March 26, 2026
By Adam Ruffner
The final poll before the start of the 2026 UFA season on April 24, this edition of "Power Rankings" takes a look at additions and subtractions on every roster. Indianapolis, Minnesota, and New York all stole headlines with their signings, but every team has something new to show in just a few weeks time.
Previous: Way Too Early 2026 Power Rankings
22.Vegas Bighorns (-)
First opponent in 2026: April 25 vs Carolina
One missing piece from last year: Porter Stobbe
A Utah Valley University student, Stobbe is suiting up for the Shred in 2026 after leading the Bighorns in scoring last season. At 6’1” and with a lot of leaping ability, Stobbe operated most effectively as a pure receiver, with upside as a continuation thrower.
One returning player to get excited about: Braden Distel
One of two players to produce 10 or more blocks for the inaugural iteration of the Bighorns, Distel’s size and closing speed stood out immediately during his rookie campaign. An Arizona State graduate, Distel showed promise attacking downfield as a receiver off of turnovers, and could become a big scoring target in transition with better hands.
21. Houston Havoc (-1)
First opponent in 2026: April 24 vs Atlanta
One missing piece from last year: Brendan Adams
Adams was a part of Houston’s first batch of signings as a franchise, and ranks within the Havoc top five in virtually every statistical category. A selfless leader throughout his career, Adams fittingly finished his career with nearly identical playing time split between offensive and defensive rotations.
One returning player to get excited about: Mark Turner
A surprise rookie producer in 2025, Turner and his over the top throws gave the Havoc offense a new dimension in their attack. In addition to his throwing arsenal, Turner’s talents as a receiver can’t go unmentioned as he piled up 11 goals in his final three starts last year.
20. Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (+1)
First opponent in 2026: May 10 vs Montreal
One missing piece from last year: Jonathan Mast
Mast signed with division rivals in Indianapolis, and ended a nine-year career with Pittsburgh that saw him amass the second most completions in league history. Winner of the Player’s Choice “Best Handler” award in 2023, Mast has operated most effectively from the center of the field, using his length to beat the mark and extend possessions in any direction with his pinpoint throws.
One new player to get excited about: Clint McSherry
Over seven pro seasons, the 32-year-old McSherry has played for four different franchises and will be on his third stint with Pittsburgh in 2026. During his last T-Birds experience in 2023, McSherry averaged 3.7 assists, 44 completions, and 425 throwing yards in six appearances. It remains to be seen who will be an every week starter for Pittsburgh this year, but McSherry’s presence will make them dangerous on occasion.
19. Oregon Steel (-)
First opponent in 2026: April 26 at Oakland
One missing piece from last year: Antonio Rueda
Rueda retires from the Oregon franchise second in points played and third in completions. For a team that has struggled to put out the same starting lineups week in and week out, Rueda was a consistent source of effort and positivity for the Steel.
One new player to get excited about: Felix Moren
Currently one of the top prospects in college and a former U20 gold medalist with Team USA, Moren has shown glimmers of his star talent in eight previous pro starts. Moren notched three separate 300-yard receiving performances in five starts during his last tenure with the team in 2024, and his abilities as a thrower and defender have only grown in the intervening time.
18. Philadelphia Phoenix (-)
First opponent in 2026: May 2 vs Toronto
One missing piece from last year: Sam Grossberg
Grossberg was a sparkplug from his first point in his pro debut as a teenager, and his action near the goal line will be sorely missed. He finished his first campaign with the third most completions and passing yards of any rookie, and earned a unanimous All Rookie First Team selection.
One new player to get excited about: Nicholas DiGiorgio
After a three-year trip through Texas, DiGiorgio returns to his original team this season. The six-year vet turns 30 in August, and could have a similar receiving season as the one he had in Dallas in 2024 that saw Digiorgio average just under two goals and 200 receiving yards per game.
17. Toronto Rush (-)
First opponent in 2026: May 1 at New York
One missing piece from last year: Tom Blasman
In 2025, Blasman registered one of the most impressive one-and-done throwing seasons on film and on the stat sheet in recent years. The Amsterdam product finished top 10 in assists and throwing yards as a rookie, and was the focal point for a Rush offense that had imported an entirely new line of starters. “Deep bag” doesn’t do justice for the kinds of throws Blasman could unleash from any spot on the field, and he may have had the honor of “Best Hammer In The League” last summer.
