Taylor Cornelius among the league leaders in DFS scoring despite low ownership

The inaugural XFL regular season reached its halfway point this past weekend, and we continue to have some regular standouts and a whole lot of surprises. Through five weeks we know who some of the quality players are, but the sample size is still too small to know all the quality players. And in daily fantasy football, that means we’re going to continue seeing surprise performances that may or may not be a legit breakout.

DraftKings offered up a rundown of ownership percentages for their biggest $10 game in Week 5, and it’s no surprise we’re seeing some big names up top. Guys like P.J. Walker, Josh Johnson, Cam Phillips, and Cameron Artis-Payne have all remained consistently owned players. CAP took a step back this week with his performance, but the big names have mostly continued impressing.

Phillips is having a ridiculous season, with 455 yards and nine touchdowns through five games. He and P.J. Walker both seem like strong bets to get a chance in NFL training camp later this fall. Walker has consistently been the XFL’s best quarterback, and while he wasn’t the highest scoring signal-caller this week, he put up another strong game.

If you scroll to the bottom of the ownership list, DC Defenders running back Jhurrell Pressley had his best game of the year. He and Donnell Pumphrey split the workload, with 15 carries apiece. Pumphrey rushed for 37 yards while Pressley rushed for 107 yards. It remains to be seen if Pressley can supplant Pumphrey, but this performance bodes well.

Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius is starting to break out in his own right. He was the third highest scoring player in Week 5, trailing only wide receiver Cam Phillips and quarterback Josh Johnson. Daniel Williams, Jalen Tolliver, and Reece Horn have not had the high profile performances of a Cam Phillips or Nelson Spruce, but they have been quietly solid and Cornelius has benefited. Look for his ownership percentage to rise in Week 6.