Scoring was hard to come by during Week 7 as no team scored at least 30 points for the first time this season. The week was so defensively dominating that BC pivot Vernon Adams Jr. ($14,300) failed to throw for at least 300 yards for only the second time in 2024.
How will Week 8 shape up? We’re not sure but follow our weekly edition of Start/Sit for an early indication.
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Saskatchewan (5-1-0) at Montreal (5-1-0), Thursday, 7:30 PM (Eastern)
Line: N/A
O/U: N/A
Start: AJ Ouellette, RB, Saskatchewan, $11,500 Salary
If the Roughriders intend to leave with a win on Thursday night, it begins with Ouellette, who faces an Alouette defence that is eighth with 109 yards allowed per game while tied for seventh with 5.1 yards allowed per carry. Ouellette has been up and down for fantasy players, evidenced by his 8.8 fantasy points against Winnipeg in Week 7 after scoring a season-best 20.9 FP against BC the previous game.
Ouellette comes into the week as the league’s third-leading rusher, and while he’s not a consistent big-play threat, he is tied for third with nine carries of at least 10 yards. Keeping Cody Fajardo ($13,800) and the Als’ quick-strike attack off the field is paramount, so count on Ouellette playing a major part in Saskatchewan’s game plan. The running back didn’t practice on Monday, so his injury status is worth monitoring over the week.
Sit: Walter Fletcher, RB, Montreal, $9,500 Salary
On the other side, Fletcher enters a matchup against the league’s most stingy run defence. The Roughriders have made life miserable for opposing backs, allowing a mere 50.3 yards per game on the ground. Saskatchewan also tops the league with a paltry 3.7 yards per carry.
After a dominating three-game stretch that saw him average 24.8 FP per game, Fletcher was held to just 8.6 FP in the Week 6 loss to Toronto. Much of his success has been through his receiving prowess, yet he was held to only one reception for 16 yards in Week 6. The Riders will be aware, which means relying on Fletcher to produce strictly on the ground is a high-risk gamble.
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Calgary (3-3-0) at Ottawa (4-2-0), Friday, 7:30 PM
Line: Calgary (-1.5)
O/U: 51.5 (-122)
Start: Jake Maier, QB, Calgary, $12,000 Salary
Maier’s breakout campaign continued in Sunday’s win over BC when he racked up 24.8 FP via three touchdown passes and 307 yards, marking the third time this season he has recorded at least 18 fantasy points. He also enters the week with consecutive games with multiple passing majors and at least 300 passing yards.
A more aggressive approach has helped Maier, who has averaged at least nine yards per pass in four of six games. His recent accuracy has boosted his numbers as Maier has completed 79.6 per cent of his attempts in the past two games. The Stampeders’ offence is showing it is more than just running back Dedrick Mills ($9,000), and with a solid receiving corps around him, we’re betting Maier continues his recent run of fantasy success.
Sit: Dru Brown, QB, REDBLACKS, $10,400 Salary
Brown’s 25 fantasy points in Week 6 against Edmonton offered hopes of a breakout but his 5.4 FP in the Week 7 rematch against the Elks again tempers expectations of his becoming a consistent fantasy asset.
Friday’s win marked the second time in three games Brown failed to throw a touchdown pass. Week 6 was the only time he recorded at least two scoring tosses, a major reason why the REDBLACKS have the second-lowest scoring attack in the league. It continues to feel like Week 6 was more of a blip, and until he can string together a stretch of productive outings, Brown will be a tough sell for fantasy players.
Winnipeg (2-5-0) at Toronto (3-3-0), Saturday, 7:00 PM
Line: Winnipeg (-1.5)
O/U: 50.5 (-110)
Start: Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Toronto, $12,000 Salary
In a matchup between struggling offences, Carey is the one sure option for fantasy players. He has averaged 15 FP per game and has scored at least 11.7 FP each week.
Toronto’s league-leading ground attack (129.5 yards per game) is anchored around Carey, who has rushed for at least 66 yards in each contest and has three 100-yard games to his credit. The former All-Star has an ideal matchup. Winnipeg is last in the league with 119.9 rushing yards allowed per game while yielding 5.1 yards per attempt. Carey remains something of a value play at running back, and if he’s able to dash and dart through the Bombers on Saturday, count on his salary taking an upward climb.
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Sit: Cameron Dukes, QB, Toronto, $7,000 Salary
Dukes is riding a rough four-game stretch that has seen him score under 10 FP three times. He’s managed only one passing major in this span and has averaged only 179 passing yards. Nick Arbuckle ($6,500) finished the Week 7 loss to Hamilton and equaled Dukes’ number of passing majors in just 14 attempts.
Whether a QB debate is a hot topic in Toronto (but probably not as hot as what will the Blue Jays do at the trade deadline) becomes a burning issue, Dukes’ average of 28.7 fantasy points in his first two starts feels like a distant memory. With the Argos trying to keep pace with the Alouettes and REDBLACKS in the East Division, a sharp improvement in pivot production is a must. Until then, Dukes (if not Arbuckle) will continue to hamper the numbers of Toronto’s solid receiving unit.
Hamilton (1-5-0) at Edmonton (0-6-0), Sunday, 7:00 PM
Line: Edmonton (-3.5)
O/U: 54.5 (-110)
Start: Eugene Lewis, WR, Edmonton, $9,500 Salary
After a slow start, Lewis is trending up after scoring 14.9 FP and 14.4 FP in the past two games. He’s also seeing more targets from McLeod Bethel-Thompson ($9,500), who has thrown in the direction of Lewis 18 times in that stretch.
New head coach Jarious Jackson showed a continued commitment to the pass in Week 7, so don’t expect the Elks to suddenly go ground and pound. With Lewis the beneficiary of 12 of Bethel-Thompson’s 39 attempts on Saturday, expect him to regain his status as the Elks’ top option while also banking on him to score his first major since Week 3.
Sit: Steven Dunbar Jr., WR, Hamilton, $9,500 Salary
Dunbar was targeted a season-best seven times in Week 5 but returned to more of a secondary option in Week 7 when he was targeted only three times. He did catch each of his targets for 55 yards, but it feels as if Bo Levi Mitchell is feeling more in rhythm with Tim White ($10,500), Kiondre Smith ($9,600), and James Butler ($11,000).
Becoming more involved in the Hamilton passing game will be a challenge for Dunbar, who will also have to contend with Shemar Bridges ($5,000) looking for his share of targets after he had just three in Week 7. Even with the potential of a high-scoring game, finding a spot for Dunbar will be difficult to sell.