July 22, 2026
By Adam Ruffner

THE BACK 12

• Without facing playoff-level competition in over a month, San Diego enters the postseason with a big question mark over their heads despite their four-game winning streak. When this Growlers team can isolate their stars in one-on-one matchups and attack deep (fifth in team huck completion rate), they’re a pretty darned good team. But frontline starters like Khalif El-Salaam, KJ Koo, Brandon Van Deusen, Travis Dunn, Jonathan Lyle, and Marcel Osborne haven’t had a ton of reps together this season—only Van Deusen has started in 10 or more games in 2026—so chemistry could become a question, especially against Carolina’s blitz-heavy defense this Friday.
   

• After going 1-1 over their Week 13 home/away split to close out the regular season, Madison has not won or lost more than two games in a row throughout their entire 2026 schedule. And despite some cosmetic changes and quicker tempo this year, the Radicals offense is still largely hit-or-miss. They haven’t hit a 50 percent success rate in three of their last four games, and Minnesota went on a 9-0 run in the second quarter of Sunday’s game because the Madison offense could not complete passes. Indy racked up 17 takeaways in their last game at Breese Stevens Field on July 3, so the Radicals will likely be possession focused heading into their first round matchup.
   

• There will be a deeper dive into all 22 franchises and their outlook on the 2027 season in the coming offseason, but for right now all frisbee heads should be mourning the end of the Toronto season. In terms of watchability, the Rush have been a weekly highlight package of some of the brightest young stars in the game; rookies Max Pettenuzzo and Justin Podnar have made headlines all season, but don’t sleep on other blossoming  players Rowan Jamieson, Spencer Dillon, Araav Sehgal, Nathan Hsieh, Evan Bembenista, and Eric Zhuang. This team loves big throws and making plays in space, and Martin Gallant has the kind of talent to be in MVP discussions if the Rush do, at some point, re-qualify for the playoffs in the toughest division in the league.

22.Vegas Bighorns (-)
Record: 0-12
Last result: 34-12 (L) at San Diego
Next game: N/A

21. Houston Havoc (-)
Record: 2-10
Last result: 23-15 (L) at Austin
Next game: N/A

20. Philadelphia Phoenix (-)
Record: 1-11
Last result: 37-20 (L) at New York
Next game: N/A

19. Chicago Union (-1)
Record: 1-10
Last result: 21-14 (L) at Madison
Next game: N/A

18. Oregon Steel (+1)
Record: 2-10
Last result: 24-22 (W) at Seattle
Next game: N/A

17. Colorado Apex (-)
Record: 3-9
Last result: 29-20 (L) vs Oakland
Next game: N/A

16. Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (-)
Record: 2-9
Last result: 29-25 (L) vs Indianapolis
Next game: N/A

15. Montreal Royal (-)
Record: 3-9
Last result: 25-11 (L) vs Boston
Next game: N/A

14. Toronto Rush (-)
Record: 6-6
Last result: 28-17 (W) vs Indianapolis
Next game: N/A

13. Madison Radicals (-)
Record: 7-5
Last result: 23-16 (L) at Minnesota
Next game: July 26 vs Indianapolis

12. Atlanta Hustle (-1)
Record: 5-7
Last result: 24-22 (L) vs DC
Next game: N/A

11. San Diego Growlers (+1)
Record: 7-5
Last result: 34-12 (W) vs Vegas
Next game: July 24 at Carolina

THE TOP 10

10. Indianapolis AlleyCats (-)
Record: 6-6
Last result: 29-25 (W) at Pittsburgh
Next game: July 26 at Madison

Amid a large assortment of roster uncertainties, Elliot Hawkins’ full transformation into a superstar at 20 years old has been a north star for this team’s second half successes. Hawkins nabbed the league leader spot in assists from the reigning MVP with a 14-assist performance in Pittsburgh, and is now averaging the most assists per game (7.2) since the 2018 season. Indy enters the playoffs for the first time since 2022 with one of the widest variances of any team in recent memory. And yet with Hawkins and his instant-offense abilities, they still have a puncher’s chance in the Central.  

