In a league overflowing with quality receivers, four stand out as the best Fantasy options for the 2017 season. The steady Adarius Bowman topped all players with 120 receptions and 1,761 yards, totals that could actually increase now that Derel Walker has moved on to the NFL.
Lions’ star Emmanuel Arceneaux led the league in touchdown receptions (13) and was second to teammate Bryan Burham (who also makes the quartet) with 13 catches of 30-plus yards.
Burnham averaged 17.6 yards on his 79 catches, while Greg Ellingson is ready to take on an even bigger role in the REDBLACKS’ attack with Chris Williams gone to BC.
Top Tier
Last year marked the third straight year Bowman had at least 1,304 receiving yards and the second year with more than 100 catches in the same span. He has hit the 1,000-yard mark in four of his six seasons with Edmonton and will make it five of seven, as he will reel in plenty of targets from quarterback Mike Reilly. Bowman had just four games in which he caught fewer than four passes, just one of the reasons why he is the best wideout in Fantasy play.
Arceneaux had his best season to date in 2016, catching 105 passes for 1,566 yards. The veteran slotback finished strong, recording three of his six games with 100-plus receiving yards from Week 14 to the end of the regular season, and he added eight touchdowns in that span. Even with the addition of Williams from Ottawa, Arceneaux will haul in more than his share of targets from Jonathon Jennings, and he will be among the most sought-after wideouts in Fantasy play. A third straight season of at least 76 catches, 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns is a lock, and there’s a very good chance those numbers get even bigger.
After a career year in 2016, Emmanuel Arceneaux is in line for plenty of looks this season (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)
Making the most of his opportunity, Burnham broke out in his third season in the league with 79 catches, 1,392 yards and three touchdowns. The lack of scoring is a small dent in his upside, as Burnham is beginning to hit his stride in the Lions’ fast break offence. Even with the addition of Williams, it’s hard to envision where Burnham’s production falls, so Fantasy fans should feel confident plugging him into their lineup on a weekly basis.
While everyone remembers Ellingson’s miraculous touchdown catch and run in the Eastern Final in 2015, it’s easy to forget how he put together the best regular season of his career, reeling in 76 catches for 1,260 yards and four touchdowns. With Williams departed to the Lions, Ellingson is ready to seize the role of featured receiver for quarterback Trevor Harris. As his career 15.5 yards per catch suggests, Ellingson can make plays downfield and it’s that ability to create havoc in the open field that puts him in the top tier.
Second Tier
Perhaps the fastest player in the league, Williams missed the REDBLACKS’ Grey Cup run after he sustained an ACL tear late in the season. All signs are pointing to him being able to join his new running mates Arceneaux and Burnham in British Columbia, helping the Lions comprise what is arguably the best receiving corps in the league. Williams has crossed the 1,000-yard mark in each of his first four years in the league, and he has 32 touchdowns in that span. Concern about the knee is the only thing that keeps from the top tier.
Jackson also left Ottawa, choosing to sign with an Alouettes team in need of an outside receiver of his caliber. In 2015, he caught 84 passes for 1,036 yards and five touchdowns, then he put together a stronger 2016 with 88 receptions for 1,225 yards and 10 touchdowns. He stepped his game up after Williams was injured, putting together four games of at least 99 receiving yards over the last five games of the regular season. If Darian Durant can stay consistent, Jackson’s numbers will still border on elite regardless of the new address.
Ernest Jackson will look to build chemistry fast with veteran Darian Durant in Montreal (MontrealAlouettes.com)
Naaman Roosevelt was on his way to a big season before an injury in Week 12 curtailed his breakout campaign. Still, Roosevelt had 76 catches for 1,095 yards and two touchdowns in his shortened season. It’s safe to say he should eclipse his touchdown total and could approach the 100-catch mark should Sasketchewan quarterback Kevin Glenn defy age and the odds. In just his third year in the league, Roosevelt should be a popular pick for Fantasy players.
Marquay McDaniel has gotten better with time, having recorded consecutive seasons of at least 80 receptions for over 1,000 yards and four touchdowns. It never hurts being the top target of Bo Levi Mitchell, and as long as McDaniel is on the field, the Stampeders will have one of the game’s best receivers when it comes to pulling in passes of the intermediate variety. McDaniel doesn’t score often enough for top-tier status, but provides a steady stream of catches and yards to make him a valuable asset to Fantasy players.
The injury to Andrew Fantuz offers Terrence Toliver a golden opportunity to become the featured receiver in the Tiger-Cats’ passing game. Toliver missed five games himself last season but had a good follow-up to his 48-catch rookie season, recording 65 receptions for 1,036 yards and nine touchdowns. He also proved to be quite the deep threat, pulling in 11 passes of at least 30 yards. A big target at 6-foot-5, 211 pounds, Toliver should cause some damage to opposing secondary’s when Hamilton nears the goal line. Bigger numbers are in store for him this season.
One of the loudest free agent signings of the off-season came when the REDBLACKS inked Kenny Shaw away from the Argos, giving Ottawa an outstanding replacement for Williams’ big play capabilities. Shaw, who didn’t catch a pass during his league debut in 2015, caught 77 passes for 1,004 yards and five touchdowns, and he will put up better totals now that he is teamed up with Ellingson and playing with big-play quarterback Trevor Harris. Those who play him in Fantasy may be installing a player who could double his touchdown total this season.
In his penultimate season, Nik Lewis established a career best with 102 catches, and he crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time since 2012. Set to hang it up after 2017, Lewis is hoping the addition of Darian Durant will allow him to go out as he came in – as one of the league’s most productive pass catchers. The 14-year vet hasn’t been a safe bet for touchdowns since scoring 10 for the Stampeders in 2012, but the Alouettes slotback should be able to exceed his 2016 mark of just three scores.
