The Canadian Press
Thursday’s doubleheader will be a feast for TSN CFL Fantasy players, as the top quarterback, running back and receiver will be in action to kick off a Week 8 that has plenty of movement in the positional rankings.
To the shock of no one, Edmonton’s Mike Reilly ($14,000) sits atop the throne at pivot following a Week 7 that saw him throw four touchdowns and add a fifth on the ground. The Eskimos will be challenged, though, by a Saskatchewan defence that is tied for second in fewest offensive touchdowns allowed with 10.
The Roughriders are second only to the Stampeders in fewest yards allowed per game at 306, which will give users of Reilly a moment of pause.
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Jeremiah Masoli will hope that a visit to Montreal will aid in getting the Ticats back on track as they’ll take on the last place Alouettes. (Adam Gagnon, CFL.ca)
Hamilton’s Jeremiah Masoli ($9,014) has struggled of late, having gone four straight games without at least 20 Fantasy points. He has a chance to redeem himself against an Alouettes defence that allowed Reilly to put 415 yards in the air. Masoli’s lack of passing majors has been a pressing issue, but Friday’s tilt at Montreal could silence critics, if only for a week.
New Argos starter McLeod Bethel-Thompson comes in at sixth. Bethel-Thompson comes with a $6,000 salary and has a chance to display his big arm against a REDBLACKS defence that leads the league with 13 completions allowed of better than 30 yards. He would be a needed tonic for receivers S.J. Green ($5,344) and Armanti Edwards ($3,873), both of whom have yet to score a touchdown this season.
Toronto would be helped by a stellar effort from James Wilder Jr., who tops the running back rankings with his $7,807 salary, just a hair behind the $7,822 of Ottawa’s William Powell. Wilder showed signs of breaking out of his struggles in last week’s loss at Winnipeg and his pass-catching skills only enhances his potential. Powell has been flat the past two games, yet like Wilder, was able to put up good numbers in Week 7 due to his receiving prowess.
Keep an eye on Saskatchewan’s Marcus Thigpen ($5,045), who will see more touches in the wake of Jerome Messam’s release. The Eskimos are eighth in rushing yards allowed per game and are tied with the Bombers with nine rushing majors given up. Thigpen is a potential sleeper who could be the difference-maker in a potential shootout.
Eskimos receiver D’haquille Williams is no longer a bargain, as his $8,359 salary indicates. Williams will bid for his fifth straight 100-yard outing against the rugged Roughriders defence, while teammate Derel Walker ($7,357) is also on the high end of the salary scale. Hamilton’s duo of Brandon Banks ($7,740) and Jalen Saunders ($6,591) could be welcoming Luke Tasker ($6,657) back to the lineup after a two-game absence. The trio gets a Montreal defence that is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete an average of 68.8 per cent of their passes.
Calgary’s defence (no surprise) tops the field at $6,099 and will face a BC squad fresh off its first bye week of the season. The Stamps are near the top in almost every defensive category, making the thought of using Lions running back Chris Rainey ($6,349) and receivers Emmanuel Arceneaux ($5,373) and Bryan Burnham ($4,697) a risky proposition. Hamilton comes into the week with a $3,267 salary for its defence, but they could be a great bargain in their matchup against a Montreal offence that is last in scoring (15.3 points per game).
