Jason Halstead/CFL.ca
I’ll say this about Argonauts pivot Ricky Ray: the man knows how to make a comeback.
Returning to the Toronto lineup a week after missing a game with a shoulder injury that was originally thought might sideline him for weeks, Ray looked like a man who didn’t miss a beat, throwing for 377 yards and four touchdowns in a convincing 38-6 win over Montreal that gave the Boatmen sole possession of first place in the East Division.
Ray’s numbers were more pleasing for Fantasy owners who had faith in him, as he produced 29.1 Fantasy points, putting him at the head of the Week 9 class.
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Ray’s 35-for-43 masterpiece was his seventh 300-yard game of the season that was highlighted by the return of solid Fantasy production at the quarterback position following a tepid Week 8. Three other pivots eclipsed the 20-point barrier, as Matt Nichols’ 27.9 FP output helped spur Winnipeg on its way to handing Edmonton its first loss of the season.
Nichols’ counterpart, Mike Reilly, delivered 27.6 FP to his Fantasy owners by throwing for more than 300 yards and two majors for a fourth consecutive week. Ottawa’s Trevor Harris’ season-high 394 yards passing was the catalyst of a 23.8 FP week that helped the REDBLACKS to victory over Hamilton.
On the flip side of things, Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell finished with a season-low 7.5 FP in Calgary’s win over BC, while Montreal’s Darian Durant’s birthday was regrettable due to a 93-yard outing in the loss to Toronto that led him to finish with a season-low 1.7 FP.
Winnipeg’s Andrew Harris put together one of the best all-around games of the season, rushing for 105 yards on 11 carries while catching eight passes for 120 yards in the win over Edmonton, finishing with a total of 22.5 Fantasy points to make him the highest scorer among running backs. BC’s all-purpose wonder Chris Rainey had 16 points, while Jerome Messam’s 13.7 FP gave the Calgary workhorse his fourth straight game of double-digits. Brandon Whitaker finished with 11.9 points to help contribute to the Argonauts’ victory over the Alouettes.
One of the week’s biggest surprises was from Toronto fullback Declan Cross, who became a vital piece to Ray’s success by finishing with 9.4 FP on the strength of five passes for 34 yards and a touchdown.
Fantasy owners found themselves disappointed by the effort of Ottawa’s William Powell, who had just 5.7 FP in the REDBLACKS’ win over the Tiger-Cats, while BC’s Jeremiah Johnson had only 2.3 FP, finishing with a season-low five carries for 11 yards.
Jeremiah Johnson’s output vs. the Stamps was his lowest of the season to date (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
The prime beneficiary to Ray’s success, receiver S.J. Green, caught nine passes for 145 yards and two scores against his old Alouettes teammates, racking up 26.5 Fantasy Points to top all players at the position. Ottawa’s Greg Ellingson put up 21.5 FP after he hauled in 10 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, while Eskimos rookie D’hquille Williams delivered 17 FP to his owners.
Hamilton’s Luke Tasker had his best Fantasy game of the season, putting up 15.3 FP in the Ticats’ loss to the REDBLACKS, as Winnipeg’s Darvin Adams wasn’t far behind with 15 Fantasy Points during their win over Edmonton. Tasker’s teammate, Brandon Banks, had 11.4 FP that included his second touchdown of the season, while Diontae Spencer’s presence as both a receiver and return specialist allowed him to tally 10.5 FP for his owners.
Alouettes receivers Ernest Jackson and B.J. Cunningham had their production hampered by the pressure the Argos’ defence put on Durant. Jackson had only 4.3 Fantasy points and Cunningham managed just one FP. An early exit limited Edmonton’s Vidal Hazleton to just 3.7 FP in the loss to the Blue Bombers.
