June 9, 2018

Harris headlines dominant trio of running backs

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

The CFL is known more for high-flying aerial attacks than “three yards and a cloud of dust” ground and pound schemes, but that doesn’t make the running back position any less valuable. The best running backs in the league contribute as much in the passing game as receivers as they do as ball carriers, so looking for players that can contribute in multiple facets of their team’s offence is essential to building strong Fantasy football lineups.

Building Blocks

The big three Building Block backs have versatility and placement in offensive schemes that involve them both the running and passing game, putting them on the top of the pile. C.J. Gable, James Wilder Jr., and Andrew Harris are gifted runners and pass-catchers that are looked to plenty between the 20s and — even more importantly — in the red zone.

Gable always showed potential as a rusher and receiver but never received a sizable enough workload in Hamilton to become a Fantasy football star. His mid-season trade to the Eskimos changed all of that. Despite Edmonton being known for its deadly passing game with Mike Reilly at the helm, they ran the highest percentage of running plays of any team in the league at 35.9 per cent. In the Eskimos’ offence, Gable went from getting just a handful of touches a game in Hamilton (12.5) to averaging 22 touches a game. There is no reason to believe his workload will diminish this season with the departure of Travon Van and John White. Regardless of matchup, Gable should be in consideration for a lineup spot each week.


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Wilder Jr. was also a second half breakout star in 2017, but his emergence came as much more of a surprise. Through the first seven weeks of the season he averaged only 4.5 yards per carry and was virtually nonexistent in the passing game. That all changed against Edmonton in Week 13 as the breakout began (257 yards from scrimmage). He averaged 8.4 yards per carry through his final six games. His role as a receiver also boomed, as he averaged 7.5 targets per game through the end of the year. He came out of nowhere, but seems destined to stay in the elite tier of running backs this season after signing a new contract with Toronto.

Harris has as much upside as any player in the league on a given week, however his 2017 production was quite a bit more mercurial than either Gable or Wilder. His yards per attempt stayed consistent but his role in the offence fluctuated anywhere between 10 to 23 touches from scrimmage. In his high-usage games, he could net 100 yards rushing and another 100 yards receiving coupled with multiple touchdowns, but he may net only a dozen Fantasy points a game, which is far too low for the salary needed to use him in lineups. If Matt Nichols returns to full health and Adarius Bowman takes some of the coverage off the top of Harris’ routes underneath coverage, he could have a huge season, but there are more risks here weekly than with Gable or Wilder.

Solid Plays

The next group of players has a few more question marks than the Building Blocks at the position, but certainly have the potential to emerge as Fantasy stars this season if things break their way. There is athleticism and opportunity in this group, but their offences and grasps on starting positions may be slightly more tenuous than the trio of elite runners.

The off-season in Calgary saw the departure of both Jerome Messam and Roy Finch from the Stampeders backfield. The Stamps ran the second-highest percentage of running plays of any team in the league last season at 35.8 per cent, so there is an opening there for a new face to break onto the Fantasy scene. There will certainly be competition for the job in training camp, but after a short and glorious stint as starter last season, it seems that Terry Williams should have the inside track there. In his lone start against the Alouettes in Week 15 last season, Williams took 16 carries for 156 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to go along with two targets in the passing game. If he manages to secure the role as the full-time starter he’s worthy of weekly consideration for lineups given his talent and potential workload.

If he starts, Terry Williams will be a dark horse option at the running back position (The Canadian Press)

Alex Green has a slightly longer track record than Williams, as he started for the Ticats down the stretch after the departure of Gable. He doesn’t offer as much utility in the passing game as many other running backs in the league, which hurts his overall ceiling, but he had a consistent workload as a ball carrier, especially in the red zone. Touchdowns scorers are kings in fantasy football. Averaging 5.4 yards per carry while scoring five touchdowns in six games makes him an interesting player to keep an eye on this season if the Ticats come roaring out of the gates in 2018.

