Injuries will impact Week 2, as a host of quality receivers will either be sidelined or less than 100 per cent. The suspension of Stampeders running back/return specialist Roy Finch will greatly impact Calgary’s field position while he misses the next two games, while uncertain situations in the backfields of Ottawa and Winnipeg will also cause Fantasy owners to adjust and take a risk on a backup skill position player.
For now, at least, the state of quarterbacks in the league is healthy. Although that will change at some point in the season, each of the seven pivots who started Week 1 will return along with Blue Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols, who makes his regular season debut with the rest of his Winnipeg teammates on Canada Day.
Without further ado, this is how the injury report shakes out for Week 2.
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Ottawa at Calgary
Thursday | 9:00 p.m. ET
The loss of Finch is crippling for the Stamps, who led the league in average field position (own 42-yard line) last week. That type of production isn’t easily replaced.
Receiver DaVaris Daniels (upper body injury) is out for at least a month, opening the door for either Kamar Jorden or Lemar Durant to fill the void as the deep ball threat for Bo Levi Mitchell.
Kamar Jorden should see plenty of touches in the absence of DaVaris Daniels (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)
While William Powell is listed No. 1 on the REDBLACKS’ depth chart, running back Mossis Madu may see time in the backfield. Madu was inactive last week after leading the team in rushing last season and will be a solid RB2 for most fantasy owners. The success of fullback Brendan Gillanders should lead to him seeing more touches, but this is Madu’s show.
Ottawa will also be without receiver Kenny Shaw, leaving Diontae Spencer and Week 1 surprise Joshua Stangby to vie for targets from Trevor Harris. The bet here is that Spencer is the one who is more effective.
BC at Toronto
Friday | 7:00 p.m. ET
The Lions don’t have any injuries that would greatly impact them after playing sluggishly in last week’s loss to the Eskimos. The Argonauts are also without key injuries, setting the stage for what could be an entertaining air show between BC’s Jonathon Jennings and Toronto’s Ricky Ray.
Jennings looks to rebound after producing just one big play in Week 1, while Ray will be hard-pressed to top his 505-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Tiger-Cats last Sunday.
Montreal at Edmonton
Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET
Alouettes receiver Samuel Giguere should return from the one-game injured list to help bolster a receiving corps that will need to be clicking on all cylinders. This game could be a slugfest against an Eskimos team that will get running back Travon Van back after he missed the season opener on the injured list.
Van could give Edmonton a needed boost in the punt return game, as they averaged a league-low 5.3 yards per return in Week 1.
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan
Saturday | 9:00 p.m. ET
The Riders may get Rob Bagg back in their lineup to open up new Mosaic Stadium (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
There were concerns about Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris (leg), but he stated on Tuesday that he’s good to go. That makes him a strong RB2 and potentially an RB1 for most fantasy owners.
The Roughriders will continue to be without receiver Chad Owens, yet are expected to have Rob Bagg after he was on the one-game last week. Saskatchewan will continue to look toward Naaman Roosevelt and Bakari Grant as the focal points of their passing game in hopes of improving last week’s sluggish effort that saw them manage just one touchdown.
