Thomas Skrlj/CFL.ca
Week 10 provided copious amounts of scoring as the four-game schedule averaged 62.5 points per game with six of the eight teams in action scoring at least 29 points. CFL fantasy users can only wish for at least a reasonable facsimile when Edmonton at Hamilton kicks off the Week 11 schedule on the penultimate Thursday of the regular season.
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Edmonton (0-9-0) at Hamilton (3-5-0), Thursday, 7:30pm (Eastern)
Start: James Butler, RB, Tiger-Cats, $11,000 Salary
In his previous meeting against the Elks in Week 6, Butler scored a season-high 25.7 fantasy points while tallying a 2023-high 207 yards from scrimmage. Edmonton’s run defence is still at the bottom of the league, and Butler will be fresh coming off an open Week 10, so this feels like a must-start for fantasy users looking to get their Week 11 off to a fast start. Butler also comes with the momentum of having scored 25.2 fantasy points in his previous game, a Week 9 loss to the Alouettes, even more reason to anchor him.
Sit: Taylor Powell, QB, Tiger-Cats, $5,400 Salary
Powell managed just 6.9 FP in the Week 9 home loss to Montreal and had just three of his 32 drives result in majors. That’s not encouraging even when you consider the Ticats will be facing an Elks defence that has allowed a CFL-high 24 offensive touchdowns and nearly 400 yards per game. The rookie pivot is averaging a mere 8.8 yards per pass, the second-lowest mark among starting quarterbacks, and there is no indication that number will trend upward. Add the fact that he’ll likely be feeding the ball to James Butler frequently, all signs point toward finding another fantasy option to guide your offence.
Winnipeg (7-2-0) at Calgary (3-6-0), Friday, 9:00pm
Start: Nic Demski, WR, Blue Bombers, $15,000 Salary
Dalton Schoen ($14,800) and Kenny Lawler ($10,500) have garnered most of the attention the past two games, yet it’s Demski who has quietly been on an impressive run for fantasy users. Demski is averaging 19.8 FP per game over his past four contests while scoring at least 18.5 fantasy points in each game. Don’t worry too much about the 4.5 FP Demski scored in his first meeting against the Stamps in Week 5; after all, it was his first game back after missing the previous week due to becoming a father. Regardless of whether Zach Collaros ($15,000) or Dru Brown ($7,100) gets the start at QB for Winnipeg, count on Demski continuing to be a vital part of the offence while keeping his torrid stretch of fantasy production intact.
Sit: Jake Maier, QB, Stampeders, $15,000 Salary
Since averaging 340.3 passing yards in Weeks 6-8, Maier’s ability to get the ball downfield has been drastically derailed. In his past two games, Maier has thrown for a combined 280 yards with two interceptions. He’s also bogged down in a three-game drought without a passing major while also failing to score at least 6.3 FP in each matchup. Maier was projected for 13.8 fantasy points last week and unless Calgary’s offence suddenly catches fire, he will be hard pressed to approach even that modest total.
Montreal (5-3-0) at Ottawa (3-6-0), Saturday, 7:00pm
Start: Cody Fajardo, QB, Alouettes, $15,000 Salary
The Als benched Fajardo in Week 10 as backup pivot Caleb Evans ($5,000) scored 25.6 fantasy points in the win over the Roughriders. Fajardo should be available this week and will revamp a Montreal passing game that wasn’t needed much against Saskatchewan. Ottawa’s pass defence is last in passing yards allowed along with giving up a league-high 24 completions of better than 30 yards. The REDBLACKS’ vulnerability of yielding big plays works perfectly for Fajardo and receiver Austin Mack ($11,200), whose only catch in Week 10 resulted in a 56-yard reception. The Alouettes threw just 13 times on Friday, but with Fajardo back in the lineup, count on more frequent shots downfield.
Sit: REDBLACKS Running Backs
Ottawa’s ground game is divvied up between backs Devonte Williams ($10,500) and Jackson Bennett ($6,000) while quarterback Dustin Crum ($9,300) gets more than his share of carries. Crum is still on pace to approach 1,000 rushing yards after a 42-yard, nine-carry performance in Sunday’s loss at the Argonauts, and that leaves Williams and Bennett on the outside looking in. Williams has just one game of more than 9.3 FP this season, and Bennett’s 8.4 FP on Sunday was a season high. Although this might work well in reality, the timeshare of carries doesn’t do wonders to the fantasy potential of Williams and Bennett.
BC (7-2-0) at Saskatchewan (4-5-0), Sunday, 7:00pm
Start: Keon Hatcher, WR, Lions, $11,000 Salary
There is no question that Hatcher has become the Alpha Dog of BC’s receiving corps in the wake of Dominique Rhymes ($13,000) heading to the six-game Injured List. Hatcher caught nine of his ten targets for 170 yards and a major in the Week 10 win over Calgary, translating that to 32 fantasy points, his second game this season of at least 24.4 FP. He’s also scored at least 10.0 FP in each game since returning to the lineup in Week 4 despite the injury to starting QB Vernon Adams Jr. ($15,000) Week 10 was a display of how scary good the Lions offence can be when Adams is healthy, so if you’re a fantasy user who believes in pairing pivot with pass catcher, invest heavily in Adams and Hatcher this week.
Sit: Jake Dolegala, QB, Roughriders, $5,000 Salary
Saskatchewan’s Wheel ‘O Pivots turns to Dolegala, who is projected to get the start in place of injured Mason Fine ($6,000), making him the third starting quarterback the Riders will have this season. Dolegala was ineffective coming in relief of Fine in the Week 10 loss to Montreal, completing only 11 of his 20 attempts for a mere 107 yards and an interception while averaging just 5.3 yards per attempt. An ineffective Dolegala also means a downgrade on Saskatchewan’s talented receiving duo of Shawn Bane Jr. ($14,300) and Tevin Jones ($14,100), who were held to only 67 yards on their nine total receptions in Week 10.
