Fantasy Projections: Stanback leading way for Als

Week 18 is centered around Friday’s Bombers-Lions tilt, which will have heavy implications for CFL fantasy users.

The week’s three other games will also provide matchups that will be favorable for a host of reliable fantasy talents while there are others who are best off staying on the bench.

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Quarterbacks

1. Vernon Adams Jr., BC, $14,000 Salary (22.2 Projected Fantasy Points): See what happens when Adams doesn’t throw interceptions? Last week’s 31.3 FP was his season’s best total; he’s thrown at least two touchdown passes in four straight games and is a solid bet to record at least 265 passing yards for an eighth straight contest.

2. Zach Collaros, Winnipeg, $13,500 Salary (20.5): He put up 24 FP in the Week 9 win over the Lions and comes into the potential winner-take-all showdown having thrown multiple majors in four of his past five games. Like Adams, Collaros has way too much firepower to not exceed his projection.

3. Chad Kelly, Toronto, $12,900 Salary (22.2): For now, let’s assume Kelly is back atop the depth chart on Thursday. If so, he gets a nice “Welcome Back to the Lineup” matchup against an Elks defence ranked last in net offensive yards and eighth in average yards per play allowed. Kelly hasn’t cracked the 20 FP barrier since Week 13, so he’s overdue for a huge outing.

4. Tre Ford, Edmonton, $10,000 Salary (21.1): If the Argos use the same blueprint to slow down the threat of Ford’s running skills, then this is the week head coach Chris Jones should give Ford the green light to let it fly against an Argos defence that allows a league-high 71 percent completion rate and 25 passing touchdowns. It’s not like the Elks don’t have the receivers to give Ford a chance to light up the Boatmen.

5. Jake Dolegala, Saskatchewan, $10,000 Salary (12.5): Five interceptions in his past three games have altered Dolegala’s fantasy numbers. The Riders should be able to stretch the ball downfield against a Ticats defence that has allowed 28 completions of better than 30 yards.

Running Backs

1. Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg, $13,400 Salary (20.5): Who else but the MOP candidate sits atop the perch? Last week’s 26.1 fantasy points marked the sixth time in the past eight games that Oliveira has scored at least 20 FP. He’ll be heavily involved against the Lions considering he scored 20.4 FP against them in Week 9.

2. James Butler, Hamilton, $11,500 Salary (13.5): Butler is in a stretch where he follows up a good fantasy effort with a disappointing one. He scored 13.2 FP last week but will snap this up-down trend as he joins Oliveira and Edmonton’s Kevin Brown ($11,000) in the 1,000-yard club.

3. William Stanback, Montreal, $10,000 (11.5): The Als’ offensive fortunes have climbed since they decided to let Stanback be Stanback. He’s scored majors in three of his last four games and will gobble up yards from scrimmage against a REDBLACKS defence allowing a league-high 6.98 yards per play.

4. AJ Ouellette, Toronto, $11,200 Salary (14.4): He’ll get more than the two touches from scrimmage he recorded in Week 17. Any back facing Edmonton’s struggling run defence is worth considering; if the Argos happen to sit him, be willing to ponder using Deonta McMahon ($2,500).

5. Frankie Hickson, Saskatchewan, $3,500 Salary (3.1): Not facing the BC defence is a step up for Hickson’s fantasy chances; those increase greatly as he will face a Hamilton run defence allowing 112.7 yards per game.

Receivers

1. Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg, $13,500 Salary (19.6): Schoen has scored at least 16.1 fantasy points in four of his last five games and has three straight 100-yard receiving performances. The league leader in receiving yards will be able to stretch his total while also adding to his 12 receptions of better than 20 yards.

2. Dominique Rhymes, BC, $12,000 Salary (12.8): The rust is definitely off Rhymes, who was targeted 16 times in his first two games back from injury. Last week’s 14.2 FP total is a precursor of what he will do on Friday.

3. Keon Hatcher, BC, $12,400 Salary (19.0): Speaking of targets, Hatcher has been targeted at least 10 times in five of his last seven games. That type of attention coming from a QB like Vernon Adams, Jr. is going to pay off again this week.

4. Tim White, Hamilton, $12,000 Salary (17.7): White has recorded at least 96 receiving yards in four of his past five games. He’s also put up double-digit fantasy numbers in six of the last seven, offering fantasy users the type of consistency to build lineups around.

5. Nic Demski, Winnipeg, $13,000 Salary (14.1): Don’t put much stock in Demski’s 7.2 FP total last week; he’s been targeted at least six times in four of his last five games, and fantasy users know Demski will be a focal point of the Bombers attack on Friday.

6. Tyson Philpot, Montreal, $6,500 (12.3): Three straight games of at least 12.7 fantasy points have made Philpot the Als’ featured receiver. Invest in Philpot, especially if Austin Mack is sidelined again.

7. Kian Schaffer-Baker, Saskatchewan, $4,700 Salary (11.9): The last two games (40 combined fantasy points) have given us the Schaffer-Baker we’ve been waiting on. That trend should continue this week.

8. Kenny Lawler, Winnipeg, $9,000 Salary (14.0): The last time Lawler failed to score at least 10 fantasy points (Week 11), he responded by scoring touchdowns in four straight games. Well, he scored just 5.9 FP last week, so…

9. Terry Godwin, Hamilton, $9,000 Salary (13.8): Godwin has scored in three straight games and is a solid (and affordable) anchor fantasy users can build around this week.

10. Eugene Lewis, Edmonton, $9,200 Salary (12.8): If the Elks stand a chance to pull out the upset against the Argos, it will help to give Lewis more than three targets. Elite talent can’t deliver if they’re not getting the ball.

11. Bralon Addison, Ottawa, $4,100 Salary (8.5): The REDBLACKS new featured receiver should be in line for a third straight game of at least 15 FP. Addison could be the jolt Ottawa’s passing game has been missing most of the season.

12. Tommy Nield. Toronto, $3,600 Salary (10.2): This week’s “Pick an Argos Receiver” is Nield, who should continue to get his share of touches regardless of who’s starting at pivot.

Defences

1. Montreal, $8,200 Salary (15.0): The hottest defence in CFL fantasy play has scored 14 and 16 FP in their past two games. Another shot at the REDBLACKS offence makes a third straight game of double-digit FP attainable.

2. Toronto, $10,000 Salary (20.8): The projected score seems high, but the Argos are always a threat in the turnover department after forcing 39 takeaways so far this season.

3. Hamilton, $8,300 Salary (14.7): Facing a Riders team with a -13 turnover ratio is enough to make an investment on the Ticats.

4. Winnipeg, $10,000 Salary (16.5): One could flip this between the Bombers and the Lions as both are facing pivots who can suddenly become interception prone.