Week 10 will be better for CFL fantasy players after a topsy-turvy Week 9 that featured an unusual meltdown from the Lions’ offence that was shut out by the Blue Bombers. This week could also mark the return of a pair of injured pivots whose presence will enhance their respective lineups.
This week’s projections will be, well…interesting.
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Quarterbacks
1. Tre Ford, Edmonton, $8,500 Salary (10.4 PFP): Oh, how we underestimated Ford, who ripped Saskatchewan for 20.6 fantasy points. BC has yielded 20 offensive touchdowns (seventh overall) and will find containing him as fruitless as the Roughriders did in Week 9.
2. Davis Alexander, Montreal, $7,500 Salary (10.5 PFP): Prepare to adjust if Cody Fajardo ($13,800, 19.1 PFP) returns to the lineup. Either pivot should thrive at the expense of Hamilton’s defence, which has allowed a league-high 17 touchdown passes.
3. Jake Maier, Calgary, $11,600 Salary (14.5 PFP): Maier has thrown for multiple majors in five of his eight starts and has tossed for at least 287 yards in three of his last four. Somehow, it still feels as if he hasn’t hit his stride, a scary proposition for the Argos on Friday.
4. Shea Patterson, Saskatchewan, $6,400 (15.0 PFP): Trevor Harris returned to practice this week but was still ruled out for the game in Week 10, meaning it’ll be Patterson leading the Green and White once again. The young pivot is coming off his best fantasy performance of the season, scoring 27 FP against the Edmonton Elks. He’ll have to face a fierce REDBLACKS defence that has been spectacular at home, but still has plenty of weapons at his disposal to put up fantasy points at a reasonably cheap price compared to the rest of this list.
Running Backs
1. James Butler, Hamilton, $11,700 Salary (16.7 PFP): Butler has scored double-figure fantasy points in all but one game and comes into this week having scored at least 14.7 FP in four straight. He’s also overdue for a trip to the end zone after failing to score in his last two outings.
2. Ka’Deem Carey, Toronto, $10,700 Salary (14.1 PFP): Like Adams, Carey had a rough Week 9, and, like Adams, will make fantasy players forget about it after he resumes being the fulcrum of the Argos’ offence.
3. Walter Fletcher, Montreal, $9,200 Salary (15.4 PFP): The return of Fajardo opens the door for Fletcher, who scored 17.4 FP against the Ticats in Week 9, to crack the 20 FP barrier for the first time since his season-best 31 FP outing in Week 5 against the Stampeders.
4. William Stanback, BC, $11,100 Salary (13.7 FP): Edmonton allows a league-worst 6.96 yards per play, fertile ground for the dual-threat back who scored 18.3 FP in his first meeting against the Elks in Week 4.
5. Javon Leake, Edmonton, $5,500 Salary (10.9 FP): Kevin Brown’s possible return and the RPO choices of Ford combine to temper expectations of Leake following his 40.5 FP blockbuster against the Roughriders.
6. Frankie Hickson, Saskatchewan, $4,500 Salary (8.5 PFP): AJ Ouellette ($11,500) may miss a third straight game, yet it won’t be a problem for the Riders’ ground game as Hickson has totaled 232 yards from scrimmage in Ouellete’s absence.
Receivers
1. Tyson Philpot, Montreal, $9,300 Salary (19 PFP): Fantasy salary wise, Philpot remains a bargain. He’s maintained solid numbers without Fajardo in the lineup; he’ll revert to the 20+ FP monster Fajardo turned him into once the pair are reunited.
2. Justin McInnis, BC, $12,600 Salary (23.9 PFP): Trust us, the bounce back from his Week 9 goose egg will be exhilarating for fantasy players.
3. Justin Hardy, Ottawa, $10,900 Salary (16.4 PFP): Outside of Week 5, Hardy has caught at least five passes in each game. His catch rate has improved to 72.2 per cent, and the addition of Kalil Pimpleton ($5,000) has opened up the middle of the field for Hardy, where he does his most damage.
4. Alexander Hollins, BC, $12,000 Salary (14.1 PFP): A total of nine FP in the last two games, and a three-week scoring drought are slowing down Hollins’ blistering start. Both he and McInnis will have to adjust to life with the returning Keon Hatcher ($8,000), so keep an eye on the Lions’ pass distribution numbers.
5. Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan, $10,500 Salary (13.4 PFP): Emilus is the Roughriders’ top option, and that means a bushel of targets in his direction.
6. Reggie Begelton, Calgary, $10,000 Salary (12.1 PFP): We’re seeing the Begelton we’ve become accustomed to. He scored 17.7 FP in Week 9 after putting up a season-best 18.2 FP in Week 7. His first 20 FP game isn’t too far off.
7. Kalil Pimpleton, Ottawa, $5,000 Salary (15.2 PFP): In three games, Pimpleton has averaged 96.3 receiving yards and 13.6 depth yards per route while catching five of his targets of at least 20 yards in depth. He’s a ridiculously value play.
8. Tim White, Hamilton, $11,000 Salary (14.9 PFP): After a sluggish start, White’s end zone beacon has been fixed after scoring three times in the last two games. Starting Bo Levi Mitchell ($11,000) against the Als is not advisable, but if there’s one Ticats receiver who will score fantasy points, White is that man.
9. Marken Michel, Calgary, $9,000 Salary (11.5 PFP): Both he and Begelton are in this week’s projections, making it feel like old times for veteran CFL fantasy players who remember the pair producing big numbers.
10. Eugene Lewis, Edmonton, $9,500 Salary (10.1 PFP): How the pecking order at receiver for the Elks shapes up with Ford throwing the ball is, at best, a dart throw. When in doubt, go first with the former All-Star who has yet to have a breakout stretch since arriving in Edmonton.
11. Shemar Bridges, Hamilton, $5,000 Salary (13.5 PFP): Week 9 saw Bridges score 18.6 FP, easing fears of an extended slump after he scored 10.4 FP the previous two games. All is well with the rookie standout.
12. Damonte Coxie, Toronto, $9,000 Salary (10.8 PFP): Coxie is the closest fantasy players will get to having a consistent Argos pass-catcher. The talent is there. Hopefully, more targets will arrive.
Defences
1. Montreal, $9,900 Salary (4.9 PFP): Overlook the modest projection and bank on the Alouettes making life miserable for the Hamilton offence. It’s been some time since we’ve seen a defensive major from the Als, and perhaps that will change on Saturday.
2. BC, $9,400 Salary (4.4 PFP): We just feel the Lions’ D will exceed expectations against the Elks. Just a hunch, but…
3. Ottawa, $7,500 Salary (4.6 PFP): The REDBLACKS defence is an entirely different beast at home.
4. Calgary, $7,500 Salary (4.8 PFP): If the Stampeders can force the Argos to rely heavily on their passing game, the door opens wide for them to create mayhem.