Start vs Sit: Redemption time for Carter

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

Toss all the clichés aside: Week 19 is all about being around for Week 22.

With three weeks remaining in the regular season, this week’s slate of games will greatly impact the playoff picture, especially in a crowded CFL West, where the revived Eskimos now give the race more twists, turns and unexpected scenarios than a J.J. Abrams movie. Fantasy potential runs deep, even in the Alouettes-Argonauts game where both teams will get a head start on 2019.

This week doesn’t require a long introduction. Who’s starting? Who’s sitting? In a week where everything matters, this is the one issue that matters most.

It’s going to cost you a quarter of your disposable salary, but that’s the price that comes with elite-level talent, especially when you’re looking to spend on the league’s leading rusher in William Powell. (The Canadian Press)

Hamilton (8-7-0) at Ottawa (8-7-0)

Friday | 7:00 p.m. ET

Start: William Powell, RB, REDBLACKS, $9,021 Salary

Yes, it’s going to take almost a quarter of the $40,000 cap to acquire Powell, but it costs to use elite talent at crunch time. The league’s leading rusher comes off a tepid nine-carry, 40-yard outing in last week’s loss at the Eskimos. yet expect Powell to get a heavy workload against a Ticats run defence that allows a league-worst 5.7 yards per carry. Powell has recorded at least 15 carries in five of his last eight games and rushed for at least 82 yards in six of those contests. With the way he has toted the note in the past two months, it’s almost easy to forget that Powell can be a factor in Ottawa’s passing game, as he has put up at least five Fantasy points nine times this year because of his pass-catching skills. He’s also overdue for a rushing major, having not scored on the ground in his last three games.

Sit: Trevor Harris, QB, REDBLACKS, $8,738 Salary

Harris has been a roller coaster ride all season and comes into Friday night with 15 or fewer Fantasy points in four of his last six games, including a pair of single-digit outings. He’s also facing the league’s most-stingy pass defence, one that held him to just 228 yards while not allowing a touchdown when the teams last squared off in Week 7. Hamilton gives up a mere 232.4 passing yards per game and will look to apply pressure on an Ottawa passing attack that has allowed 39 sacks, second only to Montreal (59). Fantasy users seeking not to break the bank at pivot should step away from Harris and consider other options.

Edmonton (8-8-0) at BC (8-7-0)

Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET

Start: C.J. Gable, RB, Eskimos, $7129 Salary

Without much fanfare, Gable comes into Week 19 as the league’s third-leading rusher and is only 60 yards away from his first 1,000-yard campaign. He’s had success against the Lions this season, having recorded a season-high 165 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in a Week 3 victory over BC, and put up a respectable 51 yards on 10 carries in the Week 9 rematch. Gable kicked it into another gear down the stretch last season, and his 82-yard, two-touchdown performance in last week’s win over the REDBLACKS is a sign that he’s ready for another solid run down the stretch. The Lions are seventh in rushing yards allowed per game and if Mike Reilly ($12,658) continues to defer to Gable near the goal line, then consider him a value play.

Sit: DeVier Posey, WR, Lions, $4,258 Salary

Bryan Burnham ($7,131) is the only receiver on the BC roster with more than 553 yards, and even he has endured inconsistency because of the struggles of pivots Travis Lulay ($6,070) and Jonathon Jennings ($6,452). The team is seventh in passing yards per game (241.2) and sixth with a modest total of 17 passing majors, so Fantasy users looking for bargains at receiver may not want to consider Posey, who has 17 catches for 189 yards in his first four games with the Lions. Edmonton’s pass defence is seventh in yards allowed per game (273.8) and only the Argos (34) have given up more completions of better than 30 yards than the 31 the Eskimos have allowed. Still, it’s hard to feel good about BC’s receiving corps these days.

Toronto (3-12-0) at Montreal (3-12-0)

Saturday | 4:00 p.m. ET

Start: Duron Carter, WR, Argonauts, $3,571 Salary

In what has otherwise been a forgetful season for one of the league’s most colourful personalities, Saturday offers a chance to remind Fantasy users why Carter can still be an elite pass-catcher. He’s been quiet in his first five games with Toronto, catching only six passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, but the improvement of quarterback James Franklin ($8,659) and the opportunity to go against the league’s worst pass defence (312.9 yards allowed per game) is a formula for redemption for Carter along with playing against the team that moved him to the Roughriders last year. With little to lose at this point for the Argos, expect a motivated Carter on Saturday afternoon.

Sit: William Stanback, RB, Alouettes, $4,873 Salary

He should be a must-start, with emphasis on should. However, the Alouettes continue to be hesitant on giving Stanback a steady workload, as he has yet to exceed 12 carries in a single contest since Montreal traded Tyrell Sutton ($6,580) to BC. Toronto is last in rushing yards allowed per game (120.5), making it an ideal matchup for Stanback, who averages nearly six yards per carry. With the Als offence averaging a mere 49 plays per game, the risk of playing Stanback outweighs the potential reward.

Saskatchewan (10-6-0) at Calgary (12-3-0)

Saturday | 7:00 p.m. ET

Start: Chris Matthews, WR, Stampeders, $2,500 Salary

Matthews had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown in his Calgary debut last week, and his rock bottom salary makes him a great sleeper play. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell ($9,102) has struggled with interceptions and accuracy in his last two games. While facing a relentless Roughriders defence that is tied for the league lead in sacks (43) and third in passing yards allowed (253.1) will make for problems, keep in mind the Stamps lead the league with 38 completions of more than 30 yards. With another week of learning the playbook, Matthews and his 6’5 frame will make for a solid target in the red zone for Mitchell.

Sit: Tre Mason, RB, Roughriders, $4,657 Salary

His production has dipped since rushing for 117 yards against the Bombers in Week 13. Over the last two games, Mason has produced only seven Fantasy points with his rushing totals (70 yards on 18 carries) and it doesn’t seem likely those numbers will get better against a Calgary run defence that has helped Mason in check during the previous two meetings this season (18 carries, 92 yards). Mason has scored just one touchdown this season in 171 total touches, so many Fantasy users will hesitate to plug him into their lineups.

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