April 30, 2025
By Adam Ruffner
24. Detroit Mechanix (-)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 11 vs Pittsburgh
Jake Felton more than quadrupled the assist total of the next closest Detroit teammate last year as a rookie, but will have added throwing help in 2025. Before missing the 2024 season, Joe Cubitt posted three straight seasons of at least 30 assists, 500 completions, and 3,300 passing yards; even without a full season of play, Cubitt still ranks 11th in total passing yards since the stat began in 2021. The former all-star selection rejoins a Mechanix squad that returns two 20-goal scorers from last season—Brendan Gessner and Terry Gaither—and a lot of question marks at receiver beyond them.
23. Vegas Bighorns (-)
Record: 0-1
Last result: 32-13 (L) vs New York
Next game: May 3 at Salt Lake
There might not be a tougher (or more official) introduction to the league than getting dusted by New York, an organization with more trophies and hardware than any other franchise. But the bighorns took their lumps and move forward into their inaugural season with important lessons learned. Joel Clutton showcased his dominance as a big receiver in space, and finished his Vegas debut with five total scores and two blocks. Depth in the backfield is going to be a big development to watch. The Bighorns have tabbed 44-year-old Stephen Poulos as their QB1 to start the season, and while the trigger happy vet has a big bag of throws and the confidence to use them all, he committed 10 throwaways in his first game in Vegas.
22. Oregon Steel (-)
Record: 0-1
Last result: 24-12 (L) at Colorado
Next game: May 4 vs Oakland
Down their top two throwers, the Steel struggled to move the disc from the start against the tight handler coverage of Colorado. Oregon found themselves trailing by a five goal margin at the end of the first quarter, and finished the game with a paltry 32 percent offensive success rate, the team’s lowest in their last six outings dating back to June 2024. Antonio Rueda and Nate Knutson had some spark when they found their rhythm attacking space, but the Steel are still searching for their identity on offense; Oregon ended last year with three straight games completing 10 or more hucks, but couldn’t develop any real deep game in Week 1 and completed just 4-of-9 on huck throws.
21. Indianapolis AlleyCats (-)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 2 at Pittsburgh
After an exodus of top throwers before the season, Indy’s leading passer coming into 2025 is fourth-year veteran Ben Landry, who averages just over 18 completions at a 95 percent clip for his career. Landry along with Nicholas Betsch, Jack Havey, and emerging talent Seth Gudeman give the AlleyCats some nice pieces in the midfield if they can keep the frisbee ahead of coverage. But the real questions that remain are still: Who is going to anchor the ‘Cats attack from the backfield? And will Indy employ their high speed, high volume throwing approach that had them average nearly 100 more completions per game than any other UFA team in 2024?
20. Los Angeles Aviators (-)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 3 at San Diego
It’s tough to tell what the Aviators' true ceiling will be in 2025. But one thing is for sure: They can always bring it against their SoCal rivals from San Diego, and Week 2 will be a test for both squads. James Franklin had his best game as a pro in the last meeting, erupting for seven total scores and nearly 500 yards of offense without a turnover in a one-goal Aviators win. LA was one of just seven teams last season to surrender seven or more break scores per game to the opposition, so even a slight improvement in disc security on offense could make the Aviators more reliable.
19. Montreal Royal (-1)
Record: 0-1
Last result: 26-18 (L) at Boston
Next game: May 9 at New York
The Royal’s season opening loss in Boston boiled down to red zone chances, with the Glory pounding home 20-of-23 of their opportunities in inclement April weather, while Montreal managed just six scores on eight red zone possessions. Christophe Tremblay-Joncas, Kevin Quinlan, Jakob Brissette, and Quentin Bonnaud all had their individual moments making plays in the open field, but the Royal as a team struggled with situational awareness and handler resets from the second quarter onward. The road doesn’t get any easier from here, as Montreal plays New York, Boston, New York (again), and DC in their next four games.
18. Houston Havoc (-1)
Record: 0-1
Last result: 30-23 (L) vs Austin
Next game: May 2 vs Madison
Even with the seven-goal loss to their familiar foes from Austin, Houston showed a matured and more developed team dynamic in the 2025 debut, particularly on offense. The throwing quartet of Chase Cunningham, Tyler Reinhardt, Jimmy Zuraw, and rookie standout Mark Turner were balanced and creative in their attack, with Turner operating as the finisher with his bag of hammers and tight-edge passes. The Havoc tied franchise bests in both red zone scores (14) and efficiency (93 percent) against a very solid Sol defense, and could move the disc continually throughout the high scoring affair. And yet for all the development, there’s still the central issue of turnovers. Houston now has 20 or more turnovers in 24 of their 25 games as a franchise.
17. Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (-1)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 2 vs Indianapolis
Pittsburgh is a true wild card in the Central Division landscape. The Thunderbirds have the pieces to play with tremendous poise on offense, as they did in their first game against Indianapolis in 2024 when they set a then-UFA record for fewest turnovers in a single game (5). The T-Birds also generated the fourth fewest blocks per game last year, and couldn’t get stops in critical late game situations throughout the season. Charlie Vuckovic is healthy again, which will provide the D-line with one certifiable stopper. And the schedule gods have shined on Pittsburgh, at least early, in 2025, granting them three winnable games to start their season, with matchups against Indy, Detroit, and Madison before a gauntlet of championship-level opponents.
16. Madison Radicals (-2)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 2 at Houston
It’s a long regular season, but the Radicals’ success in 2025 might come down to their Week 2 road trip through Texas. Madison finished their 2024 schedule with three consecutive away losses, averaging under 18 goals and over 22 turnovers per contest, and can’t afford to drop two out-of-division games out of the gate if they want to return to the playoffs. Mitchell McCarthy and Pieran Robert fueled the league’s best counterattacking D-line a season ago, and are always a threat in transition.
15. Austin Sol (-)
Record: 1-0
Last result: 30-23 (W) at Houston
Next game: May 3 vs Madison
An injection of talent from Dallas and retooled lineups on both sides of the disc yielded big results early for the Sol. Austin mainstays Kyle Henke, Jackson Potts, Joey Wylie, Eric Brodbeck, and Jake Reinhardt all came out scorching to start the new season, with Henke racking up 400-plus yards as a thrower and as a receiver thanks to the offense’s run-and-gun tempo. But what got me most excited for this team were the debuts of the Armstrong siblings, with former Legion prospect Myles Armstrong slotting in on the Sol O-line and finishing with seven scores and zero turnovers while showing a live arm. The Sol led the league in scoring in 2024, and could repeat the feat this year.
14. San Diego Growlers (-1)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 3 vs Los Angeles
Denied a spot on the World Games roster, Khalif El-Salaam figures to be a beast to deal with heading into a new campaign with the Growlers. The past two seasons in Seattle saw El-Salaam operate as a dual threat, dual line star for a breakout Cascades squad, and he could have a similar arc with a San Diego team ready to return to the top of the division standings, albeit in a new South alignment. Paired with Travis Dunn, El-Salaam gives the Growlers one of the best one-two tandems in the division, if not the league as a whole.
13. Toronto Rush (-1)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 3 at DC
Inactive in Week 1, the Rush must have been riveted watching both East Division titans from New York and DC sustain opening weekend losses. And with the standings now in limbo, the rebooted Rush and their talented mix of international stars could be ready to take advantage of the chaos. Toronto rosters a lot of height with Phil Turner, Arvids Karklins, and the Lewis brothers, which could give them important leverage in contested disc and end of quarter scenarios. The Rush had a bottom six defense last season, so even a middle-of-the-pack coverage unit in 2025 could make Toronto contentious for a playoff spot with the turmoil around them.
12. Philadelphia Phoenix (+7)
Record: 1-0
Last result: 16-15 (W) at DC
Next game: May 4 vs Toronto
The Hotbirds flew up the rankings this week with their hard fought upset in DC. Scott Heyman, Sean Mott, and Brandon Pastor were the breadwinners for the offense, but where the Phoenix really made hay was in their defensive toughness. Philly’s goal line coverage held DC to just a 65 percent conversion rate on their red zone chances, and the Phoenix cancelled almost every Breeze huck attempt, blocking 10 of 12 deep looks on the game. “Our defensive strategy worked out exactly how we wanted,” said Philadelphia Head Coach David Brandolph in this week’s insightful “Tuesday Toss”. “We wanted DC to have to throw between their handlers over and over again. We wanted them to continually make ‘empty’ cuts. It results in them trying to make difficult hucks and throw almost 100 more passes than us.” Philly has been punchy, but seldom consistent, with their successes, and a home opener against Toronto presents a terrific opportunity for the Phoenix to morph into a true contender.
