The Canadian Press
The warmth of summer offered hope to each Fantasy owner. Going into Week 1, there were no wrong picks. Instead, optimism and the sense of victory occupied the minds of everyone who pushed the “Save Changes” icon to confirm the first steps toward victory.
Fall’s chill, filled with blustery winds and the need to bundle up to hit the stadium tells us Week 20 is here. For those who survived the past 19 weeks and come into November with Fantasy title hopes, know this: there’s no fun until the job’s done, so for one last time (at least in the regular season), it’s time to figure out who gets plugged into your lineup and who needs to stay far away from it.
Montreal at Hamilton
Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Five-straight 100+ yard games in a row means Brandon Banks is a must-start this week (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
Start: Why wouldn’t you want to use Tiger-Cats receiver Brandon Banks ($8,142)? The league’s hottest pass catcher, Banks has five straight 100-yard games and is coming off a week in which he tallied 32.2 Fantasy points in the loss to Ottawa. Banks has ripped off six straight games of double-digit Fantasy production and is just 65 yards away from joining teammates Jalen Saunders ($4,819) and Luke Tasker ($5,885) in the 1,000-yard lounge. The Alouettes were unable to stop Banks in Week 18 when he caught six passes for 129 yards and a touchdown along with returning a punt for a score. It’s hard to imagine a Montreal defence that has allowed a league-high 32.2 points per game can slow Banks down.
Sit: With rookie Matt Shiltz getting the start in the regular season finale, Montreal’s receiving corps is a dicey investment, especially Ernest Jackson ($3,802), whose season hit a low with just one catch for six yards in last week’s loss to the Roughriders. The team’s biggest free agent acquisition has just 60 catches for 767 yards and six touchdowns, light years from his 2016 numbers (88-1,225-10) with Ottawa. His salary offers a glimmer of hope that he’s a low-end Flex option, yet Fantasy owners are best off moving past Jackson and the Als’ pass catchers.
Winnipeg at Calgary
Friday, 10:30 p.m. ET
Can Kamar Jorden add to his two touchdowns since returning from injury this week? (The Canadian Press)
Start: A rare two-game losing streak and an inconsistent offence has left the Stampeders looking for playmakers to step up heading into the post-season. Enter Kamar Jorden ($5,328), who has two touchdown catches in his first three games back from the six-game injured list. Showing signs of the receiver that opened the season with five touchdowns in his first three games, Jorden has a chance to go into the playoffs with momentum as he faces a Bombers defence that is tied with the Ticats with a league-high 33 touchdown passes allowed while giving up 330.6 passing yards per game. Even with the possible returns of Marquay McDaniel ($4,239) and Marken Michel ($4,331), Jorden and DaVaris Daniels ($5,515) should be the focal points of the passing game.
Sit: Matt Nichols’ leg injury will force him to miss the regular season finale and regardless of whether its Dominique Davis ($5,000) or Dan LeFevour ($5,000), the ripple effect on the Bombers’ passing game makes their receivers a risky proposition. The two pivots combined for 124 yards in last week’s loss to the Lions and with the team still seeking someone outside of Weston Dressler ($4,640) to help carry the load at receiver, the prospects of committing a roster spot to a Bombers player not named Andrew Harris ($6,996) makes little sense against the league’s top pass defence (264.2 yards per game).
Edmonton at Saskatchewan
Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET
With all of the offensive weapons in Edmonton, Vidal Hazelton may be the odd one out this week (Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca)
Start: For all the offensive firepower on display here, the best play comes in the form of Roughriders running back Marcus Thigpen ($2,500), who gets the start in place of injured backs Cameron Marshall ($5,750), Kienan LaFrance ($4,319) and Trent Richardson ($2,500). Why Thigpen? Well, the Eskimos have allowed a league-high six yards per carry and have given up a league-worst 13 runs of more than 20 yards. Thigpen is a great option for Fantasy owners who want to grab bang for their buck at either RB2 or Flex. He’s also the type of back who won’t need too many touches to provide an impact.
Sit: Vidal Hazelton ($4,663) is the odd man out in an Eskimos passing game that has Most Outstanding Player candidate Brandon Zylstra ($8,360), the steady presence of Derel Walker ($6,546) and a resurgent Adarius Bowman ($4,905). Add the pass-catching abilities of running back C.J. Gable ($8,081) and Hazelton is the player who will lack a high number of targets from quarterback Mike Reilly.
Toronto at BC
Saturday, 10:00 p.m. ET
Starting James Wilder Jr. may be a good option against the BC Lions defence this week (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Start: Running back James Wilder ($7,082) has three games of more than 20 Fantasy points in his last five outings and while he goes against the league’s best run defence (80.2 yards per game), his skills as a receiver has been one reason Wilder has been one of the most productive players the second half of the regular season. He has 30 receptions for 350 yards in his last five games with three receptions over 30 yards in that span. Wilder’s size and speed have translated well since the Argonauts added him to the starting lineup in Week 13 and will cause problems for the BC defence.
Sit: Jeremiah Johnson ($6,887) returns to the starting lineup for the finale, but his production has tapered off since his 91-yard, two-major effort in Week 12. Johnson has failed to score a touchdown since then while also rushing for more than 67 yards just once in that span. A 1,000-yard season (he has 886 yards) realistically isn’t out of range for Johnson, but he hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in a game this year and with the team also looking to perhaps get both Chris Rainey ($6,891) and Tyler Davis ($2,500) touches, the odds are stacked against Johnson being a viable Fantasy option.
