Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
The defending Grey Cup Champions are hanging their hopes on a full season of James Wilder Jr. in the backfield and one more Hall of Fame-calibre campaign left in Ricky Ray. Since the Argonauts won’t be able to surprise anyone in 2018, they’ll need those two producing at a level which will make Fantasy players call upon them almost every week.
QUARTERBACKS
Ray started the regular season with a 506-yard outing against Hamilton and eclipsed the 300-yard mark in seven of his first eight games on his way to a league-high 13 300-yard games. Only twice did Ray not throw a touchdown pass in the regular or post-season, finishing his campaign with a combined 6,109 yards and 30 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions. Ray also led the league with 474 completions and his 71 per cent completion rate was just percentage points lower than the league-high accuracy of Winnipeg’s Matt Nichols.
The 38-year-old Ray decided to return for at least one more season and should have more than enough left in the tank to remain a solid Fantasy option while bidding for a record fifth Grey Cup title as a starter. He missed only one game last year after only playing in a combined 12 games in 2015-16. Don’t rely on Ray’s running skills as he rushed for just 52 yards on eight carries and has not scored a rushing major since 2014.
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Toronto acquired its pivot of the future when trading for James Franklin in December and signing him to an extension in February. Franklin was impressive in limited duty with the Eskimos and has the attributes to become a star. He is a dual threat who sports a 12:1 TD:INT margin in 176 attempts while averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Although 2019 will likely be his time to shine, Franklin will draw a host of Fantasy attention if he does have to replace Ray for an extended period this year.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson has surprised everyone by competing for the No. 2 job with James Franklin, and separating himself from fourth-stringer Dakota Prukop on the depth chart. He will have Fantasy value if he ever finds himself in a starting role.
RUNNING BACKS
Toronto started the season with Brandon Whitaker as the lead back, but the veteran was unable to offer the Argonauts a consistent ground game. That changed when they made the move to rookie James Wilder Jr. prior to Week 13 against Edmonton.
Wilder erupted for 190 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries and followed that up with 141 yards and a major on only 10 carries the following week against Montreal. He finished the regular season averaging a league-best 7.1 yards per carry on his way to 872 yards and five touchdowns while adding 51 receptions for 533 yards. He signed a new contract over the winter and comes into the season as a back that will draw a host of Fantasy attention each week. The Argonauts believe Wilder Jr. can rush for over 1,000 yards and produce 700 receiving yards. If they’re right, his second season will jaw-dropping.
James Wilder Jr. averaged an astonishing 7.1 yards per carry in his rookie season (Johany Jutras/Argonauts.ca)
Martese Jackson emerged as one of the league’s top return specialists, putting up a combined 2,123 yards and return touchdowns on a punt and missed field goal during the regular season before adding another punt return for a major during the post-season. He would be a good RB2 if the Argos get him more involved in the passing game. He showed some prowess in that area with 18 receptions for 145 yards and a score.
Rookies Stanley “Boom” Williams and Brandon Burks impressed in pre-season, and veteran Greg Morris will also compete for a roster spot. Williams has dual threat skills, while Morris comes over from Saskatchewan where he handled kickoff return duties early in the regular season before Christion Jones took the role.
Fullback Declan Cross will continue to be a factor in the passing game. Cross caught 36 passes and scored five touchdowns while gaining Ray’s trust as the season went on.
RECEIVERS
S.J. Green arrived from Montreal and developed a great rapport with Ray. He rebounded from a near career-ending knee injury to finish second only to Brandon Zylstra with 1,462 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 104 catches. Green is a sure-fire WR1 who still has some miles left in him at age 32. Another East All-Star nod is most likely in the offing for Green, who will look for a sixth 1,000-yard season.
Like Green, Armanti Edwards came to Toronto via trade. Having been acquired from the Roughriders, Edwards appeared in 17 games and caught 83 passes for 962 yards and four scores. With Grey Cup hero DeVier Posey and Jeff Fuller leaving Toronto, Edwards might see bigger numbers in the role of WR2 for the Argos. Finally established as a quality receiver, Edwards can be viewed as a WR2 by Fantasy players and could be more valuable if he can find the end zone more often.
With losses in the Argos’ receiving corps, Armanti Edwards is the No. 2 option in Toronto (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Jimmy Ralph caught 26 passes for 278 yards in 10 games during his rookie season. He’s a promising talent who looks to be more involved in the offence and could be a Fantasy bargain should he get a starting spot.
Toronto’s youth movement at receiver also includes Brian Jones, Llevi Noel and Malcolm Williams, both of whom offer the size to create matchup problems. Alex Charette, who played in five games with the Argonauts last year, will be another who will factor in the race for roster space while former two-time All PAC-12 member, Bralon Addison, arrives in Canada after a brief spell with the Chicago Bears last year.
Don’t forget about Anthony Coombs, who should benefit from the new scoring format that features point-per-reception. Coombs is a high-volume receiver when he’s in the game for the Argos and was on pace for close to 1,000 yards before being injured.
DEFENCE
Toronto had the second-toughest defence in the league when it came to yards per game allowed (329.1) and tied for the league lead with 50 quarterback sacks. They were also lights out against the run, topping the league with a mere 82.8 yards allowed per game while giving up just six runs of more than 20 yards.
Still, the Argos were middle of the pack when it came to forcing turnovers, creating just 28, ranking them sixth overall. Defensive back Cassius Vaughn led the team with five interceptions and returned them for 209 yards and a touchdown, while end Victor Butler created four forced fumbles along with leading the team with 10 sacks. The unit will be without linebacker Bear Woods for at least a month, costing them its top tackler from 2017 (90), while Butler has since retired.
The Argonauts will be a solid choice for Fantasy players, and even more so if they can increase their turnover total.