One new player to get excited about: Gagan Chatha
The return of a Vancouver legend in a new Toronto uniform, Chatha is one of just 32 players in league history to average at least 5.75 scores per start for his career. He last played in the association in 2017 and was known for his sky-high goals—a lot has changed in the interim, to say the least. But the Rush always have a raft of young and developing players, and Chatha will certainly have his impact moments to make an impression.
16. Madison Radicals (-1)
First opponent in 2026: May 9 at Indianapolis
One missing piece from last year: Kai DeLorenzo
A bit of a swiss army knife, DeLorenzo plugged a lot of holes in the ever developing (and injury plagued) Radicals lineups over the last four seasons. DeLorenzo was valuable as a part time puller and mobile thrower, giving him a lot of matchup flexibility, something that is highly sought after by the Madison coaching staff.
One new player to get excited about: Victor Luo
Madison adopted a new offensive playbook at the midway point of last year’s schedule, and installed two first-year signings in Kainoa Chun-Moy and Eric Sjostrom. The two play a fast paced style beneficial to Luo’s talents, whose fleet feet and vision make him an ideal midrange passer for Madison’s quick strike attack. The 32-year-old already has seven seasons of experience and a title with the Radicals organization, and is likely to move into third all-time in franchise history in completions in 2026.
15. Montreal Royal (+1)
First opponent in 2026: May 2 at Boston
One missing piece from last year: N/A
None of the top 15 Royal players with the most points played last season left over the offseason. Kuochuan Ponzio, now on Colorado, is the only Montreal with more than 95 points played who did not return.
One new player to get excited about: Malik Auger-Semmar
It’s been two years since Auger-Semmar suited up with Les Bois, and in that span he has only further evolved his dual threat talents. A speedster who roams the open field, Auger-Semmar is most potent as a continuation option, and slotted alongside Quentin Bonnaud and Christophe Tremblay-Joncas, could develop into the most underrated playmaking trio in the league. Montreal is a dark horse lurking in the East Division, and Auger-Semmar could push the team back into the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
14. Colorado Apex (-1)
First opponent in 2026: May 2 at Seattle
One missing piece from last year: Alex Atkins
It’s a damn tough choice between Atkins and Noah Coolman, but the former has been around since the team’s inception and is a face of the franchise, former First Team All UFAer. Kins has been a puckish, highlight-packed presence since he debuted in 2022, but what the 28-year-old, two-way star doesn’t get enough credit for is his ability to constantly adapt into new roles every season. And with the Apex in total flux entering 2026, they will miss Atkins’s moxie.
One new player to get excited about: Conor Tabor
A power thrower returning after a year away from the team, Tabor has traditionally been deployed on the D-line, but has always had interesting potential as an O-line chucker. Tabor had mixed results over a three-game stretch in 2024 with the Colorado offense, averaging 3.3 assists, 32 completions, and 295 throwing yards per start while also accounting for nine total turnovers. But when you see the range—would you just look at that backhand—and account for the Apex’s desperate needs at thrower, Tabor could provide some much needed punch.
13. Seattle Cascades (-1)
First opponent in 2026: May 2 vs Colorado
One missing piece from last year: Lukas Ambrose
Ambrose entered the league like a comet, and helped Seattle back to Championship Weekend for the first time in nearly a decade in 2024. But last year was a bit of a return to earth for the DPOY and the rest of the ‘Scades, as Ambrose had just 13 blocks in nine games in 2025 after an ungodly 71 in his first 28 starts as a pro. Now with Ambrose departed for the Wind Chill, Seattle returns just two players from 2025 with double digit blocks.
One new player to get excited about: Kodi Smart
After a seven-year hiatus from the team, Smart returns to the Cascades for his first pro stint since 2019. Smart was an extremely high usage player on offense during his 20-game, two-year prior voyage with Seattle, and averaged over four scores and 35 completions per start. Seattle has a lot of question marks throughout their lineups, and it remains to be seen if Smart will reprise an offensive role, or platoon on D-line.
