Brett Holmes/CFL.ca
Our recent run on unearthing sleepers continued in Week 7 as Ottawa’s Nate Behar scored 23.8 fantasy points for the 4.3 per cent of users who had him in their lineups, while Hamilton’s Terry Godwin delivered 17.3 FP with only 0.3 per cent of users putting him on their rosters.
Let’s keep the good times rolling into Week 8, shall we?
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Quarterback
Mason Fine, Saskatchewan, $5,500 salary (vs. Toronto at Touchdown Atlantic, Saturday)
Give Fine some slack for his Week 7 performance. Considering he was facing the relentless pass rush of the Lions, Fine’s FP total of 7.0 was just under what was expected for the replacement of injured Trevor Harris. So why should he be considered on the road against an undefeated Argos squad? Simple: The Riders will likely be playing catchup throughout most of the Touchdown Atlantic contest.
Toronto’s secondary remains a soft spot that can be exploited as they’ve allowed a league-high 70.5 per cent completion rate along with yielding 305.6 passing yards per game. The Argos have also given up a league-high 10 touchdown passes, so if Fine is able to get his talented corps of receivers involved early, fantasy users willing to take the gamble on him could see much more than the 8.4 FP he’s projected to finish with.
Running Back
Devonte Williams, Ottawa, $7,600 salary (vs. Hamilton, Friday)
Williams recorded 9.1 fantasy points in the Week 7 thriller over the Stampeders in just his third game of the season, as he finished with 57 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries along with catching a pair of passes for 14 yards. Dustin Crum ($7,500) has energized the REDBLACKS offence in his first two starts, but with defences beginning to key onto his running skills, Williams will be afforded the opportunity to exceed the 5.8 FP he’s projected for.
The Tiger-Cats are seventh in the league with 115.7 rushing yards allowed per game and are last in average yards per play allowed on first down with 8.16. Hamilton is giving up 28.5 offensive points per game, so if the recent Ottawa offensive trend continues Friday, Williams will be a solid fantasy option.
Receivers
Godwin has gotten plenty of targets from Ticats’ QBs this season, making him a prime candidate for a big game (The Canadian Press)
Terry Godwin II, Hamilton, $10,600 salary (at Ottawa, Friday)
Fun fact: did you know that Godwin has as many targets as All-Star teammate Tim White ($12,000)? Both trail Duke Williams ($10,000, 40) with 38 targets on a Ticats team that is third in the league with 206 attempts and will likely go north of 30 attempts against a REDBLACKS’ secondary that’s allowing a league-high 311.3 passing yards per game. The low usage rate continues to make Godwin a sleeper, yet we feel this is the last week we’ll see him in this space. Projected with 11.0 fantasy points, look for Godwin to continue performing like the viable option Taylor Powell ($5,000) has relied upon.
Marken Michel, Calgary, $6,000 salary (at Montreal, Sunday)
Michel made the 3.3 per cent of fantasy users who believed in him look like geniuses by scoring 29.4 FP in Week 7. In just his third game since re-signing with the Stamps, Michel pulled in four passes for 134 yards and two majors on five targets including a 95-yard scoring reception in the fourth quarter.
The status of Luther Hakunavanhu ($7,700), who missed last week’s game with an injury, could go a long way toward how much more usage pivot Jake Maier ($15,000) has for Michel in a Calgary passing attack that has generated 765 yards in the past two games. The Alouettes are sixth in passing yards allowed, so if Maier continues his hot stretch of production, Michel will be positioned to at least hit on the 10.4 FP he’s projected to have this week.
Vincent Forbes-Mombleau, Edmonton, $9,000 salary (vs. BC, Saturday)
The Elks released Maurice Ffrench earlier this week, which moves Forbes-Mombleau up in the pecking order among the Edmonton receiving corps. If you’re looking for elevated risk, then here’s your guy. Forbes-Mombleau has been targeted just 20 times this season yet has averaged 13.5 yards per catch to go along with a 140.2 efficiency rate. As mentioned in our Week 8 Start/Sit, it’s best to avoid Elks receivers this week yet if you must, Forbes-Mombleau is a dart throw worth considering.
Dejon Brissett, Toronto, $7,200 salary (vs. Saskatchewan at Touchdown Atlantic, Saturday)
Outside of Damonte Coxie ($9,000) and Kurleigh Gittens Jr. ($9,900), we could place an Argos receiver in this column on a weekly basis. This week’s choice is Brissett, who averages 19.2 yards per catch and sports an average of 15.9 depth yards per route. Chad Kelly ($14,500) leads the league with a 58.6 per cent rate on passes of 20 or more yards in depth and will likely look in the direction of Brissett, who has pulled in two of Kelly’s 17 deep ball completions. Expect the duo to connect via long distance on Saturday, with Brissett a good sleeper play to score his first touchdown of the 2023 season.
