RotoExperts: Week 18 Fantasy Rankings

Following a Week 17 capped by a Thanksgiving Monday that saw only one offensive touchdown in the two games played, TSN CFL Fantasy football users are hoping that Week 18 will be more kind. However, this week’s rankings aren’t too friendly to some players who are in unfamiliar spots compared to their production for much of the season.

Eskimos pivot Mike Reilly ($13,861) didn’t lose salary, yet Monday displayed how painfully obvious the Edmonton star is off his game. Reilly threw three interceptions in the loss to the Roughriders and has a 1:6 TD:INT rate in his last three games. He enters Week 18 ranked third behind Hamilton’s Jeremiah Masoli ($11,649) and Ottawa’s Trevor Harris ($9,042), the latter with whom Reilly and the Eskimos will square off against in a must-win game on Saturday.

Reilly and Masoli are joined in the $10K club by Bo Levi Mitchell ($10,847), who also comes off a three-interception game in Calgary’s hard-earned win over Montreal. Perhaps the best bargain at the position is Toronto’s James Franklin ($7,599), who was named the Argos’ starting pivot for Friday’s game against Hamilton. Franklin has accounted for 17 of the team’s 27 offensive majors and will look to make the most of his second chance as the leader of Toronto’s offence.

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William Powell gets a matchup worth his hefty salary against the Eskimos, one of the league’s worst defences when it comes to stopping the run. (The Canadian Press)

League rushing leader William Powell ($10,214) gets a matchup worth his salary as he faces an Edmonton defence that leads the league in rushing touchdowns allowed. Powell carved them up for 147 yards in a Week 15 victory and will seek to extend his thin lead over Winnipeg’s Andrew Harris ($8,176). He gets a tough assignment in the form of a Roughriders defence that locked him down for 21 yards in Week 13. However, Harris did put up 158 yards against them the week before, making him an interesting call for Fantasy users.

BC’s new backfield duo of Tyrell Sutton ($6,430) and Chris Rainey ($5,952) rank seventh and ninth, respectively as they play at Calgary on Saturday. Sutton makes his first start with the Lions after being acquired from the Alouettes late last month, leaving Jeremiah Johnson ($6,983) on the outside looking in after recording his first 100-yard game in nearly two years in last week’s win over the Argos. The back in between them, Toronto’s Branden Burks, comes in at an affordable $4,200 after rushing for 92 yards in Friday’s loss to BC that included a 68-yard run.

To no one’s surprise, Hamilton’s Brandon Banks leads the pack at receiver. Banks ($11,854) has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in six of his last seven games, including the past three. Teammate Luke Tasker ($9,116) is third in the rankings with Edmonton’s D’haquille Williams ($9,055) between them. Ottawa’s trio of Diontae Spencer ($8,459), Greg Ellingson ($7,574) and Brad Sinopoli ($7,318) are each in the Top 10.

Those looking outside the Top 10 will find potential bargains in Saskatchewan’s Kenny Shaw ($3,611), Toronto’s Duron Carter ($3,680) and Calgary’s Juwan Brescacin ($3,700). Several receivers who burned Fantasy users in Week 17 saw them make their way down the rankings, with Saskatchewan’s Kyran Moore ($4,548) taking a tumble while Calgary’s Markeith Ambles fell out of the Top 30.

Calgary ($5,195) projects as the top defence heading into Saturday’s matchup against BC. The always steady Roughriders ($5,725) are second as they face a potentially revived Matt Nichols ($6,455) and the Bombers offence. Ranked fifth, Ottawa ($3,641) is a possible bargain considering they forced five turnovers the last time they played Edmonton in Week 15.

Here are Week 18’s player rankings:

Quarterback

Running Back

Receiver

Defence