Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
While Winnipeg pivot Matt Nichols topped the Week 12 field with 28.6 Fantasy points, the most interesting Fantasy aspect of the week came at receiver, as just 0.3 points separated Edmonton’s Brandon Zylstra, Diontae Spencer of the REDBLACKS and Clarence Denmark of the Blue Bombers.
Nichols eclipsed his previous season-best of 28.3 Fantasy Points set against BC in Week 5 behind the strength of 282 yards and three touchdowns on 24-for-37 passing, yet it was his running that helped him top the pack at pivot. Nichols had two carries for 53 yards, including a season-best 41-yard run, that earned him 5.3 of his total Fantasy points for the week. He was one of four quarterbacks to reach the 20 FP barrier, as Nichols was joined by Montreal’s Darian Durant (23.9), BC’s Jonathon Jennings (season-high 21) and Edmonton’s Mike Reilly (20.6).
BE THE GM IN CFL FANTASY
» Play TSN CFL Fantasy
» Make your picks in CFL Pick ‘Em
» MMQB: Backup QBs ready to play
Saskatchewan’s Kevin Glenn was on his way to a 20-FP outing for the third time in the last four games before he sustained an injured hand in the third quarter of the Roughriders’ Banjo Bowl loss at Winnipeg. Glenn finished with 18.1 Fantasy Points, while Ottawa’s Trevor Harris recorded 12.1 FP before he suffered a shoulder injury in the loss to Hamilton.
Calgary’s Andrew Buckley did not throw a pass in Week 12, yet the Stampeders’ short-yardage specialist accounted for 12.2 FP on a pair of short touchdown runs.
Ten receivers had double-digit production, with Eskimos standout Zylstra sporting a position-best 18.7 Fantasy Points after he pulled in 10 catches for 187 yards in the loss to Calgary. Zylstra, who recorded his fifth 100-yard game of the season, just nudged past REDBLACKS do-all receiver Spencer’s 18.6 FP, while Denmark, who caught two of Nichols’ three majors in the win over the Roughriders, finished with 18.5 Fantasy points.
Touchdown machine Duron Carter had just two catches for 96 yards, yet the Saskatchewan playmaker found the end zone for a sixth straight week when he caught a career-best 88-yard major from Glenn, allowing him to record 17 FP. Roughriders teammate Naaman Roosevelt had 16.2 FP, while Edmonton’s Derel Walker’s return to the league resulted in a 15.5 FP night against the Stamps that saw him put up 93 receiving yards while scoring on a two-yard run.
Despite being held to two catches, Duron Carter enjoyed another strong day in fantasy (Liam Richards/Electric Umbrella)
Edmonton’s D’haquille Williams had 14.2 Fantasy points, while Calgary’s Marquay McDaniel put up 11.6 FP. Winnipeg’s Ryan Lankford finished with 11.5 FP, while REDBLACKS receiver Joshua Stangby had 11. 4 Fantasy Points.
Hamilton’s C.J. Gable surprised his Fantasy owners with a 22.2 FP week that was tops among running backs. Gable had 11 carries for 74 yards and a pair of rushing majors along with catching three passes for 28 yards. The production was enough for the Ticats’ back to edge past BC’s Jeremiah Johnson, whose two rushing touchdowns helped spark his 21.1 FP outing against the Alouettes.
Three other backs hit the double-digit plateau, with Saskatchewan’s Kienan LaFrance putting up 13 FP in his first start against the Blue Bombers, while versatile Lions standout Chris Rainey amassed 12.4 FP. Ottawa’s Mossis Madu put up 10.6 FP in the REDBLACKS’ loss to the Ticats.
Among the disappointing performances of the week, Ottawa’s Greg Ellingson proved to be surprising, as he finished with 4.7 Fantasy Points in the loss to Hamilton. Ellingson had just 47 yards on three receptions, while high-salaried running backs Jerome Messam (Stampeders) and Andrew Harris (Bombers) managed just 5.4 and 7.8 Fantasy points, respectively. Calgary’s Bo Levi Mitchell had just 10.9 FP, as he was held without a touchdown pass for the second time in the last three games.