11. Salt Lake Shred (-1)
Record: 0-1
Last result: 23-21 (L) at Atlanta
Next game: May 3 vs Vegas
I mentioned it in our Week 1 recap episode of “Swing Pass”, but given the quality of their opponent, the newness of their O-line rotation, and the difficulty of putting it all together on opening weekend, on the road, in primetime, I was supremely impressed with the Shred in their loss at Atlanta. The newly formed offensive throwing nucleus of Chad Yorgason, McKay Yorgason, Braden Eberhard, Jacob Miller, and Will Selfridge is both technical and high tempo, blitzing past Hustle coverage repeatedly to get to their spots and using the full width of the field to exploit mismatches and continually reorient defensive positioning. The result was a 72 percent offensive success rate, 18 red zone looks, and just nine total turnovers as a team against a top five defense. This spot feels laughably low for a team with this much speed and good coaching.
10. Colorado Summit (-)
Record: 1-0
Last result: 24-12
Next game: May 16 at Houston
The Summit got back to basics on defense, clamping down on Oregon’s throwers and relentlessly hunting for blocks in the flat. “We are far more physically prepared than we’ve been in the past, and the guys are hungry to show it,” said Colorado Head Coach Tim Kefalas following the team’s 12-goal win; rookie Hunter May has drawn high praise for his first game performance, and his galloping size makes him a hawk in space. UFA veterans Matt Jackson and Sam VanDusen also made visible impacts on D-line, while Alex Atkins’ switchover from O-line star to D-line leader could be the deciding factor in the West Division playoff race at large.
9. Seattle Cascades (-1)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 3 vs Oakland
Given the way the West represented in Week 1, the Cascades look to have their work cut out for them in defending their divisional throne. And with Oakland visiting for Seattle’s home opener this coming Saturday, the Spiders will have revenge on the mind after falling to the ‘Scades in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs. Lukas Ambrose was his usual disruptive self in their last meeting, picking up four blocks and four break scores as Seattle as a team secured 9-of-13 (69 percent) of their break chances against the Spiders. The Cascades had a top five defense in 2024, and will need another standout season from Ambrose and company.
8. New York Empire (-1)
Record: 1-1
Last result: 32-13 (W) at Vegas
Next game: May 9 vs Montreal
With a five-goal loss and a 19-goal win to show for their Week 1 road trip out West, New York defensive leader Marques Brownlee said, “This is our floor.” I take that quote to be part rugged determination from a three-time league champion, and also part damage control. Because last Thursday night the Empire could just not keep up with the team speed of the Spiders, and New York is now 1-3 in their last four games going back to the end of 2024, with that sole win coming against an expansion team playing their first-ever game. Max Sheppard made a solid debut in pinstripes as a speedy playmaker on the rail, and Ben Jagt piled up 10 goals—including goal number 400, making him just the second UFA player in league history to reach that milestone—in his first two games of his 11th season as a pro.
7. DC Breeze (-3)
Record: 0-1
Last result: 16-15 (L) vs Philadelphia
Next game: May 3 vs Toronto
I wrote about it on Monday, but it bears repeating: DC has more turnovers in their last two games than in their previous six outings combined. Part wind, part offensive system, the Breeze simply lacked finishers in Week 1 without Christian Boxley or Tyler Monroe (or Elliot Bonnet and Jonny Malks, for that matter). Cole Jurek always plays like he has a vendetta against the Phoenix, and he finished the night with game highs in goals (5) and receiving yards (394) without committing a turnover; in two plus seasons with the team, Jurek is completing 97 percent of his passes while averaging nearly 22 completions per game in a Breeze jersey. But looking ahead at DC’s schedule, the Breeze could be in trouble if Toronto turns out to be another playoff contender in the East; DC still has six remaining games against Carolina, Boston, and New York.
6. Oakland Spiders (+5)
Record: 1-0
Last result: 22-17 (W) vs New York
Next game: May 3 at Seattle
New Head Coach Caleb Merriam earned one of the most impressive wins to begin a pro career with his Oakland team taming the winningest franchise over the last five seasons. Oakland had a lot of new players and positions to juggle, too, but the lineups on offense and defense both found winning schemes against a highly trained Empire team. The Spiders receiving trio of Raekwon Adkins, Walker Frankenberg, and rookie Adam Rees turned the field into a track meet, besting their individual assignments with elite acceleration, and stretching coverage to create gaps for teammates. Frankenberg and Leo Gordon acted as finishers, but a lot of credit goes to Evan Magsig and Jason Vallee for quarterbacking tough possessions. But as I said in the preseason, this Spiders’ team and its ceiling are tethered to the defense, which had an excellent showing against the Empire in Week 1. Oakland held New York to their third lowest offensive success rate since 2018, with team captains Robin Vickers Batzdorf and Max Williams both containing star matchups while making energizing plays in transition.