12. Austin Sol (-1)
First opponent in 2026: April 25 vs Atlanta
One missing piece from last year: Jake Reinhardt
Only nine players in the history of the league have registered more pulls in their careers than Reinhardt, who has almost exclusively set up Sol defensive coverage for the past three seasons; Reinhardt registered 170 of the team’s total 285 pulls last year, with no other Austin teammate throwing more than 45. Pulls and field positioning has become the special teams of the league over the past few years, and can provide a championship-level advantage—just ask Minnesota.
One new player to get excited about: Evan Swiatek
Even at 5’10”, Swiatek is a true WR1 target downfield and a primetime performer. The 32-year-old posted four straight regular seasons with at least 39 goals and 2,700 receiving yards for the Sol before his sabbatical in 2025, missing just four possible starts out of a 52-game window. Swiatek has more multi-goal games in the playoffs (4) than total playoff throwaways (2), and his 2023 South Division Championship Game stat line remains one of the more underrated performances of the past five years: five assists, four goals, one block, 34-for-34 on throws, 292 receiving yards in the overtime victory classic.
11. Indianapolis AlleyCats (-1)
First opponent in 2026: May 9 vs Madison
One missing piece from last year: N/A
Despite an avalanche of offseason signings, the bulk of last season’s AlleyCats starters—14 out of the 18 AlleyCats players that played a minimum of 100 points—are returning to the team in 2026. That sort of roster consistency could cut both ways. On the one hand, there’s a committed core aimed at the long-term future for what feels like the first time since 2019 for this franchise. On the other: Indy won just four games in 2025 with this personnel.
One new player to get excited about: Nate Little
By the end of last season, Little was playing like a top-three big defender in the league and earned a much deserved All Defense nod. The 25-year-old accumulated three multi-block games over his final five starts owing to his aerial superiority, and his development as a two-way threat on the counterattack makes him particularly valuable for an Indy team looking to cash in more break scores; not only did Little lead Philly in blocks last year with 16, he also had the most scores (24) of any non-offense player on the team.
One new player to get excited about (BONUS): Keegan North
A missing piece, in my opinion, from the AlleyCats’s massive offseason signing spree was a multi-tool offensive veteran who could slip between backfield handling duties and downfield routes. North, already a four-season veteran of the AlleyCats who last played for Indy in 2023, fills that void better than most. The 31-year-old is first all-time in Indianapolis franchise history in scores per game (4.7), besting legend Cameron Brock, and can fluidly shift between throwing and receiving roles. It’s not a coincidence that the last two playoff appearances for the ‘Cats came with North on the roster.
10. Chicago Union (+4)
First opponent in 2026: May 2 at Minnesota
One missing piece from last year: Xavier Payne
With his pulls, passing, and coverage abilities, Payne provided impact at every level for the Union defense in 2025, and was a major piece for their historical season. Similar to a middle infielder turning an unassisted double play, Payne can produce break scores on his own and in one sequence, picking off errant passes and immediately redirecting them the other way for instant goals.
One new player to get excited about: Edgar Sumbi
Already a legend in the Philippines, “Mad Max” Sumbi could pop as a rookie in Chicago with the right role. Sumbi already comes equipped with international, big game experience, and the Union are in desperate need of D-line throwers for their counterattack after losing so many over the offseason.
9. San Diego Growlers (-2)
First opponent in 2026: April 24 vs Carolina
One missing piece from last year: Jesse Cohen
San Diego sustained relatively few losses to their starting lines, but the quiet scoring assassin Cohen will be sorely missed. The SoCal vet finished his Growlers career second to only Travis Dunn in total scores, and Cohen’s ability to fill gaps and expose coverages was a big toolkit for SD in tight spots.
One new player to get excited about: Jonathan Lyle
A shade under six feet, Lyle was a powderkeg producer in his pro debut. He was one of just seven players in the league last season to average at least six scores and 450 total yards per start, and he finished his rookie campaign with seven games of 200-plus throwing yards combined with 200-plus receiving yards. Lyle’s finisher abilities should give even more freedom to a Growlers offense packed with existing playmakers, and could push the O-line from good to top five in the league.
