Start vs. Sit: Ambles has that red zone niche

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

TSN CFL Fantasy football users will have plenty to ponder for Finals Sunday. Is Jeremiah Masoli and/or Diontae Spencer worth more than a third of the $30,000 salary? Will Andrew Harris redeem his numbers against the Stampeders in the same manner he did against the Roughriders? Are rookie receivers Markeith Ambles and Bralon Addison due to come back to reality or are both ready to write another chapter in their remarkable runs of Fantasy success?

Being that’s its Finals Sunday, Fantasy users get the treat of having a start/sit for each of the four teams remaining in the hunt for the Grey Cup, allowing for more flexibility to break down the numbers about to be presented.

Hamilton (9-10-0) at Ottawa (11-7-0)

Sunday | 1:00 p.m. ET

Bralon Addison stretches out for a reception against the BC Lions in last weekend’s Eastern Semi-Final at Tim Hortons Field. (The Canadian Press)

Start: Bralon Addison, WR, Tiger-Cats, $4,000 Salary

Three weeks ago, Addison was biding his time on the practice squad. Since then, the rookie has become a vital part of the Hamilton passing game, having caught a combined 12 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown. He’s still a bargain play that allows for more creativity at either the receiver or flex position that will get his share of targets considering Masoli ($11,516) averaged 37 attempts per game in the three regular season contests against the REDBLACKS. In both the regular season finale against the Alouettes and the East Semi-Final win against the Lions, Addison was involved from the outset. If that trend continues, he’ll make his Fantasy users look good.

Start: Brad Sinopoli, WR, REDBLACKS, $7,985 Salary

Two things are certain on Sunday: it will be cold and Sinopoli will have Fantasy production in the double digits. The league’s leading receiver with 116 receptions, Sinopoli had only three games this season where he didn’t score at least 10 Fantasy points, the last being in Week 10 against the Bombers. Want more numbers? Sinopoli had at least 80 receiving yards nine times with four 100-yard games, and in three games against Hamilton, he put up 24 catches for 251 yards. The only negative on Sinopoli is that he only scored four majors in the regular season, but in a game with everything riding on it, chances are good he and Trevor Harris ($9,691) can connect in the end zone.

Sit: Jeremiah Masoli, Tiger-Cats, $11,516 Salary

Yardage isn’t an issue with Masoli when it comes to facing the REDBLACKS. After all, he averaged 312.3 yards in his three regular season games against them. What is the issue is the TD:INT margin, which sits at 4:4. For those looking at the regular season numbers, that margin might be enough to make many Fantasy users bypass Masoli, especially when he’d consume 38.3 per cent of a Finals Sunday lineup salary. Prior to Sunday’s East Semi-Final win over BC, Masoli had thrown six interceptions in his last three games, and while his running potential is a plus, he only rushed four times for 37 yards against Ottawa this season. The numbers are pointing toward passing on Masoli this Sunday.

Sit: R.J. Harris, WR, REDBLACKS, $4,206 Salary

There’s a strong temptation to place Spencer ($10,937) in this spot, but Spencer’s return skills have the potential to carry him should the receiving numbers fail to show up. Harris is here because it’s going to hard to envision him not going in the direction of Spencer, Sinopoli and Greg Ellingson ($7,432) three out every four attempts. That’s somewhat disappointing considering that Harris put up 40.4 Fantasy points in three games against the Tiger-Cats which included a 131-yard outing in Week 19. Add the number of touches that William Powell ($8,764) grabs, and it’s tough to justify Harris’ upside.

Winnipeg (11-8-0) at Calgary (13-5-0)

Sunday | 4:30 p.m. ET

Markeith Ambles gets set ahead of a play during a regular season game at McMahon Stadium. (Stampeders.com)

Start: Darvin Adams, WR, Blue Bombers, $6,993 Salary

With the Winnipeg ground game wearing down Saskatchewan last Sunday, Adams played a quiet role as a supporting actor, catching only three passes for 29 yards. It’s going to be tougher sledding for the Bombers to run the ball against the league’s top ground defence (86.5 yards per game, 4.8 yards per rush), so look for Matt Nichols ($7,252) to get his favourite target going from the outset. Adams caught eight passes against the Stamps in their two regular season meetings, but those receptions resulted in 153 yards (19.1 yards per catch) and two majors. He closed his regular season with two games of better than 20 Fantasy points in his last three games, and if Adams gets deep early, he’ll be worth the investment.

Start: Markeith Ambles, WR, Stampeders, $4,415 Salary

Quickly gaining the trust of Bo Levi Mitchell ($8,911) isn’t easy, but the rookie from the University of Houston has become a go-to target of Calgary’s field general over the past four games, catching 24 passes for 237 yards along with scoring in each contest. Although Winnipeg leads the league with fewest completions of 30-plus yards allowed (19), Ambles does his best work underneath, as only two of his catches are for better than 20 yards. Once the Stamps’ offence reaches the red zone, Ambles becomes more dangerous, adding another reason why Fantasy users should strongly consider adding him to the lineup.

Sit: Matt Nichols, QB, Blue Bombers, $7,252 Salary

Fantasy users will have to ask which Nichols will show up on Sunday. Will it be the one who carved up the Stampeders for 358 yards and two touchdowns in Week 20 or will the Nichols who managed 258 yards with a touchdown and a pair of INTs against them in Week 11 choose to make an appearance? Even the most loyal of Winnipeg fans will have a tough call on entrusting Nichols, who only had to attempt 22 passes in last week’s win over Saskatchewan. If the Stampeders’ defence locks down the ground game and/or puts the Bombers into a situation where they must play catch-up, playing Nichols won’t bode well.

Sit: Don Jackson, RB, Stampeders, $7,213 Salary

As the title of a Billy Joel song, it’s a matter of trust when it comes to Jackson, who finished the regular season with a 91-yard effort in the West Division clincher against BC that also included his first rushing major since Week Three. Prior to Week 21, Jackson had run for 54 yards or fewer in six of his last seven games. The Bombers showed last week that they can shut down the opposition’s top runner—Brandon Bridge scrambles aside—as they held Cameron Marshall to 14 yards on seven carries. Ranked third overall against the run, Winnipeg held Jackson to 84 yards on 17 carries in two games, and with Jackson not a factor in the passing game, it’s best not to roll the dice.

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