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To the joy of CFL Fantasy users, the 2023 regular season begins on Thursday, which means we kickoff a new season of fantasy projections.
This year, the team at Genius Sports is here to assist us when it comes to building a winning fantasy lineup.
Let’s break it down and look at who’s set to deliver in Week 1.
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» Fantasy: A guide to steer you through 2023
» Fantasy Refresher: Diving in on the East Division
» Fantasy Refresher: Breaking down the West Division
Quarterbacks
1. Taylor Cornelius, Edmonton, $12,000 Salary (Projected 16.1 fantasy points): Armed with a fleet of new receivers, Cornelius should easily exceed this total in what should be a high-scoring affair.
2. Vernon Adams Jr., BC, $13,000 Salary (10.0): Adams could top those 10 projected points with one throw to the likes of Dominique Rhymes or Lucky Whitehead.
3. Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan, $12,000 Salary (14.8): It won’t take long for Harris to get acquainted with his new Riders receivers as they should find points aplenty against the league’s worst defence from 2022.
4. Zach Collaros, Winnipeg, $14,100 Salary (14.9): The vibe here is that the Ticats will seek to slow the pace of the game and limit Collaros’ opportunities to cause damage. Cornelius and Harris are both cheaper, so consider those two before the two-time reigning MOP.
5. Nick Arbuckle, Ottawa, $6,000 Salary (10.0): With Jeremiah Masoli not ready for a couple of weeks, Arbuckle comes in as a great value against the Als.
High Risk/High Reward: Bo Levi Mitchell, Hamilton, $13,000 Salary (7.9): Playing “getting to know your new teammates” on the road against the three-time defending West Division champs is not the best way to endear oneself to a fantasy lineup, but Mitchell is playing with an Ontario-sized chip on his shoulders and could remind fans the former MOP is still in the building.
Running Backs
1. Jamal Morrow, Saskatchewan, $11,000 Salary (13.4): Morrow carved up the Elks in Week 2 last season, and there’s little reason not to think he won’t begin this season doing the same.
2. William Stanback, Montreal, $13,300 Salary (8.4): He believes he can rush for 2,000 yards this season. If you’re buying into that, it also means you know he’s going to crush this projection.
3. Kevin Brown, Edmonton, $12,1000 Salary (12.8): Again, the Elks and Roughriders will play football pinball, which means you want Brown bouncing and pinging off numbers that should clear this modest projection.
4. Ka’Deem Carey, Calgary, $13,700 Salary (13.4): Morrow and Brown offer better salary value. The bigger concern, though, is whether the Stampeders are going to give Carey more touches or resist in favour of letting their two other talented backs eat.
5. James Butler, Hamilton, $13,300 Salary (15.3): That’s a lot of Grey Expectations for Butler against the usually stingy Bombers run defence. He’d have to become a factor in the passing game to approach this projection.
6. Peyton Logan, Calgary, $10,500 Salary (8.7): Those return yards do add up, and the Stampeders will find ways to get his elusive skills involved offensively.
7. Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg, $12,300 Salary (10.0): This looks like a good projection for Oliveira, especially if the Blue Bombers get out of the gate early and play Keep Bo on the Sidelines.
8. Devonte Williams, Ottawa, $10,800 Salary (8.5): We’re not sure if this is going to be D-Dub’s show or if he and Jackson Bennett will comprise a timeshare.
High Risk/High Reward: Taquan Mizzell, BC, $7,200 Salary (6.6): As the lone back on the Lions roster, Mizzell has a chance to establish himself as both the back and a fantasy value play. He’s a remarkably interesting roll of the dice that could make or break a Week 1 fantasy lineup.
Receivers
1. Eugene Lewis, Edmonton, $14,000 Salary (15.7): Lewis was a consistent 19-23 FPG performer in the original CFL Fantasy game; this updated version is only going to solidify how dominant a player he is both in fantasy and reality.
2. Tim White, Hamilton, $13,400 Salary (15.0): Though skeptical of Bo Levi Mitchell’s fantasy numbers, we’re feeling the bulk of his targets are going to head in the direction of his new favourite target.
3. Dominique Rhymes, BC, $13,500 Salary (14.3): Rhymes tallied 235 yards and a major on his 15 receptions over three games against the Stampeders last season. He and Vernon Adams Jr. will not take long to thrive as a duo.
4. Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg, $14,000 Salary (17.6): The projections suggest he picks up where he left off during his Most Outstanding Rookie campaign. You’ll have to pay to add him to your lineup, though.
WR Justin Hardy is Brandon C. Williams’ Week 1 value play (OttawaREDBLACKS.com)
5. Justin Hardy, Ottawa, $8,700 Salary (13.4): Here’s our Week 1 Value Play. If you have a
few bucks for a prop bet on who leads the league in receiving this season, throw it in the
direction of Hardy.
6. Malik Henry, Calgary, $12,100 Salary (12.3): This is a modest projection for a player who
can add huge points to your fantasy team with just one reception.
7. Rasheed Bailey, Winnipeg, $11,000 Salary (11.1): Bailey is in position for a breakout season as
teams continue to focus on Schoen and Nic Demski.
8. Cole Spieker, Montreal, $7,100 Salary (12.9): The Alouettes have an opening for a feature
receiver, and the projections suggest Spieker is set to fill the role.
9. Keon Hatcher, BC, $11,000 Salary (12.4): Hatcher’s ability to stretch the field gives fantasy
users a receiver who will benefit from Calgary’s focus on Rhymes.
10. Duke Williams, Hamilton, $9,000 Salary (9.0): Of all the new pass catching faces in new places, seeing Williams pair up with Bo Levi Mitchell will be the most intriguing sight.
11. Jaelon Acklin, Ottawa, $13,000 Salary (10.6): The biggest drawback with Acklin is that his lack of end zone prowess (two majors in 2022). The production will be there, but the salary might be too steep for some.
12. Lucky Whitehead, BC, $13,500 Salary (10.7): The targets will be there as his presence underneath should lead to plenty of YAC yards. There’s always the chance he gets a return or two, and we’ve seen what Whitehead can do as a return specialist.
WR Kaion Julien-Grant is a high-risk/high-reward choice according to CFL.ca’s Brandon C. Williams (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
High Risk/High Reward: Kaion Julien-Grant, Montreal, $7,800 Salary (6.0): The projections suggest Spieker is going to be Montreal’s WR1, but if you saw the flashes of excellence from Julien-Grant last season, you’re going to be willing to add him to your lineup.
Defences
1. Montreal, $9,900 Salary (6.6): The REDBLACKS are still scoring-challenged, so bank on the Als to keep the score low while forcing a turnover or two.
2. Calgary, $12,500 Salary (9.8): The Stamps have always generated defensive points for fantasy users.
3. Winnipeg, $8,400 Salary (6.5): They could make Bo Levi Mitchell’s Ticats debut a long and forgetful outing.
4. Edmonton, $5,600 Salary (3.8): At times last season, the Elks were a sneaky good defensive unit to run with. We could see the same against the Roughriders.
5. BC, $10,300 Salary (6.8)
6. Hamilton, $8,400 Salary (5.4)
7. Saskatchewan, $7,700 Salary (5.5)
8. Ottawa, $10,100 Salary (6.1)