Here are player rankings for Week 8:
Quarterback
| Matchup Rank (Position Rank) | Player | Value | Opponent |
| 1 (1) | Mike Reilly, EDM | $14,000 | SSK |
| 2 (2) | Jeremiah Masoli, HAM | $9,014 | MTL |
| 3 (4) | Bo Levi Mitchell, CGY | $8,171 | BC |
| 4 (5) | Trevor Harris, OTT | $8,137 | TOR |
| 5 (9) | Travis Lulay, BC | $6,105 | CGY |
| 6 (10) | McLeod Bethel-Thompson, TOR | $6,000 | OTT |
| 7 (15) | Vernon Adams Jr., MTL | $5,000 | HAM |
| 8 (13) | Brandon Bridge, SSK | $5,432 | EDM |
| 9 (7) | Johnny Manziel, MTL | $7,000 | HAM |
| 10 (6) | James Franklin, TOR | $7,844 | OTT |
Running Back
| Matchup Rank (Position Rank) | Player | Value | Opponent |
| 1 (2) | James Wilder Jr., TOR | $7,807 | OTT |
| 2 (1) | William Powell, OTT | $7,822 | TOR |
| 3 (3) | Tyrell Sutton, MTL | $6,533 | HAM |
| 4 (5) | C.J. Gable, EDM | $6,253 | SSK |
| 5 (10) | Marcus Thigpen, SSK | $5,045 | EDM |
| 6 (8) | Don Jackson, CGY | $5,979 | BC |
| 7 (15) | John White, HAM | $4,000 | MTL |
| 8 (4) | Chris Rainey, BC | $6,349 | CGY |
| 9 (13) | Terry Williams, CGY | $4,069 | BC |
| 10 (12) | Travon Van, BC | $4,745 | CGY |
| 11 (14) | Tre Mason, SSK | $4,000 | EDM |
| 12 (6) | Jeremiah Johnson, BC | $6,250 | CGY |
| 13 (22) | Christion Jones, SSK | $2,979 | EDM |
| 14 (T-23) | Jordan Robinson, EDM | $2,500 | SSK |
| 15 (17) | Martese Jackson, TOR | $3,425 | OTT |
| 16 (21) | Declan Cross, TOR | $2,997 | OTT |
Receiver
| Matchup Rank (Position Rank) | Player | Value | Opponent |
| 1 (1) | D’hquille Williams, EDM | $8,359 | SSK |
| 2 (2) | Eric Rogers, CGY | $7,848 | BC |
| 3 (3) | Brandon Banks, HAM | $7,740 | MTL |
| 4 (6) | Kamar Jorden, CGY | $6,907 | BC |
| 5 (4) | Derel Walker, EDM | $7,357 | SSK |
| 6 (8) | Jalen Saunders, HAM | $6,591 | MTL |
| 7 (5) | Brad Sinopoli, OTT | $7,113 | TOR |
| 8 (16) | Kenny Stafford, EDM | $4,867 | SSK |
| 9 (10) | Diontae Spencer, OTT | $6,155 | TOR |
| 10 (15) | DaVaris Daniels, CGY | $5,119 | BC |
| 11 (9) | Greg Ellingson, OTT | $6,281 | TOR |
| 12 (13) | Emmanuel Arceneaux, BC | $5,373 | CGY |
| 13 (7) | Luke Tasker, HAM | $6,657 | MTL |
| 14 (11) | Naaman Roosevelt, SSK | $5,548 | EDM |
| 15 (18) | Bryan Burnham, BC | $4,697 | CGY |
| 16 (14) | S.J. Green, TOR | $5,344 | OTT |
| 17 (17) | B.J. Cunningham, MTL | $4,779 | HAM |
| 18 (19) | Marken Michel, CGY | $4,663 | BC |
| 19 (27) | Caleb Holley, SSK | $2,898 | EDM |
| 20 (12) | Terrence Toliver, HAM | $5,340 | MTL |
| 21 (21) | Armanti Edwards, TOR | $3,873 | OTT |
| 22 (20) | Chris Williams, HAM | $4,573 | MTL |
| 23 (24) | Shaquille Johnson, BC | $3,117 | CGY |
| 24 (T-32) | Jordan Williams-Lambert, SSK | $2,500 | EDM |
| 25 (23) | Bryant Mitchell, EDM | $3,247 | SSK |
| 26 (T-32) | Rodney Smith, TOR | $2,500 | OTT |
| 27 (T-32) | Shaquelle Evans, SSK | $2,500 | EDM |
| 28 (28) | Ernest Jackson, MTL | $2,717 | HAM |
| 29 (T-31) | Ricky Collins, BC | $3,611 | MTL |
| 30 (T-32) | Chris Harper, MTL | $2,500 | HAM |
Defence
| Matchup Rank (Position Rank) | Team | Value | Opponent |
| 1 (1) | Calgary | $6,099 | CGY |
| 2 (3) | Edmonton | $3,679 | SSK |
| 3 (4) | Ottawa | $3,624 | TOR |
| 4 (2) | Saskatchewan | $5,298 | EDM |
| 5 (6) | Hamilton | $3,267 | MTL |
| 6 (5) | Toronto | $3,376 | OTT |
| 7 (T-7) | BC | $3,200 | CGY |
| 8 (T-7) | Montreal | $3,200 | HAM |
