Players To Watch: Divisional Championships


August 10, 2023
By Daniel Cohen

Eight teams remain on the road to Championship Weekend, and each team’s respective stars will be counted on for one last push to this year’s final four. This week’s watchlist features a handful of MVP candidates, two-way weapons, and championship-caliber talent that’s sure to put on a show in the Divisional Championship Round. 

Jeff Babbitt, New York Empire (Pictured)

So far, Jeff Babbitt has played two very different games against DC this season. The first game essentially announced his MVP candidacy, when he racked up seven goals and three blocks in New York’s one-goal overtime win, including the game-winner. In their second meeting, he found the end zone just once to go with two blocks, and he recorded a career-high 148 throwing yards (including a completed huck). DC has been known to adjust and mix up their matchups to limit individuals, but a quiet game for one guy means a loud game for another; Ryan Osgar rolled through the DC defense to the tune of 12 scores and 500 yards in that second game. No one in league history has owned the front cone like Babbitt has this year, and he’s been on a recent tear, scoring five-plus goals in each of New York’s last three games to end the regular season. Another dominant performance coupled with an Empire victory will have him well-positioned as the MVP frontrunner heading into Championship Weekend.

Brett Hulsmeyer, Atlanta Hustle

Somewhat of a dark horse MVP candidate, Brett Hulsmeyer has forced himself into the conversation by becoming the most important player on arguably the best Hustle team in franchise history. Hulsmeyer has played 183 O-points and 98 D-points—a 65-35 split—this season, and his development and comfortability on the Hustle O-line has evolved throughout the year. In his first six games, he averaged close to 17 completions per game. That number has shot up to 29 per game over his last six, as he’s taken on an increased workload in the Hustle backfield. Backfield Brett can be as scary as HULKsmeyer is in the deep space, as he’s able to use his size to out-position defenders in small space handler cuts, then drop pinpoint red zone hammers from a standstill or power position. He’s smart with the way he attacks defenses, and there’s a fluidity to his offensive game that fits well within the Hustle system; it’s easy to lose sight of the fact he’s averaged nearly 20 blocks per season over the last three years and remains one of the league’s top defensive playmakers. Austin has some bigs of their own on defense, so seeing those battles and how the matchups progress throughout the South Division Championship Game will be a primary storyline.

Jordan Kerr, Salt Lake Shred

Despite the lower scoring numbers compared to last season, Jordan Kerr has a strong case for the league MVP award in 2023. In the regular season, Kerr finished tied for the league lead in plus/minus while completing over 94 percent of his throws (up nearly two percent from last year) with 81 total scores. And of the top 30 scorers in the league, no one had a higher individual offensive efficiency rating than Kerr—the Shred score on 64.5 percent of possessions when Kerr is on the field. Stats aside, the way this O-line has been able to transform and mold around Kerr’s versatility has been critical to the team’s success this year, and he’s solidified himself as the best player on the league’s best offense; no one else on the line can beat a defense as consistently, effortlessly, and in as many different ways as Kerr. With Championship Weekend on the line, expect another impressive showing from one of the top hybrids in the league. 

Sean McDougall, Los Angeles Aviators

In terms of all-around ultimate skills, Sean McDougall is having the most impressive season of anyone in the entire league. On offense, he’s a dominant deep cutter, a well-calibrated continuation shooter, and a reliable release valve for handlers. Defensively, McDougall can cause panic in backfields, contest a variety of downfield shots, and use his athleticism to generate momentum-shifting turnovers. He just makes plays whether he’s on offense or defense, with or without the disc in his hands, and he’s going to be needed as LA looks to keep their magic alive in the West Division Championship Game vs. Salt Lake. While he’s coming off a seven-goal outing against Colorado, McDougall found the end zone just twice in two meetings with the Shred this season; those two games were the only two this season where McDougall didn’t record multiple goals. He did however throw seven assists in those two games, so it’ll be worth watching how much the Shred are able to limit his downfield receiving, and whether this is simply a “pick your poison” scenario when it comes to McDougall’s offensive presence.

Xavier Payne, Indianapolis AlleyCats

Coming off his highest single-game assist total (6) against a non-Detroit team, Xavier Payne will look to anchor the AlleyCats offense once again in the Central Division Championship Game against Minnesota. Payne is one of the more talented and aggressive throwers on the AlleyCats O-line, and this game could come down to which team’s throwers are able to more consistently deal with the swirly wind of Sea Foam Stadium. It wasn’t pretty when the ‘Cats went to Minnesota earlier this year; Payne had just one assist, four throwaways, and a season-low 123 throwing yards in their 22-17 loss. Indy will need a strong showing from their backfield to maintain control of the game, and given Payne’s workload this season—he averages more than 40 completions per game—how much success he has as a thrower should directly correlate to Indy’s offensive performance. 

Evan Swiatek, Austin Sol

Evan Swiatek probably hasn’t gotten enough recognition for the season that he’s had, and that’s of course partially on me. I think we take him for granted in the Sol offense as the uber-reliable, chain-moving cutter that he is, whose scoring and playmaking always feels inevitable. Only five players in the league have more total scores that Swiatek’s 75 this season, and his defensive instincts remain underrated and critical to Austin’s team identity. He registered three goals and two blocks in Austin’s lone meeting with Atlanta this year, while churning for a season-high 569 yards, and he’s likely going to need another big game for the Sol to pull off their second straight playoff upset. Coming off an eight-score, zero-turnover game against last week’s win over Carolina, Swiatek will look to pick up where he left off and lead Austin to their first ever Championship Weekend appearance.

Bryan Vohnoutka, Minnesota Wind Chill

Bryan Vohnoutka went off last time Minnesota hosted Indy, racking up seven goals, two assists, and over 400 total yards of offense on a perfect 20-of-20 throwing day. The plus-10 was his highest single-game plus/minus since 2019, and he also made one of the plays of the game with a full extension layout goal. While he’s continued to be one of Minnesota’s most consistent performers on a season-to-season basis, B-Von has struggled in the past two Central Division Championship Games; he had four throwaways in Minnesota’s first loss to Chicago, and five throwaways in last year’s loss. This year, he’s been taking great care of the disc—his 95.7 percent completion rate is a career best—and has been a rock on a Wind Chill O-line that has taken a variety of forms over the course of the season. They’ll need his stability more than ever this week against an AlleyCats squad boasting the fourth-best per game turnover rate in the league. 

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