CFL/Patrick Doyle
The REDBLACKS needed a three-game win streak at the end of the regular season to make the playoffs, where the then-defending Grey Cup Champions were bounced out by the Roughriders. Scoring shouldn’t be a problem in Ottawa, as quarterback Trevor Harris operates a high-octane attack that includes elite playmakers in Greg Ellingson and Diontae Spencer at receiver and 1,000-yard rusher William Powell. The quartet will each be highly sought after by Fantasy players. Each should deliver in a big way this season.
QUARTERBACKS
Trevor Harris proved his detractors wrong and showed he can carry a franchise. Harris led the league with a 103.6 efficiency rating and tied Edmonton’s Mike Reilly with 30 touchdown passes. An upper body injury cost him three games, but Harris returned in time to deliver two of his nine 300-yard games down the stretch that helped put Ottawa in the post-season.
Harris passed for at least two touchdowns in eight of his first nine games and pulled off the feat 12 times during the regular season. His quick-strike style spurred him to the lead the league with 14 passing majors of 30 or more yards. About the only knock Fantasy players can tag on Harris is that he’s not much of a runner, finishing with just 78 yards on 21 carries last season. However, he did have three scores in the previous two seasons.
Slated to be a free agent at season’s end, Harris has the motivation to prove to both Ottawa’s fan base and Fantasy players that last year’s impressive numbers weren’t a fluke. As long as he’s healthy, another season of 4,700 passing yards and 25-30 touchdowns are a conservative projection.
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Former Bombers backup Dominique Davis arrives to the REDBLACKS to give the team a more explosive option, as the ballclub struggled badly when Harris was sidelined. Davis completed just 59 per cent of his passes last season but sports a big arm and the running skills that should make him the team’s short yardage specialist. Danny Collins and William Arndt will fight for the third spot.
RUNNING BACKS
A variety of injuries either kept William Powell off the field or limited his work on it during the first 12 weeks of the season. Once he got healthy, he became the league’s most productive runner and a Fantasy beast. Powell rushed for a staggering 821 yards in the last six games of the regular season and scored three of his five touchdowns on the ground. He capped his run with 133 yards and two scores in a Week 19 victory over the Tiger-Cats that helped push the REDBLACKS into the playoffs. He finished his regular season with 1,026 yards, second only to Winnipeg’s Andrew Harris. Powell was also productive as a receiver, pulling in 37 receptions for 269 yards and a score.
As long as Powell is healthy, he will be a Fantasy RB1 that can flash his dual threat skills. Repeating 1,000 yards might be a stretch, but 950 rushing yards and 6-8 touchdowns is a reasonable projection for him.
Mossis Madu, Jr., who was one of the heroes of the team’s 2016 run to the Grey Cup title, appeared in just seven games and ran for 317 yards and two touchdowns on 71 carries. He was re-signed in January and will be the first man up if Powell gets injured. Like Powell, Madu is a solid receiver (23 catches, 188 yards, two majors) and will be a good RB2/Flex play if needed to carry the load in Ottawa.
Former second round pick Wayne Moore will bid for a roster spot with Ed Ilnicki and Cedric O’Neal. The team pleasantly discovered that fullback Brendan Gillanders can be an effective runner, but don’t expect him to see more than a smattering of carries.
RECEIVERS
Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli were the league’s most productive receiving combo, combining for 187 receptions for 2,869 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Ellingson led the league with 12 touchdown receptions, 15 catches of at least 30 yards and 41 hauls on second down while also finishing fourth with 1,459 yards. He’ll come into this season seeking his fourth straight 1,000-yard campaign and at 29 years old, Ellingson has a good chance to eclipse his 96 catches from last season and cross the 100-reception barrier for the first time. He’s Fantasy gold.
Sinopoli wasn’t as Fantasy-friendly as Ellingson, but did catch 91 passes for 1,009 yards before an injury cost him the last two games of the regular season and the playoffs. He had at least five receptions in 10 games but only crossed the goal line three times. Still, few in the league can master underneath routes like Sinopoli.
Greg Ellingson is likely to contend for the league receiving title once again (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
One of the game’s most electric players, Spencer’s value as a return specialist only enhances his Fantasy value. Named to the East Division All-Star team as a return man, Spencer put up 1,396 yards in returns and scored on a punt and missed field goal return. He was just as productive as a pass catcher, as he reeled 71 passes for 922 yards and six scores. Spencer put up one of the greatest performances in league history when he accounted for a record 496 all-purpose yards in the regular season finale against Hamilton. With Joshua Stangby, Kenny Shaw and Juron Criner departed, Spencer could see more than the 113 targets thrown in his direction last year.
A host of youngsters will compete for playing time alongside Ellingson, Sinopoli and Spencer. Dominique Rhymes caught 15 passes last season and his 14.6 yards per catch only hint at what could be a breakout season. Chance Allen and Lindell Bonner III, both rookies from the University of Houston, could break camp with roster spots while Austen Hartley will look to be more involved in the offence after suiting up for 11 games without recording a reception.
The team lost Jake Harty to a season-ending torn ACL early in camp, costing them a youngster who caught 27 passes for 226 yards and a score. Ottawa did add experience with Julian Feoli-Gudino, who caught a career-high 45 passes last season with Winnipeg.
DEFENCE
The REDBLACKS were third in the league in points allowed, giving up 25.1 per contest. Their run defence was stout, giving up a league-low nine rushing touchdowns while finishing second only to the Argonauts in fewest rushing yards allowed (84.2 per game). After struggling at times early in the season, the pass defence improved enough to finish seventh in the league with 316.6 yards per game.
However, the unit was unable to consistently force turnovers. Ottawa created a league-low 22 turnovers as only the Alouettes (eight) recorded fewer interceptions than the 11 plucked by the REDBLACKS, who also could not bring enough pressure on quarterbacks. The D had just 31 sacks, sixth in the league. Avery Ellis led the team with six QB takedowns in a solid rookie season but the loss of Zack Evans (five sacks) and linebacker Taylor Reed (team-high 94 tackles in 2017) will hurt. Until they can improve on those categories, the Ottawa defence should be avoided.
