Matt Smith/CFL.ca
The road to the Grey Cup begins Sunday, with each of the four teams participating in the Semi-Final round feeling the impact of who returns off the injured list and who is unable to play.
Eastern Semi-Final
Saskatchewan at Ottawa
It’s a mixed bag for the Roughriders, who get All-Star receiver Naaman Roosevelt ($5,891) off the IL after he missed the last three games of the regular season. Roosevelt, who caught 75 passes for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns, adds to the firepower available to quarterback Kevin Glenn ($6,046). Unfortunately, Saskatchewan will be without two of its top three rushers, as running backs Cameron Marshall ($5,537) and Trent Richardson ($2,500) will remain on the one-game injured list.
Both backs are dealing with lower body injuries. Kienan LaFrance ($3,799) will get the start in the backfield for the Riders, while Marcus Thigpen ($2,500), who scored twice in last week’s loss to the Eskimos, serves as the backup and Greg Morris ($2,500) the team’s third back.
Ottawa gets the return of receiver Joshua Stangby ($2,990), who had missed the last two months with a hip injury. Stangby will give the defending Grey Cup Champs a replacement for injured All-Star Brad Sinopoli ($3,364), as his 41 catches and 478 yards also included five touchdowns in the regular season. Receiver/return specialist Quincy McDuffie ($2,500) remains on the injured list, but the REDBLACKS’ return game will be in good shape with All-Star Diontae Spencer ($6,836) handling kickoff and punt return duties.
RELATED:
» Everything Fantasy for the Semi-Finals
» CFL.ca’s top 30 to watch in the playoffs
» Play TSN CFL Fantasy presented by AGF
Western Semi-Final
Edmonton at Winnipeg
After a regular season filled with injuries, the Eskimos’ offence comes into the post-season near full-strength. Receiver D’haquille Williams ($2,868) comes off the one-game injured list and will serve as the backup to Vidal Hazelton ($3,888), giving Most Outstanding Player finalist Mike Reilly ($14,000) another target in an already deep pass-catching corps. With Williams’ return to the roster, receiver Bryant Mitchell ($3,867) was placed on the one-game injured list. Running backs Pascal Lochard ($2,500) and LaDarius Perkins ($5,048) remain on the one-game IL.
The big news for the Bombers is that pivot Matt Nichols ($8,344) returns to the lineup after missing last week’s regular season finale with a lower body injury. The league’s leader in both passing efficiency and completion percentage gives the offence the ignition to an attack that averaged a league-high 30.8 points per game.
All-Star receiver Darvin Adams ($5,941) will remain sidelined. Winnipeg had a scare of sorts on Friday when backup running back/slot back Timothy Flanders ($3,994) was hurt in practice, but coach Mike O’Shea said he was confident the versatile complement to All-Star Andrew Harris ($6,334) will be available.
