May 20, 2026
By Ryan Baker
With most teams off this weekend for Memorial Day Weekend, we still have some pivotal divisional rematches on the docket for Week 5. The two big headlines are that the DC Breeze hosts the New York Empire, while simultaneously the Atlanta Hustle has a trip up to Carolina to take on the Flyers for what’s sure to be another nail-biter. Here are seven players to watch this weekend:
Malik Auger-Semmar, Montreal Royal
Despite a 1-4 start, Malik Auger-Semmar remains the clear standout for the Montreal Royal. Ruthless on the scoreboard, he leads the league with 38 scores. Second in assists, fifth in goals, and third in plus/minus, Auger-Semmar is charging toward his best season in seven years as a pro. After the Toronto Rush beat Montreal by one a couple of weeks ago, Montreal will get a chance for redemption in their home stadium this weekend. Auger-Semmar fired off six assists last time, including one that narrowed the gap with 30 seconds on the clock. Coming off a five-assist, four-goal overtime clash against the defending champs, expect Auger-Semmar to attack relentlessly.
Orion Cable, Boston Glory (Pictured)
With all the star power the Boston Glory boasts, they have yet to field one of their most threatening pieces: the towering Orion Cable. Cable stands at 6’3”, but his wide frame and athleticism make him one of the biggest targets in the entire league. He makes his 2026 debut this Sunday as the Glory hosts the Philadelphia Phoenix. Cable was a cornerstone for Glory’s 2025 championship, scoring six goals and confounding Minnesota's defense in the title match. Boston will be elated to have him back on the field as they attempt to start the season 4-0 and deploy a player who consistently performs against the Phoenix. In five career games against Philadelphia, Cable has posted 15 goals and looks to continue that success with even more weapons shooting him the disc.
Martin Gallant, Toronto Rush
Opposite Auger-Semmar in the Rush-Royal game stands their scoring leader, Martin Gallant. Gallant leads the team with 10 goals in three games. He has been a crucial player in the Rush’s 2-1 start. With his primary thrower, Araav Sehgal, unavailable this weekend and Noah Nishizaki, the likely replacement, listed as doubtful, the offense will rely heavily on Gallant, whose quick first steps let him escape defenses rapidly. This is also a bit revenge game, as Gallant played four games for the Royal in 2023 before joining the Rush after a year-long break.
Allan Laviolette, Carolina Flyers
Last week’s instant classic between Atlanta and Carolina saw Allan Laviolette play his last point late in the third quarter. While there may have been an injury concern, he is listed as active ahead of the rematch against the Hustle this weekend on “Friday Night Frisbee”. Even before that, Laviolette was strangely quiet with just one assist and one goal, but this week, he may hold the key to Carolina taking the edge. With Jacob Fairfax playing out of his mind and the rest of the Flyers humming, a bounce-back performance from Laviolette would be pivotal for Carolina Before last week, Laviolette accrued 24 assists in past five games against Atlanta, so his success against them this weekend should return those numbers.
Austin Taylor, Atlanta Hustle
Austin Taylor is off to a red-hot start for Atlanta, throwing at least six assists in four of the Hustle’s five games. Even with top target Brett Hulsmeyer now playing defense due to a broken hand, Taylor’s impact is undeniable. Last week, his three fourth-quarter assists forced Atlanta to tie, including a buzzer-beating helper to Adam Miller for the equalizer at the end of regulation. As the league leader in assists and throwing yards through the first four weeks, Taylor made a gutsy huck in sudden death, but it ended in double coverage, giving Carolina a shot to close. Atlanta's goal-line block dampened the effect of the risky throw, but with as polished as Taylor is, he would most likely like that throw back. He’s on pace to set a new career-high in assists, so expect him to maintain momentum this weekend.
Sean Mott, DC Breeze
After an uncharacteristic first two games, 11-year veteran Sean Mott has found his groove recently, throwing seven assists in each of his last two games. Turnovers had been a concern (10 in the first three games), but he went a perfect 17/17 in DC’s pummeling of Colorado last weekend. His seven assists two weeks ago in the unbelievable DC-NY finish were a game-high, and he’ll need a near repeat performance for DC to stay on top. With the Breeze missing several big names, Mott’s play becomes crucial. If he can clean up turnovers, another seven-assist game isn’t out of reach.
Jack Williams, New York Empire
Amongst the Empire’s offensive surge in 2026, Alex Atkins, Matt LaBar, and Ben Jagt have been the most frequent names, joined by some blossoming rookies. Still, one of the most touted names in UFA history—Jack Williams—has yet to have his breakout game this season. He’s only played two of three Empire games so far, but remains one of New York’s most sure-handed options, being one of the reasons why the Empire offense has the best hold percentage, O-line conversion rate, and second-best completion percentage with just one turnover on 68 attempts. In five of his last six games against DC before 2026, Williams posted at least six scores. This track record suggests a big performance from him this weekend.
Previous weeks
