassing his 164 yards from a week ago. He posted a 70% completion rate as he connected on 19 of 27 passes. With that solid performance, Perez has taken over the league-lead in passing yards, completions and completion percentage for a Renegades team that is off to its best start in three years. Perez and the Renegades will see a stern test on Friday when they play the defending UFL champion Birmingham Stallions.
1. St. Louis Battlehawks RB Jacob Saylors
Week 2 stat line: 14 touches for 71 yards with three rushing TDs
Week 2 result: 26-9 win against San Antonio
Saylors tied the UFL single-game record for rushing touchdowns with three against the Brahmas on just 11 rushes. Though he accounted for just 46 yards, one of those plays was an explosive one — a 20-yard scamper into the end zone. Saylors has scored four rushing touchdowns in just two games, accounted for 216 yards from scrimmage, and averages 6.4 yards per touch on a Battlehawks team that is built to run the football. After Week 2, Saylors looks like the best offensive player on the best team in the league.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.
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