Although the REDBLACKS led the league with 6,191 passing yards on their way to winning the Grey Cup, the total was amassed by four different quarterbacks. Ottawa’s retooled receiving corps should provide an ample aerial attack again this season, but they’re hoping Trevor Harris is up to the task of replacing Henry Burris as the lead component to an offence that’s looking to improve upon its sixth-place standing in points scored while defending their reign.
QUARTERBACKS: With Burris retired, the job is now Harris’ to either fortify or lose. He certainly proved he’s capable of putting together impressive numbers, especially in 2015 when he threw for 4,354 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Argonauts before signing with the REDBLACKS. Injuries and inconsistency plagued Harris in 2016, as he played in only 12 games and eventually yielded the starting role to Burris, who led the team to its post-season run. When he was on his game, Harris completed 73 per cent of his passes for 3,301 yards and 16 touchdowns, while adding a pair of rushing scores. Accuracy is his calling card and if he stays healthy, Harris will be a solid second-tier Fantasy option with the upside for better.
The torch has been passed from Henry Burris to Trevor Harris in the nation’s capital (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
Free agent Drew Tate moved over to Ottawa after spending the last eight seasons as a backup with the Stampeders. Tate has thrown 32 touchdowns during his career, and he could be serviceable if Harris is sidelined for an extended period. Ryan Lindley, also signed as a free agent, brings NFL experience, having played with the Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots.
RUNNING BACKS: Mossis Madu didn’t step on the field with the REDBLACKS until Sept. 23, yet led the team with 491 rushing yards. Madu averaged 5.3 yards per carry and had 14 of his 92 attempts result in gains of more than 10 yards. The team signed Shakir Bell from the Eskimos, for whom he ran for 465 yards and a touchdown. Most of his production came in a three-week stretch during which he filled in for an injured John White, however, Ottawa is banking on Bell to be consistent over the course of the entire season. Bell has game-altering speed and could emerge as a Fantasy sleeper if he is able to nail down the starting job.
William Powell returns to the team after missing the entire 2016 season with an Achilles injury. He was impressive in the seven games he played with the REDBLACKS in 2015, when he ran for 447 yards and a pair of touchdowns over 76 attempts. If Bell lives up to expectations, Powell may have to share carries with Madu while he works his way back into the swing of things.
SLOT BACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS: The receiving corps was hit hard when both Ernest Jackson and Chris Williams signed with the Alouettes and Lions, respectively, costing the team 165 receptions, 2,271 yards and 30 touchdowns. Greg Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli, both 1,000-yard receivers, will be returning, and the REDBLACKS signed Kenny Shaw and Diontae Spencer from the Argonauts to help retool the position.
Ellingson pulled in 76 catches for a team-best 1,260 yards and four touchdowns and could be the player who benefits most from the departures of Jackson and Williams. He should be more targeted this season and has the size and speed to make things happen. In a crowded field of talented pass catchers available to Fantasy owners, Ellingson will begin the season as a solid second-tier performer. However, he could climb into the elite level should he and Harris continue to click as they have during training camp.
Shaw earned East Division All-Star honors last season with 77 catches for 1,004 yards and five touchdowns. He had nine games in which he recorded at least six receptions and a pair of 100-yard outings. The targets will be there for Shaw, so Fantasy owners should feel comfortable adding him into their lineups. Spencer had 71 catches for 706 yards and three scores last season in Toronto and could see his numbers climb this season as well.
Kenny Shaw should have no problem seeing targets on his new team this year (Chris Hofley/OttawaREDBLACKS.com)
Sinopoli followed up his breakout 2015 season by catching a team-best 90 passes for 1,036 yards and four scores. He should continue to thrive as the Redblacks’ top target underneath and be in position for a third straight season of at least 86 catches. Sinopoli’s Fantasy value will get a boost if he can find the end zone more frequently.
The door is wide open for Juron Criner to become the team’s top deep threat. Criner caught just 12 passes last season but averaged 22.4 yards per reception, including four of more than 30 yards. He extended his big-play potential during the post-season with seven catches for 177 yards. He will be undervalued in Fantasy, but he is a player worth watching during the early going for a potential breakout performance.
Tori Gurley is a big target who caught 10 touchdowns for Toronto in 2015, but he played in only 12 games in 2016. A strong pre-season could present the first step toward a rebound.
DEFENCE/SPECIAL TEAMS: Overall, the defence finished in the middle of the pack in most categories, but did place third with 16 interceptions. Nearly half of those picks departed when defensive backs Abdul Kanneh (Tiger-Cats) and Mitchell White (NFL) left in free agency. Ends Zach Evans and Arnaud Gascon-Nadon will return after sharing the team led with six sacks, while Ettore Lattanzio and Connor Williams are also back following a season in which they each recorded five of the team’s 42 total sacks. Spencer handled punt return duties for the Argos last season and will be asked to do the same in Ottawa. Finding a kickoff returner will be a process that could continue into the early part of the regular season.
