Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca
The Week 16 version of Start/Sit offers some obvious choices (of which one start doesn’t take long to discover), while a couple of risky decisions will leave Fantasy owners asking, “Should I or Shouldn’t I?” As the playoffs near and Fantasy leagues get tight, those willing to break from the normal will be among those in great position to pull away.
This week carries over into the beginning of the upcoming week as the Eskimos meet the Alouettes in the final Monday contest of the regular season, which will leave Fantasy players refreshing their work computers well into the afternoon. With that in mind, let’s go.
Hamilton at Winnipeg
Friday | 8:30 p.m ET
Matt Nichols could be a great play especially since the Ticats defence has allowed a league-worst points per contest (34.4) (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Start: Why not go with Bombers pivot Matt Nichols ($12,881)? After all, this game pits a Winnipeg offence averaging a league-high 33.6 points per game welcoming a Hamilton defence that has allowed a league-worst 34.4 points per contest. Nichols, who leads the league in touchdown passes (26), has recorded five straight games and six of his last seven with at least two passing majors, which includes a two-touchdown effort against the Ticats in Week 8. He threw for 267 yards in the 39-12 victory on August 12 and will most likely hit a personal milestone on Friday, as Nichols is only 156 yards away from the first 4,000-yard season of his career.
Sit: Don’t count on Alex Green ($3,500) delivering a resounding encore. The Tiger-Cats running back ran for 140 yards on 13 carries in his debut in Week 14 but went back to the bench as C.J. Gable ($6,920) produced 157 yards and a pair of scores in last week’s loss to the Argonauts. Gable was traded to the Eskimos on Monday, handing Green the starting job. However, part of the reason Hamilton coach June Jones started Gable last week was due to the latter’s ability to provide pass protection. While the Bombers defence is sixth with 27 sacks, they face a Ticats offence that has allowed a league-high 111 QB pressures, so expect Winnipeg defensive coordinator Richie Hall to test Green’s pass-blocking ability with a variety of blitzes that could keep Green from being an effective runner.
Saskatchewan at Toronto
Saturday | 4:00 p.m. ET
S.J. Green has heated up over the last few weeks and is a good idea to start this week (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Start: Argos receiver S.J. Green ($5,884) has just eight catches for 100 yards and two scores in his last three games and it’s hard to imagine his lack of receptions carries over into this critical contest. Pivot Ricky Ray ($10,540) is coming off his best game in over a month and solved the Roughriders defence to the tune of 386 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 6 meeting between the teams. Ray appeared to have rediscovered his ability to throw downfield, which works well for Green, who leads the league with 19 catches when beyond 20 yards. After recording less than 50 yards receiving in five of his last seven games, this is a good time to bet on Green delivering his fifth 100-yard game of the season.
Sit: Regardless of who gets the start, staying away from the Roughriders’ running game is strongly advised. Newcomer Trent Richardson ($2,500) is expected to start in his CFL debut, but the former first round pick of the Cleveland Browns will have to adjust to a different style of play while also playing his first meaningful downs since the 2014 AFC Playoffs. Kienan LaFrance ($4,134) rushed for 52 yards and a score last week, but averages just 3.9 yards per carry. Return specialist Christion Jones ($2,500), who returned a punt for a 97-yard score in last week’s win over Ottawa, has the most upside among the Saskatchewan backs.
Ottawa at BC
Saturday | 7:00 p.m. ET
Chris Williams may be a risk but it could come with a high reward (The Canadian Press)
Start: As mentioned earlier, there would be a risky play. Enter Lions receiver Chris Williams ($5,047), who has just one touchdown this season and hasn’t averaged better than 11 yards per catch in a game since Week 8. The speedster is way overdue for the type of game that made him one the league’s best game-altering performers, and he gets his chance against a REDBLACKS defense that has given up a league-high 29 passes of over 30 yards. Playing Williams is even more dicey considering pivot Jonothan Jennings ($8,589) has completed just 35.4 percent of his deep ball attempts while throwing a league-worst six interceptions when he does dial it up. Still, it’s a gamble worth taking.
Sit: Return specialists have helped define this season, yet Chris Rainey ($6,107) has yet to partake in the joy of taking one for a score. Rainey is averaging just 7.9 yards per punt return and a so-so 22.4 yards on kickoffs. He still is a factor in the passing game (31 receptions) but is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. Rainey can still change the complexion of a game in an instant, yet at this point in the season, there’s no reason to invest in his salary when he has yet to display the skills that once made him the league’s elite return man.
Edmonton at Montreal
Monday | 2:00 p.m. ET
Brandon Zylstra has been a favourite target of Mike Reilly this season and will likely continue that trend this week (Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca)
Start: Brandon Zylstra ($6,771) has seized the mantle from Ellingson as Fantasy’s sure bet at receiver. The second-year starter continued his breakout campaign with 152 yards on nine catches in last week’s loss to Winnipeg, giving him three 100-yard outings in his last four contests. He’s also on a four-game run in which he has recorded at least one pass for 30-plus yards in each game and faces an Alouettes defence that has allowed 24 touchdown passes while also giving pivots a near-free reign with a 72.4 percent opponents completion rate. Zylstra should have a strong say in the Eskimos’ best chance to snap their six-game losing skid.
Sit: On the opposite end of the Edmonton receiver spectrum lay Adarius Bowman ($4,918), who is in the midst of the worst season of his career. Take away his nine-catch, 117-yard outing against Montreal in Week 2 and Bowman has just 19 receptions for 160 yards. Since returning off the injured list in Week 11, Bowman has yet to exceed 42 receiving yards and has yet to muster a reception longer than 23 yards. That’s a far cry from the Bowman who entered the season with three straight seasons of at least 1,304 yards.