9. Salt Lake Shred (-)
Record: 5-7
Last result: 22-19 (L) vs Oakland
Next game: July 25 at Seattle

The Shred enter the postseason on a four-game losing streak, and are averaging nearly 20 turnovers per game over that stretch. Once the league standard for red zone execution, Salt Lake has converted just 21-of-33 (63 percent) of their short field opportunities over their last two outings. Yet for all their shortcomings and close losses during the regular season, there’s still good data that this team has some fight left for the playoffs. Only half of the Shred’s turnovers against the Spiders came on Oakland blocks, which means that if Salt Lake can shore up the unforced errors even just marginally, the reigning division champs could still make noise for a West title; for all his amazing late-game plays in recent weeks, Chad Yorgason still had three costly throwaways against Oakland that could’ve been avoided. 

8. Seattle Cascades (-)
Record: 8-4
Last result: 24-22 (L) vs Oregon
Next game: July 25 vs Salt Lake

After missing all but 10 points of the 2025 season, Spencer Lofink has returned to full strength to lead the Cascades in scoring, touches, and yardage. Whatever the six-year vet lacks in flashiness he makes up for in motor and decisiveness. At 6’3”, Lofink has a large reach and multiple release points to work around defenders as a passer, and his size makes him an above average receiving target, particularly inside the red zone; among players this season with at least 450 completions, only Kyle Henke and Tobe Decraene have more goals than Lofink. It’s not a total coincidence that Seattle is back in the playoffs and their offense is in the top 10 in efficiency with Lofink healthy. 

7. Austin Sol (-)
Record: 11-1
Last result: 23-15 (W) vs Houston
Next game: August 7 vs TBD (South Division Championship Game)

The Sol earned a much deserved first round bye in the South Division following a franchise-record 11 wins during the regular season, all underneath the banner of first-year co-coaches Casey Hogg, Joe Innacone, and their staff. There’s been a bit of an over-exaggerated curiosity (myself included) with Austin’s continued winning, but simply put: the Sol play extremely complementary frisbee across both lines. Kyle Henke deserves MVP buzz for his quarterbacking of the offense, and the young defense continues to produce takeaways at an elite level. Keep your eyes peeled on third-year defender Owen Johnson in the playoffs, who is having a breakout season in coverage and on the counterattack; Johnson, Connor DeLuna, and rookie George Gust combined for 49 goals and 35 blocks during the regular season.  

6. DC Breeze (-)
Record: 9-3
Last result: 24-22 (W) at Atlanta
Next game: July 25 vs New York (Free on YouTube)

DC’s sideline-to-sideline disc movement on offense this season has been a joy to watch, especially with Miles Grovic fully realizing his attacking potential. But the playoff aspirations feel most tethered to the play of the Breeze defense, and whether they can generate enough turnovers to fuel their wickedly efficient transition attack. DC is one of just six teams converting at least 60 percent of their break chances into scores this season, but there’s sometimes a problem with volume; the Breeze eked out a two-goal win in Atlanta because the defense had just eight break chances on six blocks. Rookie playmaker Wiebe van den Brink is back from a midseason sabbatical in time for another matchup in New York, a place where he added his own chapter to a historic rivalry the last time they played. 

5. Carolina Flyers (-)
Record: 10-2
Last result: 21-20 (W) vs Austin
Next game: July 24 vs San Diego

Jacob Fairfax and Grayson Sanner deserve a lion’s share of the credit for how this Flyers offense has performed in 2026. But the future is clearly in Zeke Thoreson and Tobias Brooks, and whether their otherworldly playmaking can bring this Carolina team back to their second title game appearance in three seasons. Frankly, if Thoreson had played since the start of the season, he’d be an MVP finalist at 22. And even though his raw production numbers are still incredibly elite, Brooks has looked a little sluggish (by his insane standards) coming off of a grueling college season. With a soft San Diego defense coming up in their first round matchup and two weeks of rest, we could see another ascendent playoff run from Brooks like in 2024.

