The Canadian Press
Fun With Fantasy Numbers looks back at a Week 14 that saw William Powell doing William Powell things while also leaving Fantasy users wondering if Trevor Harris turned the corner. It’s “Next Man Up!” in the Stampeders’ receiving corps, Bryan Burnham reaches 100 (yards) and Alex Green’s relationship status with the end zone hits the “it’s complicated” stage.
So Close to 1,000 That He Can Taste It: Ottawa running back William Powell topped the Week 14 pack with a 31.5 Fantasy point outburst in the REDBLACKS’ 30-25 win over the Roughriders on Saturday, rushing for a season-best 148 yards on 18 carries that included touchdown runs of 19 and 69 yards. As it stands, Powell is a mere six yards short of consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Fantasy Analysis: It was around this time last year that Powell began his monster stretch run that left him just nine yards short of capturing the league’s rushing title from Winnipeg’s Andrew Harris. The two appear set for another spirited race for the crown, as Harris is only 10 yards behind Powell. Look for Powell, who was 15th overall in Week 14 usage (3,127) to see a higher volume of Fantasy users when Ottawa hosts Edmonton on Saturday afternoon.
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Heading into their Friday matchup with a two-game winning streak, Als’ QB Antonio Pipkin had a rough outing against the Lions in a 32-14 loss to the Leos(The Canadian Press)
Parti pour Pipkin? The 2,920 users of Alouettes pivot Antonio Pipkin were burned on Friday when his 90-yard, four-interception outing in the 32-14 loss to the Lions led to just 2.7 Fantasy points, ranking him 42nd overall. Pipkin’s 69 rushing yards were the only thing that kept him from finishing in negative numbers.
Fantasy Analysis: Now that the bloom is off Pipkin, look for a now-healthy Johnny Manziel to return to his starting job in Montreal. Neither has been an effective passer, as the two have combined for just one major compared to 12 interceptions. Fantasy users should avoid whoever coach Mike Sherman entrusts the job to on Friday when the Als visit a Blue Bombers defence that has recorded 13 interceptions this season.
Begelton Stamps Up: DaVaris Daniels became the latest Stampeders receiver to be hit with the injury bug when a shoulder injury took him out early in Calgary’s 43-28 win over Hamilton on Saturday. However, Reggie Begelton stepped up and took the mantle of the go-to target for quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, as the duo hooked up for five catches and 150 yards that included a 99-yard major in the third quarter.
Fantasy Analysis: Begelton, who was ninth overall in usage (3,934), finished third with 28 Fantasy points. He has consecutive 150-yard games and will be a high-end WR1 when the Stamps return to action against Toronto next Friday night.
The Risks of the Game: Daniels (fourth in usage at 5,861) and BC quarterback Travis Lulay (10th, 3,717) were both injured early in Week 14, leaving Fantasy users who had both in their respective lineups with disappointing numbers.
Fantasy Analysis: Both will also be headed to the Injured List, with Lulay expected to miss some time with a shoulder injury. It will be interesting to see how many Fantasy users will turn to Jonathon Jennings when he and the Lions visit the Tiger-Cats this Saturday.
Finally! Lions receiver Bryan Burnham finally hit the 100-yard mark this season when he caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Alouettes. He also extended his touchdown streak to four straight and five in his last six games.
Fantasy Analysis: Burnham has at least 14.3 Fantasy points in five of his last six and should continue to thrive as the undisputed WR1 in BC. The addition of DeVier Posey won’t hurt the Fantasy value of Burnham, who will go into this Saturday’s home game against Hamilton with his Fantasy usage higher than the 3,506 who added him into their Week 14 lineups.
Many Happy Returns: Saskatchewan’s Kyran Moore and Marcus Thigpen each cracked the top 10 in Week 14, with Moore finishing with 18.8 Fantasy points (eighth) and Thigpen finishing 10th (16.1 FP). Moore scored his second punt return for a touchdown when he went 90 yards to the house in Saturday’s loss to Ottawa, a game in which Thigpen opened with a 97-yard kickoff return for a major.
Fantasy Analysis: Thigpen finished 14th in usage (3,352) while Moore finished 36th (811). It’s hard to entrust return specialists on a weekly basis, but if both are utilized in the Roughriders’ offence, then each will have more value in Saturday afternoon’s game at the Argonauts.
Trevor, is That You? REDBLACKS quarterback Trevor Harris had 21.9 FP in the win over the Roughriders, snapping out of a two-game skid that saw him amass a combined 18.1 FP in losses to the Alouettes and Lions. His 334-yard, two-touchdown effort also benefited receivers Diontae Spencer and R.J. Harris, who cracked the top 10 in scoring.
Fantasy Analysis: Spencer had 29.4 Fantasy points, placing him second, while R.J. Harris’ 17.7 FP allowed him to finish ninth. It was only the fourth time this season Trevor Harris passed for multiple majors in a game, a number that could change on Saturday when Ottawa meets Edmonton in what should be a Fantasy points buffet for users.
Encore, Encore! Calgary running back Romar Morris was second only to Saskatchewan’s Tre Mason in usage and rewarded his 7,066 loyalists with 21.4 FP in the win over Hamilton.
Fantasy Analysis: While it wasn’t the 44 FP Morris scored the previous week, the Stampeders rookie back is doing an impressive job in filling in for an injured Don Jackson. If Jackson’s unable to go for the September 28 game against Toronto, then expect Morris to remain a hot stock for Fantasy users to buy at a bargain price.
