Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca
For the Alouettes, Lions and Tiger-Cats, Week 20 will be the end of the journey as their 2017 season will come to an end. For the other six playoff-bound teams, part of this week will be defined by which players will suit up and who will sit out for an extra week of rest prior to the playoffs.
Here’s how the injury report breaks down for the final week of the regular season.
RELATED
» CFL PICK ‘EM: MAKE YOUR PICKS TODAY
» BE THE GM IN CFL FANTASY
» FANTASY NEWS: WEEK 18 TIPS AND STRATEGIES
Montreal at Hamilton
Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Quarterback Matthew Shiltz will make his first CFL start in Week 20 (The Canadian Press)
Rookie quarterback Matt Shiltz ($5,000) gets his first start of the season as the team placed starter Darian Durant ($6,127) on the one-game injured list. Shiltz will have a chance to give the Alouettes a reason to consider him for the team’s plans for 2018. Fullback Jean-Christophe Beaulieu ($2,500) remains on the one-game injured list while the team added slotback Nik Lewis ($2,782) to the one-game IL after the league’s all-time leader in receptions played the final game of his career in last week’s loss to the Roughriders.
Ticats receiver Andy Fantuz ($3,758) returns from the one-game injured list, yet he will not play as Felix Faubert-Lussier ($2,500) and Jasper Collins ($2,500) will share snaps. Receiver/return specialist Willie Quinn ($2,500) will end the season on the one-game IL.
Winnipeg at Calgary
Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET
Timothy Flanders returns to the Bombers lineup this week (Jason Halstead/CFL.ca)
Quarterback Matt Nichols ($8,597) will not play in the finale after he suffered a leg injury early in last week’s loss to Edmonton. Dan LeFevour ($5,000), who has spent the season as the team’s short yardage pivot, gets the start over Dominique Davis ($5,000), who replaced Nichols last week. The Bombers do get running back Timothy Flanders ($3,843) back in the fold again after hamstring injuries kept him on the injured list for the past three games. Flanders’ return should revive running back Andrew Harris ($6,996), who rushed for just 148 yards in the three games Flanders was out.
Running back/return specialist Roy Finch ($4,848) returns to the Stampeders after missing the last two games. While Finch is back, the Stamps will be without receivers Marquay McDaniel ($4,239) and Marken Michel ($4,331). McDaniel will miss his third straight game while Michel’s hamstring keeps him on the one-game injured list for a second consecutive contest. Receiver Lemar Durant ($2,823) and running back Anthony Woodson ($2,500) remain on the six-game injured list.
Edmonton at Saskatchewan
Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Naaman Roosevelt will miss his third-straight game this week against the Eskimos (The Canadian Press)
It’s unlikely fullbacks Alexandre Dupuis ($2,500) and Pascal Lochard ($2,500) will be pulled off the one-game injured list. Neither was present at practice on Thursday. Running back LaDarius Perkins ($5,199) is also on the one-game injured list after his knee injury kept him inactive for last week’s win over Calgary. D’haquille Williams ($2,976) has missed the last two games. The rookie receiver could miss his third straight as the receiving trio of Brandon Zylstra, Derel Walker and Adarius Bowman continue to take the bulk of the targets from pivot Mike Reilly.
Running back Marcus Thigpen ($2,500) gets the start for the Roughriders, as starter Cameron Marshall ($5,750) and backup Trent Richardson ($2,500) will be on the one-game injured list. The status of running back Kienan LaFrance ($4,319) is in question after he has missed the last two games. If it is Thigpen getting the bulk of the carries, he will be a sleeper as an RB2 going against a Eskimos defence that is allowing a league-high six yards per carry. Running back Shakir Bell ($2,500) was signed earlier this week, but will not play. Receiver Naaman Roosevelt ($6,103) will miss his third straight game, yet he will be available for the playoffs beginning next week.
Toronto at BC
Saturday, 10:00 p.m. ET
Anthony Coombs is ready to return this week after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier in the season (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Pivot Ricky Ray gets another quality target as receiver Anthony Coombs ($3,114) returns to the Argonauts after being out with a shoulder injury that required surgery at mid-season. Coombs, who was among the league leaders in receptions before his injury, should have mid-tier WR2 value. Receiver Jeff Fuller ($2,500) remains on the one-game injured list, but he’s missed eight straight games. Running back Brandon Whitaker ($4,873) is also on the one-game injured list and could remain there for at least another week.
Lions receiver Chris Williams ($3,416) was a healthy scratch last week. Running back Shaquille Murray-Lawrence ($2,500) will likely miss a seventh-straight game while recovering from injuries acquired in a September auto accident.