5. Carolina Flyers (-)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 3 at Atlanta
Down several starters across both lines entering their season opener in Atlanta this coming weekend, the Flyers feel like the most forgotten team in the UFA. Carolina is coming off of a one-goal, goal line loss in the championship game, and three Championship Weekend appearances in the last four years. Multi-time collegiate champions and UNC teammates Rutledge Smith and John McDonnell get their first pro start together this Saturday, and Carolina newcomer Jake Thorne adds to an already stellar Flyers cutting core of Terrence Mitchell, Grayson Sanner, and Allan Laviolette; Thorne is coming off a 35-goal season in Oakland; Sanner was one of the most efficient offensive scorers and fill cutters in the league last season. The Flyers bested the Hustle in their first two meetings of 2024, and could pull off the same feat this year if Atlanta is overeager.
4. Atlanta Hustle (+2)
Record: 1-0
Last result: 23-21 (W) vs Salt Lake
Next game: May 3 vs Carolina
The Hustle played about as a complete of a game as possible in their first test of the 2025 season. Their defense was a little meek in getting blocks—just two against the Shred—but the balance of their offensive gameplan and the depth of skill position players makes Atlanta look like an early title favorite. Adam Miller plays the perfect complement to Austin Taylor in the backfield, and both are sneakily mobile if defenders get lazy; Miller and Taylor combined for four goals and nearly 400 receiving yards in Week 1. Brett Hulsmeyer finished with a ho-hum statline of six scores, 33 completions, and over 400 total yards without a mistake. But for all the good performances and superlatives across the O-line, it was Hayden Austin-Knab who really stole the spotlight with his assertive playmaking and command with the disc. Atlanta fell in love with the longball once again against the Shred, and completed 11-of-13 (85 percent) of their deep shots. A similar huck game against their rivals from Carolina could catapult the Hustle to a 2-0 start.
3. Chicago Union (-)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 17 at Minnesota
With no games through the first three weekends of the regular season, the Union will have to hit the ground running. Chicago is 5-1 in their last six season openers, and they lit up the Wind Chill for 25 goals in Minnesota in the last matchup between the two title contenders. Jack Shanahan found his rhythm early and often, and contributed four assists and five goals while completing 40-of-41 throws as the Union offense converted on nearly 70 percent of their possessions. Minnesota won a title since then and added two prolific defenders over the offseason, but Chicago has the added stars and confidence against Wind Chill coverage to topple the defending champs.
2. Boston Glory (-)
Record: 1-0
Last result: 26-18 (W) vs Montreal
Next game: May 10 vs Montreal
Tobe Decraene wasted zero time introducing himself as a star with his new team, and his sharper disc skills in year two as a pro made him unguardable in his Glory debut. Jeff Babbitt, Orion Cable, and Tannor Johnson-Go are the most skilled trio of bigs in the league right now, and they anchor a Boston offense that is becoming dauntingly methodical. In their last 12 games dating back to last season, the Glory have 10 games with 14 or fewer turnovers, making them the most disciplined possession squad in the UFA. Ben Sadok has really found his groove since the addition of his former college teammate and current two-time MVP Babbitt. Now in his fifth season with Boston, Sadok started his 2025 campaign with 40 completions, three hucks, and 484 passing yards; Sadok is fifth in the UFA in throwing yards since the start of the 2021 season, and he’s averaging three assists, 44 completions (95 percent), and 332 passing yards per game in 46 career starts.
1. Minnesota Wind Chill (-)
Record: 0-0
Last result: N/A
Next game: May 10 at Indianapolis
The Wind Chill were underestimated entering last year’s Championship Weekend bracket, and they appear headed for the same fate entering their 2025 regular season calendar. But if you watched the Minnesota championship documentary on YouTube, you would know that being discounted and disregarded is exactly the kind of fuel the Wind Chill use to stoke their fire. Longtime team pillars like Bryan Vohnoutka, Colin Berry, Dylan DeClerck, and Josh Klane are about as consistent as it comes with yearly production, but Minnesota’s ambitions to repeat as league champions are tied to the development of their considerable stable of young talent. Cameron Lacy, Will Brandt, Leo Sovell-Fernandez, and Gordon Larson were last year’s emergent stars, and Paul Krenik could be next up for the Chill.
