April 28, 2025
By Evan Lepler
Tobe Decraene, Boston Glory
With a game-high 376 receiving yards, along with four goals, four assists, and no turns, Tobe Decraene fit in seamlessly in his Boston debut for a Glory team that rolled past the Royal 26-18 in their season opener. In fact, it was the first time that the 21-year-old Belgian—who produced 52 assists and 17 goals en route to winning the UFA Rookie of the Year Award last year with Montreal— recorded at least four goals and at least four assists in the same game. Furthermore, after averaging three turns per contest last year, Decraene played mistake-free frisbee for the Glory, helping to anchor a Boston O-line that went unbroken through the first three and a half quarters in Saturday’s victory.
Leo Gordon, Oakland Spiders
There were times in Thursday’s season opener where it felt like Leo Gordon absolutely took over the game. Working as a key connector to the Spiders offense along with Evan Magsig and Walker Frankenberg, Gordon used his lethal combination of speed, quickness, throwing precision, and aggressive mentality to confidently steer his team toward the end zone. To put it mildly, he did not look like a guy making his UFA debut. He finished with a team-high 35 completions in 36 throws, tossing five assists and churning for 388 total yards along the way. The Spiders have a tough road ahead, with games against Seattle (twice), Salt Lake, and Colorado in the month of May, but Gordon’s performance against the Empire sent a strong message about the Spiders’ chances to rise toward the top of the West Division.
Kyle Henke, Austin Sol
In the half-decade since yardage stats have been tracked for every game, we have witnessed full seasons go by without a single player across the entire league accumulating 400 yards throwing and 400 yards receiving in the same contest. That’s the context to illustrate the excellence of Kyle Henke’s opening weekend masterpiece. Not only did Henke register 444 throwing yards, 420 receiving yards, and seven scores, he also added seven hockey assists in Austin’s 30-23 victory. There are 12 weeks left in the 2025 UFA regular season, and it’s entirely possible that Henke’s Week 1 400/400 statistical sizzler may not be topped by anybody else.
Scott Heyman, Philadelphia Phoenix (Pictured)
The Philadelphia Phoenix delivered the biggest opening weekend upset, and Scott Heyman’s heroics were a huge part of the team’s road win over the Breeze. The 23-year-old, who’s beginning his fifth season with the Phoenix, was a critical cog in Philly’s attack, finishing with five assists, one goal, two blocks, and a team-high 327 receiving yards, 134 more than the next highest total on the squad. Along with Sean Mott, Heyman was absolutely instrumental in making the tough plays throughout the very windy game. Time will tell whether Philly can follow up this stunning result and truly contend for a playoff berth, but Heyman’s emergence as a possible All-UFA pick doesn’t seem nearly as uncertain. He’s clearly on his way to becoming one of the best players in the league for the rest of the decade.
Will Selfridge, Salt Lake Shred
For the second straight year, Will Selfridge earns a spot on the Week 1 Honor Roll after a brilliant performance in a spotlighted interdivisional matchup. And if he was really good in the 2024 opener, with six goals, one assist, and one block against the DC Breeze, he was positively brilliant this past Saturday vs. the Atlanta Hustle, producing six goals, two assists, and two blocks in the Shred’s narrow Saturday setback. Athletically, like several other players on this week’s sensational seven, there’s just something different about Selfridge, the way he moves and bounces around the field. It’s hard to believe the fourth-year member of the Shred is just 21 years old, and hopefully he’ll be able to stay healthy and put together the finest season of his young career.
Austin Taylor, Atlanta Hustle
It sure is fun to watch Austin Taylor orchestrate the Hustle offense. He’s 33 but still as quick as ever, his throws have seemingly become even more pinpoint, and the way he processes and breaks down a defense with his decisive pivots, fakes, and puts is truly next level. On Saturday against the Shred’s intense, physical defense, Taylor still calmly went 48-for-48 passing, dishing five assists and scoring a pair of goals. Is there a better center handler in the entire league right now? That’s a tricky question, but Taylor, surrounded by quality talent and settled into a superb system, is certainly on the short list after opening weekend.
Robin Vickers Batzdorf, Oakland Spiders
As the leader of Oakland’s D-line, Robin Vickers Batzdorf helped the Spiders fluster the New York attack throughout Thursday’s five-goal victory. Challenged with the Jack Williams matchup, RVB locked up the All-UFA phenom in the reset space on several occasions. Along with some fantastic downfield defense from his teammates, the Spiders collectively removed the rhythm that the Empire’s O-line was counting upon. Overall, the 22-year-old Vickers Batzdorf closed out the evening with three blocks, one assist, and a thrilling layout goal off a kooky deflection that served as the exclamation point to perhaps the Spiders organization’s biggest win since the 2015 championship game.
