The Canadian Press
Not only is there just one playoff spot remaining entering Week 19, post-season positioning (well, at least outside of Toronto) remains in play. Each of the four games this week will go a long way toward answering those questions.
That means CFL Fantasy users will have a stellar choice of talent to choose from in order to get a final push in their respective leagues in this week’s Start vs. Sit.
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BC (11-5-0) at Hamilton (8-8-0), Friday, 7:00pm ET
Start: Dominique Rhymes, WR, Lions, $12,000 Salary
The last two games have been warmups for Rhymes to reassert his starting among the league’s elite pass catchers. Since returning from the six-game injured list, Rhymes has scored 14.2 FP and 15.7 FP while being targeted a combined 18 times. A surging Rhymes and BC’s downfield attack (9.3 yards per pass) is a perfect mixture against a Ticats pass defence that has allowed 28 completions of better than 30 yards. Vernon Adams Jr. ($13,750) should continue to be lights out (seven games of at least 19.1 FP in his last eight games), and with his most talented receiver back in fold, Week 19 is an exciting time to pair them up.
Sit: Tiger-Cats Pivots
The question is who will start in Hamilton on Friday. Bo Levi Mitchell ($7,500) returned to action in Week 18 and completed four of his six passes for 129 yards and a major before yielding to Matthew Shiltz ($7,500), who tossed for 271 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 of 19 passing. Whether the Ticats will continue this timeshare as they prepare for the post-season is up in the air, but it’s best to avoid the situation considering whoever’s throwing the ball must contend with a Lions defence that is second with just 30 offensive touchdowns allowed while also ranking second with a mere 324.4 yards allowed. There are better options to be had at quarterback.
Saskatchewan (6-10-0) at Calgary (4-11-0), Friday, 9:30pm ET
Start: Jamal Morrow, RB, Roughriders, $9,500 Salary
Jamal Morrow had 146 all-purpose yards in his team’s loss to the Tiger-Cats in Week 18. Does he do it again this week? (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
Whoa. Didn’t see that coming. Morrow returned to the lineup after missing a couple of games and delivered his best fantasy effort since Week 6 (24.2 FP) with 22.6 fantasy points as he rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries along with catching a pair of passes for 26 yards. The Riders are in the throes of a five-game losing streak yet still hold post-season hopes; having a healthy Morrow back will go a long way to returning to the win column. Help also arrives in the form of a Stampeders defence that gives up 126 rushing yards per game at a league-high 5.9 yards per carry. Morrow has scored double-digit fantasy points in six of his last seven games and should be able to approach 15-18 FP at the least.
Sit: Jake Maier, QB, Stampeders, $10,500 Salary
Streaky doesn’t begin to describe the ride Maier has been on this season. He’s had a stretch of throwing for at least 288 yards in four of five games before being held under 187 yards in three straight contests before consecutive 300-yard games were followed by his current stretch of throwing for less than 250 yards in two of his last three. The Stampeders are last with 7.4 yards per pass and have not recovered from the loss of elite deep threat Malik Henry ($14,700) in Week 3. They are also tied for seventh with just 15 passing majors, another reason why the franchise is enduring its most challenging season in ages. The roller coaster that has been Maier is one fantasy users should avoid.
Montreal (9-7-0) at Edmonton (4-12-0), Saturday, 4:00pm ET
Start: Alouettes Defence, $9,000 Salary
Rare is the time we strongly suggest starting a defence. However, the Alouettes have been a source of added production the past three weeks, scoring a combined 45 FP with totals of 14 FP, 16 FP, and 15 FP, respectively. Montreal has recorded nine turnovers in the past three games and has scored touchdowns in each of the past two contests. The good times should continue to roll as they square off against an Elks team that has a -13 turnover ratio that stands eighth in the league while scoring just 18.8 offensive points per game, making them the only team in the CFL that’s scoring under 20 offensive points per contest.
Sit: Kevin Brown, RB, Elks, $10,500 Salary
Brown was once a source of good times for fantasy users, yet the past two games have been anything but stellar for the league’s third-leading rusher (1,032 yards). Over his last eight quarters, Brown has managed a total of 64 yards on 12 carries as defences have effectively taken Edmonton’s once-dangerous rushing attack out of the equation. With the Elks forced to play from behind, the ability to get Brown enough carries to gather momentum has not existed, leaving QB Tre Ford ($9,000) to rely more on the passing game. Don’t expect much better for Brown as he will be forced to solve an oppressive Als defence.
Ottawa (4-12-0) at Toronto (13-2-0), Saturday, 7:00pm ET
Start: Damonte Coxie, WR, Argonauts, $9,250 Salary
Should Damonte Coxie be added to your CFL Fantasy lineup this week? (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
Coxie should have a solid Saturday night if the Argos are committed to giving him a share of the few targets that have been available to Toronto receivers of late. He caught four passes for 83 yards in the Week 18 win over Edmonton, finishing with 12.3 FP that marked the sixth time this season he has scored at least 10 FP. No team has been savaged by the deep ball like the REDBLACKS, who have given up 36 completions of better than 30 yards while also giving up 310.3 passing yards per game. Coxie averages 16.6 yards per route, tops among Argos receivers, making him the best play among a deep roster of Toronto pass catchers.
Sit: Dustin Crum, QB, REDBLACKS, $9,000 Salary
The rookie pivot has flashed potential throughout the season, scoring at least 20 FP five times. Unfortunately, the past two weeks have been unkind to Crum, who has managed a composite 10.5 fantasy points while also being benched in favour of Nick Arbuckle ($7,500) during the Thanksgiving Day loss to Montreal. Crum has not recorded a 300-yard game and has thrown just seven touchdowns in his 12 starts. Arbuckle is likely nipping at the heels of Crum and could be a factor over the last two games, so now is the time to move on from Crum.
