Peter McCabe/CFL.ca
Three things are certain going into Week 8 of CFL Fantasy play:
*Toronto is undefeated.
*Edmonton is winless.
*The other seven teams have shown flashes of being capable of advancing to a Division Final matchup.
This week’s edition of Start/Sit will be highlighted by our current state of the league including the rise of a potential star and fantasy darling. Keep in mind that there is no Thursday night football this week. We’ll manage to get through it, though.
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Hamilton (2-4-0) at Ottawa (3-3-0), Friday, 7:30pm (Eastern)
Line: Hamilton (+3.5)
O/U: 48.5
Start: Dustin Crum, QB, REDBLACKS, $7,500 Salary
The kid’s legit, folks. Crum tallied 26.3 fantasy points as he led Ottawa to a thrilling overtime win at Calgary on Sunday, completing 23 of 29 passes for 257 yards and two majors along with rushing for 63 yards on nine carries. He’s tallied 56.3 FP in his first two starts while energizing the REDBLACKS offence in the wake of losing Jeremiah Masoli ($11,000) for the season. Crum gets a favorable matchup against a Tiger-Cats defence that has allowed pivots to rack up fantasy points all season, including Toronto’s Chad Kelly ($14,500) producing 27.8 FP in Week 7. Start. Him.
Sit: Tim White, WR, Tiger-Cats, $12,000 Salary
Ticats receivers had 19 of Tyler Powell’s ($5,000) 27 completions on Friday. White did not contribute, failing to record a reception on just two targets while being limited to just one carry on the evening. Over the course of the past three games, White has only three catches for 78 yards, a total one would not expect from an All-Star calibre receiver like him. Hopefully, Powell can get White back into the swing of things, but for now, it’s best not to risk using White as a featured receiver on your fantasy roster.
Saskatchewan (3-3-0) at Toronto (5-0-0), Saturday, 4:00pm
Line: Saskatchewan (-10.5)
O/U: 47.5
Start: Kurleigh Gittens, Jr., WR, Argonauts, $9,900 Salary
Suggesting quarterback Chad Kelly ($15,000) or running back A.J. Ouellette ($12,300) would be too easy, so let’s go with Gittens, who finally looked like the Argos’ featured receiver in Week 7, finishing with 18.9 fantasy points after catching six of his nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. The targets are a season-high and a good sign that Kelly is emphasizing getting the ball to Gittens. As mentioned numerous times this season, the Argos’ receiving corps doesn’t necessarily have a true WR1, but Gittens is the one receiver who can make the Toronto passing game even more efficient than it already is. Look for him to continue getting the bulk of Kelly’s attention while he continues to erase the memories of his slow start.
Sit: Jamal Morrow, RB, Roughriders, $12,700 Salary
Morrow was targeted for all the wrong reasons for fantasy users in Week 7 as the Lions defence locked him up for just 11 yards on 12 carries. Only his four receptions for 29 yards allowed him to finish with just 8.0 fantasy, well below his projected total. QB Mason Fine ($5,500) threw the ball 41 times on Saturday yet averaged just 6.9 yards per attempt while throwing a pair of interceptions as the Roughriders failed to score a major. Expect the Argos to continue the trend of focusing on Morrow and daring Fine to beat them in the air. Until proven otherwise, it’s best to avoid Morrow until he’s able to avoid opposing defensive lines greeting him in the backfield.
BC (5-1-0) at Edmonton (0-7-0), Saturday, 7:00pm
Line: BC (-9.5)
O/U: 43.5
Start: BC Defence, $11,000 Salary
The Lions’ defence has scored at least 10 fantasy points in four of six games this season, including an 11.0 FP outing in the Week 7 win over the Roughriders. DL Mathieu Betts already has 10 sacks and will have an excellent opportunity to add to that total against an Elks offence that has scored more than 14 points just twice this season. Edmonton’s offence continues to be turnover prone, which will only play into the hands of the aggressive BC defence. Do not be surprised if the Lions find the end zone courtesy of an Elks turnover.
Sit: Elks Receivers
When training camp began, there was optimism surrounding the potential of Edmonton’s receiving corps. The Elks signed All-Star Eugene Lewis ($15,000), ex-Ticat Stephen Dunbar, Jr. ($13,800), and former Roughriders standout Kyran Moore ($12,000) in the off-season to go along with possible breakout star Dillon Mitchell ($9,500). Instead, Edmonton is near the bottom of the league in passing yards per game as Lewis is currently on the six-game injured list while Moore and Mitchell have seen their production limited by the issues at pivot. The Elks unearthed a future talent in rookie Maurice Ffrench ($8,200) while Vincent Forbes-Mombleau ($9,000) has shown flashes of being a contributor. Right now, though, investing in an Elks receiver is as risky as investing in penny stocks, so just shy away until someone can show consistency.
Calgary (2-4-0) at Montreal (2-3-0), Sunday, 7:00pm
Line: Montreal (-2.5)
O/U: 46.5
Start: William Stanback, RB, Montreal, $8,000 Salary
We’re not sure if Stanback is a close follower of CFL fantasy. If so, the drop in salary should serve as motivation for him to finally start looking like the elite back he was in 2019 and 2021. He’s projected with just 10.6 FP this week, but he has a very favorable matchup against a Stampeders defence that was carved up for 184 rushing yards in Sunday’s thriller against the REDBLACKS. The open week might have served as an opportunity for the Alouettes to figure out how to get the former All-Star on track, and we’re thinking the time off, combined with Calgary’s run issues, just might be what Stanback needs to get on track. At this low salary, he’s worth the risk.
Sit: Jake Maier, QB, Stampeders, $15,000 Salary
It’s not that we’re down on Maier. This is pointed more to those who think that Maier is going to throw for 450 yards and four majors for a second straight Sunday. Maier scored 31 FP in Week 7 and reminded us of just how good he can be when allowed to let loose. However, he’s going to face a Montreal pass defence that is one of the league’s best, so don’t expect Maier to average 11.8 yards per attempt. There’s also the issue of getting RB Dedrick Mills ($12,900) back into the flow after he had just eight total touches in Week 7, so look for Calgary’s offence to be more balanced.