If William Powell can stay on the field this season, he could quickly find himself among the building blocks. Powell has managed to play in only 18 games over the past two seasons and has exited early from a number of games due to injuries. When he has played, he’s been electric, averaging nearly 14 carries for 82 yards and 3.7 targets in the passing game. A healthy Powell can be a bargain that will free up salary to roster stars at other positions.

Spot Starts

This tier of runners is more matchup-dependent and have many more questions regarding their roles in their respective offences. They won’t have the same kind of upside as the upper tiered running backs, but their salary relief may allow for unique lineups builds with emphasis on elite players in other lineup spots.

Jeremiah Johnson and Anthony Allen had a unique timeshare in the Lions backfield during the 2016 season. The departure of Allen prior to last season seemed to open the door to stardom for Johnson but it was not to be. When he scored touchdowns (12), he had dominant weeks. When he was kept out of the end zone, he had multiple weeks with single-digit point production, which is just not survivable in fantasy. His averages of 5.8 yards per carry and 11.3 yards per reception are great, but like Harris, his workload bounced between 6-19 opportunities per game. The additions of Brandon Rutley and Travon Van in BC this off-season doesn’t bode well for his workload in this year, making Johnson a risky option to start the season.

Lions RB Jeremiah Johnson (right) cooled off after a red-hot start in 2017 (The Canadian Press)

Tim Flanders also fits the mold of a timeshare back. Harris is clearly the RB1 for the Bombers, but there are weeks that Flanders receives a lot of extra work as receiver out of the slot. The addition of Adarius Bowman may cut down on those opportunities this season, so a strong “wait and see” approach to using Flanders in Fantasy contests is warranted. If Harris goes down to injury at any point, don’t hesitate to slot the similarly versatile Flanders into your lineup at a significant savings.

It’s nearly impossible to decipher what the Roughriders are going to do at the position. Cam Marshall, who got the bulk of the carries in the early part of last season, has been released. Both of last season’s late contributors — Trent Richardson and Marcus Thigpen — are on the suspended list, and their off-season signing, Messam, tailed off late in the season. Former NFLer Zac Stacy has seen a lot of touches early in camp, but he hasn’t seen significant work since 2013. If any of these backs can get a stranglehold on the starting job in Saskatchewan they could be extremely valuable.

With the Montreal offence in such a state of flux at the quarterback and with a new head coach in Mike Sherman, it’s hard to know what to do with Tyrell Sutton. On the bright side, Rutley is gone so he’s unlikely to lose as many touches to other Als backs. The Alouettes ran the third-highest percentage of running plays of any team in 2017 at 34.7% per cent, but given the ineptitude of their offence that was still the third-fewest total number running plays in the league. If the Montreal offence can find an identity and manage to stay on the field, there is reason for optimism for Sutton, but if he continues to average only 10-15 touches a game in an offence bereft of scoring ability, there’s not much reason to consider him for Fantasy purposes.

Long Shots

If none of the particular week’s main options at running back seem to be a fit, there is the unique option of selecting a return specialist who can offer points for punt and kick return yards that could provide some boom or bust options. Chris Rainey (BC), Martese Jackson (Toronto), and Christion Jones (Saskatchewan) may not get a lot of regular work in their team’s offence, but their contributions as return specialists can lead to a steady baseline of points that can skyrocket if they manage to return a kick or two for touchdowns. It’s a risky play, but one that can pay dividends when it hits.

Backup Plans

Most teams feature only one running back on the field, which means reserve backs carry little value on a weekly basis. When they are called into starting duty, most initially have very cheap price tags. A few names to keep an eye on as the season wears on and injuries pile up are Brandon Rutley and Travon Van (BC), Don Jackson (Calgary), Mossis Madu Jr. (Ottawa), and Josh Robinson and William Stanback (Montreal). Each back has shown promise and would immediately vault into weekly fantasy consideration if they were to land a starting job.