8. Carolina Flyers (+1)
First opponent in 2026: April 24 at San Diego
One missing piece from last year: Rutledge Smith
Without the presence of an established veteran thrower in the Carolina backfield, Smith stepped up as a rookie and performed exceptionally as a short range facilitator. What Smith lacked in throwing power (zero attempted hucks in 2025) he made up for in mobility, and quietly averaged the fourth most goals per game (3.63) in the UFA last season*. The Flyers as a team finished fourth in red zone conversion rate, and a big piece of that was Smith and his legwork near the goal line.
* Among players with at least two games played
One new player to get excited about: Tobias Brooks
One of the brightest young stars in the sport, Brooks was on pace for an all-time stat season last year. Despite starting in just six games, Brooks’s expected 12-game totals for 2025 would’ve finished at 50 assists, 614 completions, 52* (!!!) hockey assists and over 6,400 throwing yards. Still only just 21, Brooks already has three performances with at least 600 throwing yards and two games with at least 450 receiving yards in just 28 career starts as a pro, showcasing truly generational dual threat potential.
* McKay Yorgason led the league last year with 54 hockey assists in 14 games
7. DC Breeze (-1)
First opponent in 2026: April 25 at Boston
One missing piece from last year: Tyler Monroe
Monroe has simply been one of the most efficient and reliable offensive pieces on a championship contending team in the league throughout his career, full stop. His ability to own and win one-on–one matchups from any spot on the field provided so much of the flexibility that has been a staple of DC’s offense for years. Last year he finished seven of his 13 games without a turnover, and he ends his career with the Breeze top four in franchise history in assists, goals, completions, and total yards.
One new player to get excited about: Sean Mott
The lefty throwing legend enters his first season with DC (and 11th in the UFA) as one of just four players in league history to throw at least 400 assists. Mott has amassed a legendary amount of helpers thanks to his high variety of release points, a skill that should immediately translate to a DC offense that loves to pick apart coverages with keyhole throwing. He can also power up hucks on command, a historically needed addition for a DC team that has historically shied away from the longball
6. Atlanta Hustle (-2)
First opponent in 2026: April 25 at Austin
One missing piece from last year: Michael Fairley
The epitome of “Guy You Hate To Play Against, Love To Have On Your Team”, Big Mike’s retirement will leave a large hole on the Atlanta defensive rotation after five seasons with the franchise. The 6’5” defender made some of his most notable impacts on the mark, where he used his exceptional mobility and timing to blow up throws on release.
One new player to get excited about: Will Selfridge
Already one of the league’s most lethal scorers, Selfridge and his elite speed joins the league’s most efficient offense in a pairing that could produce Atlanta’s first championship. There are some warning signs about fit, however: Selfridge ended last season with nine turnovers over his last four starts, which is a tough number to square with a Hustle team that averaged just 12 per game for the entire year. A fastbreak demon, the picture of Selfridge alongside Brett Hulsmeyer, Hayden Austin-Knab, and Alec Wilson Holliday on the Atlanta attack should terrify opposing defenses.
5. Salt Lake Shred (-2)
First opponent in 2026: May 1 vs Oregon
One missing piece from last year: Braden Eberhard
On a team brimming with speed and highlight potential, you may have missed the surgical effectiveness of Braden Eberhard operating as the O-line’s reset and safety valve. A touch passer with excellent footwork who worked almost exclusively out of the backfield, Eberhard’s goal total (23) nearly tripled his assist output (8) in 2025 because he can so consistently beat defenders to the spot by outreading the coverage. The four-year pro vet finished second on the Shred last season in touches, and Head Coach Bryce Merrill might have one of his tougher holes to fill in recent years despite a never-ending tide of roster changes.
One new player to get excited about: Carson Armstrong
Thanks to the excellent reporting from Evan Lepler, we already know that this 20-year-old is embarking on a revenge tour in his first season in the Zion mountains. A lengthy thrower with mobility, Armstrong feels like a natural fit for Salt Lake’s uptempo, Yorgason-driven offense. And with playoff experience already under his belt—Armstrong was an impressive 38-for-40 on throws and amassed a whopping 535 total yards in his pro postseason debut last July versus San Diego—he will have much-needed experience for a tough battle ahead for first place in the West Division.
