Week 6 roars in with uncertain situations at quarterback in Calgary, Montreal and Saskatchewan, but TSN CFL Fantasy football players should expect more scoring after last week’s offensive drought. On the surface, each of the four games this week has the potential for busy scoreboards, which will offer more production.
Does going with a pricey running back make for a good foundation or is there a bargain receiver hidden in the back of the rankings that can emerge as a Fantasy steal? Well, we’re about to find out.
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Saskatchewan (2-2-0) at Hamilton (2-2-0)
Thursday | 7:30 p.m. ET
Start: Terrence Toliver, WR, Tiger-Cats, $5,735 Salary
Toliver has been consistent in his first three games since a season-ending knee injury in the opening week of 2017, putting up double-digit Fantasy points in each contest. Although his longest reception has been for 28 yards, Toliver leads the league in average yards per target with 20.1 yards each time Jeremiah Masoli ($10,607) looks in his direction. The Roughriders have struggled against the pass, as they rank eighth in the league with 292 yards allowed per game while giving up seven passes of at least 30 yards. With Masoli seeking to set a CFL record with 10 straight games of at least 300 passing yards, going downfield to Toliver a time or two will go a long way toward putting Masoli into the history books.
Sit: Brandon Bridge, QB, Roughriders, $5,079 Salary
Those looking at a lower-tiered pivot in favour of adding a higher-salaried player elsewhere should pass on Bridge, who has a combined total of (sit down for this one) 14.4 Fantasy points. Bridge has not exceeded 145 passing yards in any of his three games and has yet to throw a touchdown pass. His struggles are a huge reason why the Roughriders are last in the league with 205.3 yards per game in the air and are the only team in the CFL with a completion percentage lower than 60 per cent (57.8). The threat of David Watford ($5,000) snatching a series or three also hurts Bridge’s potential. Make no mistake: Bridge will eventually break out, but if you need one more reason not to bank on Thursday being that game, keep in mind that the Ticats are second in the league in pass defence (219.3 yards per game) and have allowed just three passing majors this season.
BC (2-2-0) at Ottawa (2-2-0)
Friday | 7:30 p.m. ET
Start: Travis Lulay, QB, Lions, $6,187 Salary
Remember that theory about playing a lower-salaried quarterback? Well…Lulay put up 15 Fantasy points in his first game back since his season-ending injury last September and looked crisper in the second half of the win over Winnipeg. Running back Jeremiah Johnson ($6,491) won’t play due to his ankle injury, which means the Lions will come close to the 41 attempts Lulay put up last week. He’s not lacking for targets, so an aggressive Lulay will have Bryan Burnham ($5,300), Emmanuel Arceneaux ($4,552) and sleeper Shaquille Johnson ($2,925) along with Chris Rainey ($7,686) out of the backfield. Lulay had two games of better than 30 FP last season, so he’s certainly capable of a big night.
Sit: Diontae Spencer, WR/RS, REDBLACKS, $6,864 Salary
Spencer has 10 catches for 66 yards in the last three games and has recorded only one play of more than 21 yards this season. How much of this is Spencer is indeed subject to debate, as the REDBLACKS are last in both average gain per pass (6.9) and a number of passing plays of more than 30 yards (4). The normally-potent Ottawa offence has only seven touchdowns this season, while Trevor Harris ($8,346) has a pedestrian 5-4 TD:INT rate. Greg Ellingson ($6,980) and Brad Sinopoli ($5,442) might be better plays this week while Spencer works his way out of his funk.
It might be a better week to go with on of the ‘Buds” in Greg Ellingson or Brad Sinopoli, than taking a struggling Diontae Spencer. (Johany Jutras, CFL.ca)
Winnipeg (2-3-0) at Toronto (1-3-0)
Saturday | 4:00 p.m. ET
Start: Darvin Adams, WR, Blue Bombers, $5,403 Salary
While his numbers aren’t eye-popping, Adams does have two straight games of double-digit Fantasy production and is averaging 18.8 yards per catch. He’s also had at least one reception of better than 20 yards in four of Winnipeg’s five games and should make it five out of six against an Argonauts pass defence that’s last in the league with 297.5 yards per game. Matt Nichols ($6,893) will be determined to shake off last week’s three-interception performance against BC and must take advantage of Toronto’s focus on slowing down red-hot running back Andrew Harris ($9,055). Adams is due for a big afternoon, and the pieces are in place for him to reward his users in a big way.
Sit: Adarius Bowman, WR, Bombers, $3,011 Salary
The increased usage of Nic Demski ($3,389) is another sign that Bowman might already become phased out of the Winnipeg passing game. He’s been shut out in two games this season and had only one catch in last week’s loss to BC. The former All-CFLer is averaging just 10.6 yards per catch and there’s only so much time before the Bombers begin getting Rashaun Simonise ($2,500) and Drew Wolitarsky ($2,500) involved on a more consistent basis.
Montreal (1-3) at Calgary (4-0-0)
Saturday | 9:00 p.m. ET
Start: Don Jackson, RB, Calgary, $5,697 Salary
The league’s second-leading rusher remains a bargain and will continue to see an extensive workload if Terry Williams ($4,935) misses a second straight game. Even if Williams suits up, Jackson has a firm grip as the focal point of the league’s best ground attack (143 yards per game). Jackson had his second 100-yard game of the season in last week’s win over Ottawa and is second with a sparkling 7.8 yards per carry. He falls into an ideal matchup against an Alouettes run D that is eighth in yards allowed (140.3).
Sit: Chris Williams, WR, Alouettes, $4,863 Salary
Even if his hamstring is healthy, Williams’ deep speed will be locked up against a Stampeders secondary that allows a mere 198.3 passing yards per game and has given up just one passing touchdown this season. Ask Ottawa’s receiving corps about their two experiences against Calgary. Williams leads the league with an 18.9-yard average per catch and would constitute one of the best chances Montreal has to keep this game close, but if the Stamps can cause havoc to the REDBLACKS’ fleet of wideouts, don’t expect much from the Als’ passing game.
