Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press
The only five-game week of the regular season puts a premium on Ottawa players, as the REDBLACKS suit up twice in a five-day span (vs. Montreal on Wednesday, at Toronto on Monday). Ottawa double-dip aside, the first four weeks have shown Fantasy owners a brave new world of talent, especially at the receiver spot; while the play at quarterback has been in fits and starts, with a possible revival of BC’s Travis Lulay.
Who’s starting and who’s sitting in Week 5? Let’s do this.
Montreal at Ottawa
Wednesday | 7:30 p.m. ET
Rutley is expected to get hist first start of 2017 in the absence of an injured Tyrell Sutton (Montreal Alouettes)
Start: The Alouettes lost the services of Tyrell Sutton ($7,075), who will miss the game with a calf injury, but it opens the door for Brandon Rutley to make his 2017 debut. Rutley ($5,734) has fresh legs and becomes an interesting option, as Montreal faces an Ottawa defence that allows a league-high 5.8 yards per carry and is seventh in rushing yards allowed per game. The Als don’t have the style of offence conducive to getting into a shootout with Trevor Harris ($15,901) and an Ottawa attack that is averaging 29 points per game, so look for Rutley to get the opportunity to move the chains and keep the REDBLACKS’ offence off the field.
Sit: The numbers suggest starting a quarterback against a REDBLACKS defence that ranks eighth in opposing quarterback efficiency, but that won’t be the case here. Darian Durant ($9,069) is coming off a season-best 296-yard outing in last week’s upset of the Stampeders, but he has just two passing majors in his last three games. Ottawa allows 30.8 points per game, but considering the Als are eighth in points per game (20.5) and are more committed to the run than most other offences, there’s a high risk for anyone seeking to defy the odds and use Durant as a possible bargain.
Edmonton at Hamilton
Thursday | 7:30 p.m. ET
Expect Reilly to put up big numbers against a Hamilton defence that is giving up just over 440 passing yards per game (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Start: Mike Reilly is going to put a dent into your salary cap at $13,558, but considering the Tiger-Cats allow an average of 440.7 passing yards per game, he’s money well spent. Reilly is also overdue for a breakout after throwing only two touchdowns in his last two games. With the caliber of receivers available for Reilly to toss to, the fact that the Eskimos are sixth in passing yards is a mild disappointment. He has yet to display the gaudy numbers he totaled last season, but with Hamilton showing little ability to stop the pass, expect Reilly to easily surpass his season-best 315 yards in Week 1 and put up multiple touchdowns. Attempting to add Adarius Bowman ($7,063) with Reilly isn’t strongly advised, but the all-star receiver is also a good bet to finally break out and rack up numbers more in line with his track record.
Sit: Ticats receiver Luke Tasker ($5,047) has yet to score this season and has only one catch beyond 18 yards. His status as Zach Collaros’ top target is also subject to debate, as the play of Jalen Saunders ($2,500) over the past two games has become one of the few bright spots of a Hamilton offence that is last in both scoring and net yards. Saunders’ 61 per cent catch rate (11-for-18) isn’t great, but he has put up 28.5 Fantasy points over the last two weeks, including a 20.7 night in last week’s loss to BC. With Brian Tyms ($2,500) and Jasper Collins ($3,039) also vying for catches, Tasker’s time as Hamilton’s WR1 may be numbered.
Winnipeg at BC
Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET
Johnson leads the league in rushing touchdowns with four heading into Week 5 (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
Start: Lions running back Jeremiah Johnson ($9,019) is second only to Ottawa’s Mossis Madu ($11,334) in salary, yet he’s rewarded Fantasy owners with double-digit outings in each of his first four games. Johnson has scored at least once in each contest. While Winnipeg sports the league’s toughest run defence in both yards allowed and yards per rush, Fantasy owners can take solace in the fact that Johnson will get double-digit touches, as his 13 receptions has already exceeded his 12-catch total from last season. Regardless of whether Jonathon Jennings ($10,211) or Lulay ($4,295) starts for BC, Johnson is entrenched as the focal point of a Lions’ attack that is third in the league in rushing yards.
Sit: This isn’t the week to play Matt Nichols ($9,718), who has one touchdown pass in his last two games and only five pass plays of over 30 yards. Nichols has played against two solid defences in Calgary and Toronto, which allowed an average of just 247.5 yards in those contests. The Lions have allowed a league-high 10 passes of more than 30 yards, yet Nichols’ skid has greatly affected his receiving corps. Darvin Adams ($6,784) has just nine catches for 82 yards over the last two weeks, while Clarence Denmark ($4,573) has managed five receptions for 77 yards in his first three games.
Saskatchewan at Calgary
Saturday | 9:00 p.m. ET
Grant ranks only behind Kamar Jorden of the Stamps in receiving touchdowns with three so far this season (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
Start: While Naaman Roosevelt ($7,051) will be the focal point of the Stamps’ secondary, it’s Bakari Grant ($6,149) who has scored majors in each of the first three games while also averaging just over 12 Fantasy points per game. Roughriders’ pivot Kevin Glenn ($9,422) is third in QBR and faces a Calgary defence that has allowed opposing pivots to complete 72.7 percent of their attempts, placing them just ahead of ninth-place Hamilton. The Stampeders have also given up nine passing plays of more than 30 yards, and while Grant has yet to achieve such a big play, his presence underneath could open things up for Roosevelt and Duron Carter ($4,664).
Sit: An offence that has thrown the ball more than 71 per cent of time does not bode well for Jerome Messam ($6,550), who is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry and hasn’t scored a major since Week 1. Calgary is fifth in overall rushing attempts. While Messam was disqualified early in last week’s loss to Montreal, it’s not like he was effective anyway, as the Alouettes limited him to one yard on four carries. Opposing defences seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to being in the right place when Messam touches the ball. While the Stampeders won’t completely disregard him, they certainly won’t attempt to force matters as long as Bo Levi Mitchell ($11,789) knows where to find Kamar Jorden ($5,948) and DaVaris Daniels ($5,532).
Ottawa at Toronto
Monday | 8:30 p.m. ET
Despite not having a tally in the win column for 2017, Ellingson has averaged 109 receiving yards per game (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
Start: Greg Ellingson will have two chances to bounce back after being held to 66 yards on five receptions in last week’s loss at Edmonton. Facing an Argonauts defence that was humbled a bit in last week’s loss to Winnipeg, Ellingson ($9,397) should have a good opportunity to finish Week 5 with at least one game of over 100 receiving yards. Toronto is second in rushing yards allowed per game and third in fewest rushing yards allowed per play. So, if pivot Trevor Harris ($15,901) can withstand an Argos pass rush that leads the league with 14 sacks, then Ellingson will see ample targets in his direction.
Sit: Toronto throws the ball nearly 81 percent of the time, making running back Brandon Whitaker ($6,277) a non-factor. Whitaker has a combined 66 yards on 22 carries thus far and hasn’t quite been the receiver out of the backfield he was when he led the team with 81 receptions last season. As long as pivot Ricky Ray ($9656) can stay upright, the Argos will continue their prolific passing rate and use Whitaker almost as an afterthought.