In what’s expected to be his final season, look for Nik Lewis to be heavily involved in Montreal (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Lewis’ former running mate, S.J. Green, has a new address after the Alouettes traded him to the Argonauts, ending Green’s 10-year run with the team. Green caught 444 passes with Montreal, but only five of those came last season, as injuries cost him all but one game and part of a second contest. The four-time 1,000-yard receiver is hoping he can find his knack for the end zone, something that has been missing since Green had 13 touchdowns in 2013. Since then, he has just eight touchdowns and will look to Ricky Ray to help him reach the goal line more often.
Over the past two seasons, Brad Sinopoli has become one of the game’s more dependable receivers, catching a combined 176 passes for the REDBLACKS, who will have a bigger role for him now that Jackson and Williams are gone. While Shaw will give Sinopoli a good running mate, Sinapoli should be able to easily cruise past his modest four-touchdown total along with seeing a rise in the 1,036 yards he produced in 2016.
This could be a breakout season for Stampeders’ youngster DaVaris Daniels, who caught 51 passes for 885 yards and nine touchdowns in his 2016 rookie campaign. Daniels had a rushing touchdown in the post-season and should see more touches as a runner this season. He shows the potential to be a big-play threat, after averaging 17.6 yards per catch and with nine of those receptions going for more than 30 yards. He could overtake McDaniel as Mitchell’s favorite target, so Fantasy players should adjust accordingly if that happens.
A change of scenery could be what Duron Carter needs to finally emerge as one the league’s best receivers. Even with quarterback issues in Montreal, Carter still caught 61 passes for 938 yards with five touchdowns and finished tied for third in the league with 12 catches of 30-plus yards. The Roughriders welcome the 185 receptions and 17 touchdowns Carter has in his first three years in the league and would love for him to assert himself as a good complement to Roosevelt. A focused Carter would rise at 5-7 spots in the rankings.
Third Tier
Luke Tasker has been clockwork for the Ticats, having put together three straight seasons of at least 70 catches. He fell off slightly in 2016, finishing with 852 yards and five touchdowns after tallying 1,066 yards and six scores the year before. With opponents expected to be concerned with Toliver, Tasker should be able to run underneath and make plays regardless as to who is under center in Hamilton.
The REDBLACKS, who lost two of their four 1,000-yard receivers in the off-season, believe Diontae Spencer can fill one of the openings. Spencer was used more as an underneath receiver with the Argonauts last season; he will see better numbers than the 706 receiving yards he had. Like fellow ex-Toronto wideout Shaw, the improved quarterback play will do wonders for Spencer’s numbers.
Diontae Spencer replaces Chris Williams as the fastest man on the REDBLACKS’ offence (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Though not the player he was early in his career, Weston Dressler remains a sure-handed wideout who can move the chains for the Blue Bombers. He caught 80 passes for 1,003 yards and two scores last season. Dressler is playing his 10th season in the league and still has enough left in his tank to at least get into the end zone more often. As it stands, he’s a good Fantasy play in most weeks and should be able to cross the 70-catch plateau for the seventh time.
In just eight games, Darvin Adams had 51 catches for 690 yards and six touchdowns. The Blue Bombers are excited about what he can do with a full season of play, provided he is healthy. Adams had three games with over 100 yards receiving and had six catches for more than 30 yards, giving Winnipeg a potent weapon who has yet to hit his stride.
Having Durant at quarterback should lead to better numbers for B.J. Cunningham. The Alouettes wideout had 65 catches for 885 yards and four touchdowns last season despite the uncertainty at quarterback and should settle in as Montreal’s third receiver behind Jackson and Lewis. Cunningham could be in range of a possible breakout campaign if he’s able to start cutting into Lewis’ targets.
Fourth Tier
Brandon Zylstra made a lasting impression his six-game debut, catching 34 passes for 508 yards and three touchdowns. His nine-catch, 186-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Argonauts in the regular season finale might be the precursor to bigger things for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Eskimos second-year player.
Injuries kept Clarence Denmark from having a bigger season than the 53 catches, 708 yards and eight touchdowns he had for the Blue Bombers. His eight touchdowns were a career best, and he should be able to at least duplicate his numbers in a wide-open Winnipeg attack.
Known more for his return abilities, Chad Owens remains a reliable target, something the Roughriders are counting on the 35-year-old to be. Owens had 58 catches and five touchdowns for the Ticats last season but could be challenged to duplicate those numbers in a Saskatchewan offence that was the lowest-scoring in the league in 2016.
Some work in the return game could boost Chad Owens’ stock heading into 2017 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Fellow Saskatchewan wideout Rob Bagg put up a third straight season of at least 50 catches last season and, like Owens, is banking on quarterback Kevin Glenn to bring some life to the offence. Bagg had four touchdowns and has finished the season with four scores in three of the last four years, which is where the expectations place him once again.
Prorate Kamar Jorden’s production over a full season, and the Stampeders slotback would’ve had 84 catches for 1,160 yards and six touchdowns. Jorden’s impressive nine-game run included a pair of 100-yard games, so if he can come out of the gate strong, Jorden will finish the season much higher on this list.
After catching for 803 yards and six touchdowns, Vidal Hazleton fell to just 361 and three in an injury-plagued year with the Argos. Now with the Eskimos, Hazleton is counting on better health and a better offence to get him closer to the numbers he racked up in his rookie season
A new quarterback might allow Samuel Giguere to see more than the 36 catches he had in his first year with the Alouettes. Entering his sixth year in the league, Giguere has caught at least 34 passes each season, and after scoring just three times in his first three years, Giguere has recorded a combined nine touchdowns over the last two seasons.
