Start vs Sit: Step on up, Mike Jones

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

Round 1 of the Labour Day Weekend contests took a huge toll, as Stampeders receiver Kamar Jorden ($9,596), Tiger-Cats receiver Jalen Saunders ($7,214) and Eskimos receiver Derel Walker ($8,537) each suffered injuries that are expected to keep them out for extended periods of time. However, Week 13 goes on, leaving potential sleeper plays in the wake of three of the league’s top pass catches finding their way onto the injured list.

Who’s starting and who’s sitting in a week highlighted by a triple-header on Saturday? Let’s unearth the answers.

Despite having over 300 receiving yards in his last three games combined, Ottawa’s Greg Ellingson hasn’t scored a major since Week 3 against Calgary. (Adam Gagnon, CFL.ca)

Ottawa (6-4-0) at BC (3-6-0)

Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET

Start: Greg Ellingson, WR, REDBLACKS, $6,823 Salary

The Ellingson of 2017 is back. Sort of. In his three games, Ellingson has 27 receptions for 314 yards yet has not scored a major since a Week 3 loss against Calgary. BC’s seventh-ranked pass defence (283.8 yards allowed per game) must contain what will be a very aggressive Ottawa offence that comes off an embarrassing effort in last Friday’s loss to Montreal. That means REDBLACKS pivot Trevor Harris ($9,366) must take shots downfield, a facet of the offence that has been a problem this season. Ottawa is last in the league with 12 completions of better than 30 yards, with only one going to Ellingson. The REDBLACKS top the league with 62.2 plays per game, which works perfectly against the Lions’ D, which allows 59.4 plays per contest. If Ottawa intends on distancing themselves from the hard-charging Ticats, Ellingson and his big play potential must show up.

Sit: Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Lions, $7,629 Salary

BC’s run game has been inconsistent all season as the Lions are sixth in the league with an average of 91.1 yards per game. The inability to control the clock and move the chains has resulted in the offence averaging just 54.2 plays per game, eighth overall. Johnson has four rushing majors and is averaging a solid 5.4 yards per carry but gets just under 10 carries per contest. While he’s contributed to the passing game (25 catches), Johnson’s lack of touches doesn’t justify his salary and it doesn’t help that Ottawa has done a good job of containing the run for much of the season. This looks like a game where Chris Rainey ($6,682) will be the more effective back for BC.

Hamilton (5-5-0) at Toronto (3-7-0)

Saturday | 1:00 p.m. ET

Start: Mike Jones, WR, Tiger-Cats, $2,500 Salary

When given an opportunity, Jones has shown he can contribute to the league’s most potent passing attack. He has two 100-yard games this season and with the announcement that Saunders may be out for the rest of the season, Jones now moves up in the pecking order. His ability to cause havoc after the catch works well against an Argonauts defence that has allowed 22 passing plays of more than 30 yards and last in both opponents’ average pass (9.6 yards) and opponents’ pass efficiency (109.8). With his salary, Fantasy users won’t need much to see a solid windfall, but Jones could deliver much more.

Sit: McLeod Bethel-Thompson, QB, Argonauts, $6,694 Salary

The magic he displayed in the second half of his Week 8 debut against Ottawa has vanished. Since his four-touchdown effort versus the REDBLACKS, Bethel-Thompson has thrown just two majors in his last three games and may have a deep pothole after throwing for just 163 yards and an interception in the Labour Day Classic loss to the Ticats. Toronto’s pedestrian offence (301.1 yards per game) only averages just over seven yards per pass and with Bethel-Thompson unable to get the ball downfield, defences are to hone in on running back James Wilder Jr. ($8,729), who has yet to record a rush of better than 18 yards this season.

Saskatchewan (6-4-0) at Winnipeg (5-6-0)

Saturday | 4:00 p.m. ET

Start: Darvin Adams, WR, Blue Bombers, $7,017 Salary

Perhaps the most consistent offensive tool for Winnipeg, Adams comes into Week 13 having scored touchdowns in three straight games, giving him seven on the season. The Roughriders have been notoriously tough against the pass this season, yet Adams has shown the ability to get behind any secondary, evidenced by his 10 catches of better than 20 yards. If the Bombers intend on snapping their three-game losing streak, Adams will need pivot Matt Nichols ($8,133) to break out of his slump and challenge the Riders early. Doing so will open things up for Andrew Harris ($9,157) and the ground game.

Sit: Zach Collaros, QB, Roughriders, $5,648 Salary

At this point in the season, Fantasy users must accept that Collaros is what he is: a game manager whose job is to not make mistakes and be just enough of an effective passer. Collaros has yet to throw for more than one touchdown or better 270 yards in a game this season and with the Roughriders relying on defence and the running back duo of Tre Mason ($3,727) and Marcus Thigpen ($6,006), the need for Collaros to wing Saskatchewan to victory is greatly lessened.

Calgary (9-1-0) at Edmonton (6-4-0)

Saturday | 7:00 p.m. ET

Start: DaVaris Daniels, WR, Stampeders, $6,250 Salary

With Jorden and Eric Rogers ($8,021) out, Daniels becomes the focal point of a Stampeders passing attack that has a league-high 27 completions of better than 30 yards. Daniels, who has three of those receptions, has scored five of his six receiving majors in the last five games, including scores in each of his last three. The Eskimos secondary remains vulnerable to the big play (22 completions of 30-plus yards) despite allowing just 12 touchdown passes. Those who like to gamble could also look in the direction of Lemar Durant ($2,910) and Juwan Brescacin ($2,500), both of whom are expected to see larger roles.

Sit: Kenny Stafford, WR, Eskimos, $4,175 Salary

The potential breakout campaign hasn’t gone as planned for Stafford. Granted, he does have 42 catches for 620 yards but has just one touchdown and has not recorded a double-digit game of Fantasy points since Week 7 against the Alouettes. Mike Reilly ($14,000) managed just 250 yards in the Labour Day loss to Calgary, with nearly half (116) going to D’haquille Williams ($8,158). Expect Williams to see a heavy dose of targets while Stafford will have to split looks with Vidal Hazelton ($3,294), Natey Adjei ($2,500) and Nathaniel Behar ($2,500).

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