4. New York Empire (-)
Record: 10-2
Last result: 37-20 (W) vs Philadelphia
Next game: July 25 vs DC (Free on YouTube)

Since losing to Boston at home in overtime on June 12, the Empire have reeled off four straight wins and outscored opponents 126-79 while committing just 36 turnovers combined. New York’s scoring surge has inflated their per game average (26) to historic proportions, and has made them the highest scoring team since 2017 when the game clock rules were different. Ben Jagt is playing some of—if not the—best frisbee of his pro career at 33, and leads the team in scores while completing nearly 99 percent of his throws. Cameron Brock is the sole member of the 1,000 Score Club for the foreseeable future, but if Jagt is still putting up 60-plus score seasons with this kind of ease, he could make it a party of two; it’s doubtful we will see two scorers like Brock and Jagt again; at 256 total scores, and averaging just over 6.9 per game for his career, it would take Tobe Decraene at minimum 100 additional starts to begin approaching 1,000 scores. 

3. Oakland Spiders (-)
Record: 11-1
Last result: 29-20 (W) at Colorado
Next game: August 8 vs TBD (West Division Championship Game)

The Spiders brought a full strength roster on the road in Week 13 to close out a perfect record against divisional opponents in 2026. Daniel Ritthaler was even better than anticipated in his return to the lineup, and his field stretching abilities as a thrower and receiver are of tantamount importance to an Oakland offense that can be selective downfield. But after registering double-digit blocks in each of their first five games of the season, the Spiders defensive intensity has waned a bit in recent weeks, with just one such performance over their last five outings. Team leaders Evan Magsig, Robin Vickers Batzdorf, and Jason Vallee are steady as ever, but the explosive playmaking isn’t quite at the same level as it was in May. 

2. Minnesota Wind Chill (-)
Record: 11-1
Last result: 23-16 (W) vs Madison
Next game: August 8 vs TBD (Central Division Championship Game)

Like Oakland, the Wind Chill sealed a perfect regular season against their own division with a win over Madison on Sunday. Minnesota looks set to capture their fourth straight Central title in a few weeks, but there’s been a few under-the-radar questions emerging for a team with title aspirations. Franchise cornerstone and go-to playoff performer Bryan Vohnoutka has had a nagging hamstring injury over the second half of the season, and his absence has revealed that this Wind Chill offense, at times, lacks a certified goal scorer. 6’4” Zach Morton leads the team in goals and has been one of the best players in the UFA this season at the buzzer, but he lacks any kind of real big game experience; Nate De Morgan and Will Brandt are uber-mobile and get into the endzone frequently, but they aren’t, strictly speaking, big targets. It’s a quibble more than an outright problem for a Wind Chill offense that loves to spread the attack and find the open man, but it could turn into an issue in the tightening environment of a playoff game. 

1. Boston Glory (-)
Record: 11-1
Last result: 25-11 (W) vs Montreal
Next game: August 8 vs TBD (East Division Championship Game)

Following their midseason hiccup at home, the reigning champs enter the playoffs with the league’s longest active winning streak at six games. Boston’s defense has been downright dominant, and is holding opponents to the lowest offensive success rate and the second lowest red zone conversion rate in the league this season; the Glory are also top eight in huck defense. Jeff Babbitt registered two blocks in his first game in over a month, and is now rested for another deep playoff run. And while their playstyles diverge drastically, Oscar Graff is having a very similar “all around star” defensive production performance this year as the one Ritthaler had in 2025. Graff’s matchup discipline and agility make him sticky as hell in the backfield in coverage, and his vision and ruthless attacking style following turnovers has given the Glory defense the best “ground game” in the league; Graff and company pound the rock inside the red zone.