4. Oakland Spiders (+1)
First opponent in 2026: April 26 vs Oregon
One missing piece from last year: Eli Kerns
Losing a two-time pro champion with a skill set as diversified as Kerns’s—guy just had a knack for the big play throughout his career—is always tough, but especially so for a young Oakland team currently on a rocketship trajectory. The departure of Kerns (joined franchise in 2014) and fellow Spiders legend Matthew Crawford (joined in 2015) feels like the true end of the Spiders first 10-year era as a franchise, one that began with two UFA titles (2014, 2015). Now it’s up to the fresh legs to define the future.
One new player to get excited about: Anton Orme
An All American plowhorse for his collegiate team UC-Cal Poly SLO, Orme excels at many facets of the game and is the definition of a “high motor” player. That’s what makes his rookie season for the Spiders so exciting, for he will finally have the ability to specialize and refine some of his talents on an already loaded roster. Oakland finished a surprisingly low 14th last year in red zone efficiency despite being a top five offense overall, and Orme’s first-step explosiveness and decisive decision making in short field, high leverage scenarios should provide an immediate bump when he’s on the field.
3. Minnesota Wind Chill (-1)
First opponent in 2026: May 2 vs Chicago
One missing piece from last year: James Pollard
For a team with as deep of a defensive lineup as the Wind Chill, the Central Division champs were surprisingly thin on tall defenders and relied heavily on Pollard down the stretch in 2025. The 29-year-old has at least 14 blocks in three of his last four seasons, and concluded his one-year stint in Minnesota by averaging over a block per start.
One new player to get excited about: Noah Coolman
Equipped with a jet engine, Coolman could perennially compete for the title of “Fastest Player In The League”, and was one of just two players last year to produce 40-plus scores and 20-plus blocks. First instinct is to deploy last year’s league co-leader in takeaways onto an already formidable Minnesota D-line, but Coolman could become most effective as a sparkplug for a Wind Chill offense that can disappear for a quarter or two each game.
2. New York Empire (+6)
First opponent in 2026: May 1 vs Toronto
One missing piece from last year: Calvin Brown
Though far from a surprise given last season’s injury, it still is notable that New York will be down Brown for at least the start of the season. Though the offense was mostly effective with their possession-first, meticulous attack, Brown added the type of throwing power that allowed the Empire to strike from orbit, and opened up dimensions of the field that New York struggled to recapture post-injury.
One new player to get excited about: Daan De Marrée
Make no mistake: New York’s acquisition of De Marrée tilted the landscape of not just the East Division, but the league as a whole. It’s also important to remember that even a player equipped with the powers of De Marrée cannot overcome a good team defensive effort, as evidenced by Chicago’s overreliance on the Belgian star in the 2025 Central Division title game—De Marrée totaled season highs in completions and turnovers—and their subsequent defeat at the hands of Minnesota. But New York has the infrastructure to absorb and amplify De Marrée’s galaxy-level stardom, and the sky is truly the limit in 2026.
1. Boston Glory (-)
First opponent in 2026: April 25 vs DC
One missing piece from last year: Tannor Johnson-Go
The reigning Defensive Player Of The Year did a little bit of everything for the Boston D-line in 2025. From pulling, to blanketing opposing handlers with his 6’2” frame, to running the counterattack and being a diabolical give-and-go weapon inside the 20-yard line, Johnson-Go was the fulcrum for Boston’s championship-level defense during the playoffs.
One new player to get excited about: Thomas Edmonds
After three seasons in DC, one of the UFA’s most productive offensive players gets to pair up with the MVP in Boston to help the champs defend their title. One of just 22 active players with 300 or more total career scores (assists plus goals), Edmonds averaged three scores, 23 completions, and 229 yards per game for the Breeze over 34 starts while averaging slightly more time on the D-line than on offense. Edmonds could continue to platoon on defensive rotations for the Glory when needed, but his skill set is ready made to supercharge a sometimes plodding Boston offense.
