June 12, 2025
By Daniel Cohen
At the halfway point of the season, the playoff race is heating up and it’s time for the great to separate themselves from the good. Quarterbacks and offensive playmakers headline this week’s watchlist, and you can expect some statement games in this critical Week 8 slate.
Tom Blasman, Toronto Rush
After playing a mix of offense and defense in his pro debut back in Week 2, Tom Blasman has solidified his role as Toronto’s O-line quarterback in recent weeks. Even with the return of Luc Comire last week, Blasman led the team in completions and set a new season high with 545 throwing yards; over his last four games, Blasman is averaging 43.5 completions, 4.0 assists, and over 460 throwing yards per game. The UFA rookie from The Netherlands has an extensive arsenal of throws to pick defenses apart and continually keep the disc moving, and he’s been a big part of Toronto’s offensive ascension—the Rush O-line is currently a top-five unit in the league, converting on 57.8 percent of their offensive possessions (up from their ~49 percent conversion rate from 2022 to 2024). Taking on a tough Boston defense this week, Blasman will look to keep Toronto’s win streak going this Sunday as they attempt to propel themselves into playoff position.
Will Brandt, Minnesota Wind Chill
2024 Championship Weekend MVP Will Brandt has largely picked up where he left off last year, as he leads the Minnesota Wind Chill in assists, completions, and total yards at the halfway point of the season. He has 14 assists in his last three games and is on pace to set career highs across the board if he can stay healthy for the full season. Breese Stevens Field is where it all began for Brandt back in 2021, as he made his UFA debut in a five-score, 42-completion effort as the Wind Chill took down the Radicals in overtime. In Week 9 against Madison last year, albeit at home in Minnesota, he set career highs with eight assists and a +7 plus/minus. Brandt is the future of the Wind Chill offense, and they’re going to need his consistency this week against the league’s number two defense being fueled by a rowdy Madison crowd.
Tobe Decraene, Boston Glory
Last year’s "Rookie Of The Year" is thriving in his sophomore season in Boston. Tobe Decraene is doing a bit of everything for this Glory offense but has been most impactful as a downfield receiver, routinely torching his matchups both with his speed and his athleticism in the air. He’s coming off a season best nine-score (four assists and five goals) performance against Philly, and he’s yet to record fewer than 300 receiving yards in a single game; he currently ranks third in the league in receiving yards per game, averaging 355. This week, it’s Boston’s third and final meeting of the regular season with Decraene’s former team—he had 13 scores and just one turnover in Boston’s first two games against Montreal, with both games resulting in decisive Glory wins—before heading to Toronto for the second leg of their double header road trip.
Ben Jagt, New York Empire
The lone bright spot last week in an otherwise disappointing road trip to DC, Ben Jagt continues to ball out this season. Jagt added another six goals and two blocks to his season stat line, giving him a league-leading +53 plus/minus for the year while completing over 95 percent of his throws; his completion rate hovered around 90 percent in his two MVP seasons in 2021 and 2022. Also leading the league in goals and receiving yards, he’s evolved his game to be much less of a shot-taker and much more of a downfield big, and he’s imposed his will on pretty much every opponent New York has faced thus far. We know he hates losing as much as anyone, and if anyone is going to be able to will this team out from the bottom of the East, it’s Ben Jagt. Back at home this week in a rematch with DC, expect another strong showing from Big Ben in a do-or-die game for New York.
Kai Marcus, Madison Radicals
Following Madison’s loss to Chicago this past Sunday, Kai Marcus was quoted in the game recap: “The aim of offense is to balance the fear of turning it over with the exhilaration of throwing difficult throws. Too much fear and I miss open hands, too much risk and I turn it needlessly.” Marcus seems to have found the right balance in recent weeks with just two throwaways in his last three games—last season he averaged a whopping 4.6 throwaways per game—and he saw a significantly increased workload against the Union with over 20 more touches than his next highest usage game this season. His throws clearly elevate Madison’s ceiling when they’re connecting, and his shot selection has been much improved entering his second full season with the team. He’ll have his work cut out for him in tomorrow’s Friday Night Frisbee game, taking on a Wind Chill defense currently holding opponents to the lowest offensive success rate in the league.
Rowan McDonnell, DC (Pictured)
Cole Jurek is questionable, Christian Boxley remains out, and Thomas Edmonds isn’t rostered for this Saturday’s rematch against New York. Will we be fortunate enough to get a second straight vintage Rowan McDonnell performance? McDonnell turned back the clock last week against the Empire in what felt like a must-win rivalry game, as he tossed eight assists and racked up a team-high 415 total yards in DC’s 23-15 victory. It had been over three years since his last eight-assist game, and he looked as fluid as ever moving the disc downfield and capping drives with patient red zone work. He could easily end up carrying the load once again given DC’s absences this week—the classic ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach—and I’m sure he’d love nothing more than to be the final nail in New York’s coffin.
Christophe Tremblay-Joncas, Montreal Royal
Christophe Tremblay-Joncas’ switch to full-time offense this year has been a revelation. He’s opened up the Montreal offense considerably with his deep shots—he’s been regularly showcasing one of the most powerful forehands in the league—and his aggressiveness as a thrower has given the Montreal attack a new ceiling; the team hadn’t reached 24 scores in a game 2022, and they’ve hit that mark twice already in 2025. Tremblay-Joncas is one of four players with at least 20 completions of 40-plus yards this season, and he’s completing those hucks at an 87 percent rate, third highest among all players with at least 10 huck completions. The big play engine of this team, it’s a strength vs. strength matchup this week as he’ll be up against a Boston defense leading the league in scores against per game (just 14.5 in 2025) for the second straight year.
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