Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca
Week 14 of TSN CFL Fantasy Football Presented by LeoVegas offers a three-game schedule filled with intrigue as the postseason picture begins to develop. Saturday’s double-header each features a classic offence versus defence matchup, while Friday’s contest has the potential to be a Fantasy feast between two teams already longing to see the 2020 regular-season schedule.
Regardless, someone’s worth starting and someone’s worth sitting in each game. Let’s not waste time and unveil this week’s Fantasy heroes and heartbreakers.
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Ottawa at BC
Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET
Line: BC -7
O/U: 50.5
Start: Dominique Rhymes, WR, REDBLACKS, $6,637 Salary
Imagine what Rhymes’ numbers might look like if he had a consistent pivot. Despite playing in the league’s least-efficient passing game, Rhymes has put up three games of at least 17.8 Fantasy points over the past weeks, with the fourth game being a 12.3 FP effort. He has just missed the 100-yard mark in each of his last two games, finishing with 95 and 98 yards, respectively. Jonathon Jennings ($5,581) has brought some life into the Ottawa passing game and will have personal motivation in his first game in BC since being released in the offseason. The Lions have allowed 19 touchdown passes this season and are eighth in opponents’ pass efficiency, sowing the seeds for another solid outing for Rhymes.
Sit: Lemar Durant, WR, Lions, $4,476 Salary
Durant started the season as a star in the making, scoring majors in each of his first four games, capped by a nine-catch, 125-yard performance against Toronto in Week 4. The good times have come and gone since, as Durant has not scored since his end zone visit against the Argos and has managed a total of four catches for 31 yards in his last two outings. With Bryan Burnham ($9,413) sure to draw his share of double coverage against an Ottawa team ranked eighth in passing yards allowed (308.5 yards per game), someone will have the chance to step up for beleaguered pivot Mike Reilly ($9,164). Recent history strongly suggests it won’t be Durant.
Hamilton at Calgary
Saturday | 4:00 p.m. ET
Line: Calgary (-6.5)
O/U: 52
Start: Jaelon Acklin, WR, Tiger-Cats, $3,334 Salary
Wanna a deep sleeper? If so, then Acklin’s your man, Fantasy users. The rookie has quietly become the third option behind Brandon Banks ($12,591) and Bralon Addison ($7,775) and had a 91-yard outing against BC in Week 11. Hamilton’s All-Star pass-catching duo will have their hands full against the Stampeders’ pass defence, which ranks second in opponents’ average pass (7.3 yards) along with allowing a league-low six completions of better than 30 yards. That’s a scenario that could allow Acklin to run underneath and make things easier for quarterback Dane Evans ($6105). The one flaw in Calgary’s pass D is the 73.2% completion rate they’ve allowed this season, eighth in the league. In a game filled with stars, it’s usually the complementary players who step up, and Acklin is ready for his moment.
Sit: Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Stampeders, $5,163 Salary
Don Jackson ($6,183) isn’t too far from returning to action. In fact, Jackson could return on Saturday. That means Carey will either serve as the second or third back after starting both FLgames against the Eskimos. Carey managed just 24 yards on 11 carries in Week 13 following a career-best 143-yard effort on Labour Day and could find himself in a timeshare with Jackson, a scenario that is a no-win for Fantasy users of either back. It’s best to move away from this situation and let it play out.
Montreal at Saskatchewan
Saturday | 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Saskatchewan -7
O/U: 49.5
Start: William Stanback, RB, Alouettes, $8,346 Salary
Stanback has two games under his belt following a stint on the 1-game Injured List. That’s a good thing since he’ll likely have to carry a bigger load with backup Jeremiah Johnson ($5,890) expected to be sidelined. Even better for Fantasy users: Stanback has been money well spent when given an extensive workload, having games of 203 (Week 4), 100 (Week 5) and 78 (Week 13) rushing yards when given at least 15 carries. The Roughriders can be run on, as they are sixth in rushing yards allowed (106.6 per game) and yards per carry (5.2). That’s not counting the value he brings as a receiver, having added at least 6.4 Fantasy points for his pass-catching four times this season.
Sit: Cody Fajardo, QB, Roughriders, $7,870 Salary
On paper, this should be the opposite: Montreal is last in passing yards allowed (319.8 per game) and rank in the bottom third in most other pass defence categories. In reality, starting Fajardo is a massive risk, as he’s thrown just three touchdown passes in his last six games and has yet to produce at least 20 Fantasy points from his passing since Week 3. Although the Riders lead the league in average gain per pass at 8.7 yards, that total has slowly declined on a weekly basis. With Fajardo’s struggles, receivers Shaq Evans ($6,364) and Kyran Moore ($6,358) have seen their value take a painful dip as well.
