June 12, 2024

From the Editor’s Desk: Running into Week 2

Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca

Well hello there, Week 2.

What slate of games we were treated to in Week 1. What’s in store this weekend?

I, for one, am really excited to see Ottawa REDBLACKS. They had a bye in the opening week of the 2024 season and remain the only team we haven’t gotten to watch yet.

How will Dru Brown command the offence? How much of a difference-maker will Adarius Pickett be on the defensive side of the ball? Will Dominique Rhymes score in his first game returning to the team he played for from 2017-19? I have questions that need answering!

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Here’s my CFL Fantasy team for this week:

QB – Bo Levi Mitchell ($9,400) CAPTAIN
RB – William Stanback ($11,200)
RB – AJ Ouellette ($12,400)
WR – Tyson Philpot ($8,400)
WR – Alexander Hollins ($12,800)
Flex – Shemar Bridges ($2,500)
Defence – Montreal Alouettes ($9,800)

Bo Levi Mitchell is my quarterback this week and my captain. He looked good in Week 1 against the Stampeders, it was just his receivers that didn’t do him any favours with a few drops in the contest. Saskatchewan gave up 336.0 yards through the air last week, second most in the CFL, and if Bo’s pass-catchers can get their hands in check, I think he’s in for a good night passing-wise. And Mitchell uncharacteristically ran three times for 36 yards, which is even more fantasy points! The value is there at $9,400.

My running backs this week are William Stanback and AJ Ouellette. Calgary gave up a league-leading 156.0 yards on the ground in Week 1. Though Stanback was only held to 35 yards in Week 1, it was against an Argos team that boasts a fantastic run-stopping defence. I think he’ll be able to find some holes (as long as the OL helps make room for him) and get to the second level of the Stamps defence this week. Ouellette is going against a Ticats run defence that gave up 117.0 yards last week and something tells me the new Rider running back will want to rack up more than his 40 yards rushing from Week 1. Expect him to go wild at Tim Hortons Field, where he scored a passing touchdown last season and made his Thor Hammer debut.

Tyson Philpot and Alexander Hollins are my two receivers this week. I don’t expect Philpot to get a pair of majors (or maybe he will!), but it’s clear that the receiver is Cody Fajardo‘s favourite target, hauling in 10 of his 11 targets last week. Hollins didn’t find the end zone vs. Toronto in Week 1 but against the Stamps who gave up 312.0 yards through the air last week, I think Hollins and VA will continue to connect after the pair hooked up for eight completions on 13 targets for 90 yards.

Shemar Bridges is my FLEX player this week. 11 targets, seven catches and 85 yards in Week 1? And only $2,500? Yes, please.

And finally, my defence is the Montreal Alouettes. Last week the Als defence got me 12 points (nice!) against a tough Bombers club. I think they’ll do much of the same against Edmonton this week.

KRISTINA’S PICKS (make your picks here!)

Winnipeg at Ottawa
Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Brady Oliveira and Kenny Lawler won’t play on Thursday night, which is, of course, a blow to Winnipeg’s offence. However, I do think they have the depth to keep things going. Johnny Augustine has carried the load when called upon – he scored a late-game touchdown last week – and they have some other receivers that can fill in for Lawler. We haven’t seen the 2024 Ottawa REDBLACKS yet but I think Zach Collaros and co. won’t let themselves repeat their Week 1 performance.

PICK: Winnipeg

Montreal at Edmonton
Friday, 9:00 p.m. ET

Montreal surprised some people (not me!) when they defeated the Blue Bombers last weekend. Their defence was excellent once again, keeping Winnipeg out of the end zone until late in the contest when the Als pretty much had the game wrapped up. McLeod Bethel-Thompson looked good last week but he did make a few mistakes – fumbling twice and throwing an interception – and you can be sure that the Montreal defence will do anything to make him turn the ball over on Friday night. I think their defence is the difference maker.

PICK: Montreal

Calgary at BC
Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET

Jake Maier looked good in Week 1. He looked better than good, actually, completing a league-leading 80.8% of his passes and throwing for two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Stamps’ win over Hamilton. It’s still early in the season, and we only have a small sample size for reference, but I don’t know if that’ll be enough to beat the Lions who were neck-and-neck with the Argonauts in Week 1. I can’t see the Leos losing two games in a row.

PICK: BC

Saskatchewan at Hamilton
Sunday, 7:00 p.m. ET

The Saskatchewan Roughriders turned it on in the fourth quarter of last week’s game against Edmonton, scoring 21 points and holding Edmonton to just three. If they can put that kind of performance together for a full 60 minutes on Sunday, Trevor Harris and co. should go 2-0 to start the season. Mario Alford has also started his season off on the right foot – scoring a return touchdown that was called back because of penalties and was named PFF’s top returner with a 79.8 grade.  He will look to keep his team in good field position all night at Tim Hortons Field.

PICK: Saskatchewan

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