October 22, 2018

Week 19 Fantasy Recap: Teach me how to Posey

Jimmy Jeong, CFL.ca

Week 19 saw familiar faces doing familiar things for TSN CFL Fantasy Football users. However, the week also provided new performers that will not only be factors in the final two weeks of the regular season, but will use the time as a springboard to bigger numbers next season.

An Unexpected Closing of the Banks: No news was more devastating than learning that Hamilton receiver Brandon Banks will miss the rest of the season after breaking his clavicle in the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss to Ottawa. The front-runner for Most Outstanding Player had eight catches for 133 yards and a touchdown on Friday, finishing with 27.8 Fantasy points, the second-highest total of the week.

Fantasy Analysis: Ouch, and then some. Almost no receiver in professional football was as prolific as Banks, who was second in the league with 1,423 yards and led the league with 13 catches of better than 30 yards. The talent pool at the position, which has been mauled with injuries all season long, suffers its biggest loss.

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May the Force Be with You, Luke: With Banks out, Ticats receiver Luke Tasker now takes the mantle of the go-to receiver. Third in usage in Week 19 (3,911), Tasker continued his touchdown tear by adding two more on Friday night, giving him a career-high 11 majors and tied him with Banks for the league lead. He was also third in Fantasy points in Week 19, putting up 26 in Hamilton’s defeat.

Fantasy Analysis: Tasker will be the top receiver available in Week 20, as he has scored six touchdowns in the last three weeks while putting up five games of at least 20 FP in his last seven. Look for Mike Jones, Marquay McDaniel and recently-signed Terrell Sinkfield to see their Fantasy potential improve going into Saturday afternoon’s rematch against the REDBLACKS.

Strike a Pose x3: Lions receiver DeVier Posey had the best quarter of his career on Friday when he scored three touchdowns in the third quarter of BC’s playoff-clinching win over Edmonton. Posey entered the game without a major in his five games with the Lions and ended up with the highest score of the Week 19, finishing with 34.3 Fantasy points.

Fantasy Analysis: Well, no one saw that coming. Then again, it did come at the expense of an Eskimos defence that has faltered often over the past month. Don’t look for an encore performance from Posey, who must contend with the rugged defence of Saskatchewan on Saturday. However, he did catch a touchdown the last time he faced the Roughriders in last year’s East Final.

James 14:6…: Argonauts pivot James Franklin ran into history with his touchdown in Saturday’s win over Montreal. Ranked 17th in usage, Franklin rewarded his 2,152 devotees with his 14th rushing touchdown of the season, tying him with Hall of Famer Doug Flutie for most rushing majors in one season by a pivot. Despite not throwing a touchdown, Franklin placed eighth among Week 19 scorers with 23.5 Fantasy points.

Fantasy Analysis: That’s consecutive starts with over 20 FP for Franklin, who will have two games to break the record. His running ability makes him a solid Fantasy play in Sunday’s game at Montreal, yet Franklin could put up bigger numbers if he can find the end zone more often with his arm. He has only seven passing touchdowns this season, a number that should temper the expectations of some Fantasy users.

Gable is Unable: Week 19’s most disappointing performer was Edmonton running back C.J. Gable, who had only 2.7 Fantasy points in the Eskimos’ loss to the Lions on Friday. Gable had a season-low 11 yards on six carries and one reception for six yards, a major letdown considering Gable was fourth in usage at 3,580.

Fantasy Analysis: Everything seemed in place for Gable to have a strong outing, but he was never able to get on track and became a non-factor when the Eskimos had to throw the ball more often to come back. Edmonton is off this week before hosting Winnipeg in a do-or-die season finale.

Coming Attractions: Alouettes wideout Eugene Lewis (24 FP), Calgary pass catcher Markeith Ambles (22.1 FP) and Ottawa receiver R.J. Harris (21.1 FP) each ranked among the top 11 scorers in Week 19. None of the three had considerable usage, with Ambles leading the way with 911. Harris had 438, while only 229 users had Lewis in their lineups.

Fantasy Analysis: Each of the young receivers will see their Fantasy value receive (no pun intended) an uptick in usage in Week 20. Lewis is establishing himself as the top target for Alouettes quarterback Johnny Manziel. Ambles has 13 catches and a pair of scores in the last two games, and Harris will thrive if REDBLACKS quarterback Trevor Harris hits the 300-yard barrier for the fifth time in the last six games.

A Stanback Century: Montreal running back William Stanback had 2,795 users in Week 19, and they were rewarded as the ninth-most used player recorded the first 100-yard game of his career, a 118-yard effort in the Alouettes’ loss to the Argonauts on Saturday. Stanback needed only 10 carries to achieve the milestone, as the bulk of his yardage came on a 72-yard run.

Fantasy Analysis: Stanback has a great chance to repeat his performance this week, as the Als host the Argos on Sunday. He’s also becoming a productive receiver out of the backfield and could flirt with RB1 status, especially with a salary that will still be a bargain compared to some of the other expensive backs available.

The Marshall Plan: Saskatchewan running back Cameron Marshall put up a surprising 14.2 Fantasy points in the Roughriders win over the Stampeders on Saturday night. Only 172 Fantasy users benefited from Marshall, who had 157 all-purpose yards on 14 touches.

Fantasy Analysis: Foresight, indeed. Marshall gives the Roughriders a solid back who—perhaps most importantly—is fresh and gives pivot Zach Collaros another weapon in the offence. Marshall was third on the depth chart coming into Week 19 but would go into RB2 mode if he happens to leap over both Tre Mason and Marcus Thigpen (who was a late scratch) for the starting job.