The Canadian Press
As prolific as the Eskimo offence was in 2017, this year’s edition has the chance to be more potent. Even with the loss of 2017 league-leading receiver Brandon Zylstra to the NFL and the departure of receiver Adarius Bowman, Edmonton will be the scourge of the league’s defences behind returning Most Outstanding Player Mike Reilly, a full season of C.J. Gable at running back and a still-loaded receiving corps that will have at least one breakout performer to team up with Derel Walker.
Fantasy players will have no problem stacking Edmonton players on a weekly basis. As long as Reilly remains upright, there will be little to deter the Eskimos’ ability to light up scoreboards.
QUARTERBACKS
Whether by land or air, Reilly kept finding ways to put the Eskimos into the end zone, accounting for 42 of the team’s league-best 55 offensive touchdowns. One season after setting career bests in yardage and touchdown passes, Reilly exceeded those totals, passing for 5,830 yards and tying Ottawa’s Trevor Harris with a CFL-best 30 touchdown passes. The league’s leader in QBR (87.1), Reilly authored an attack that topped the league in total yards, first downs and time of possession.
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There’s every reason to believe Reilly can either duplicate or exceed his 2017 totals with the exception of him leading the league in rushing majors (12) again. Still, he has 21 touchdowns on the ground the past two seasons, especially with opponents having to focus on the wealth of skill position talent Edmonton has on the field. Behind an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks in the league, Reilly will have all the time he’ll need to pick apart defences.
Fantasy players will have no problem paying for the most expensive player in the league. Reilly’s salary is stiff, but his return on investment makes it easy to do so week after week.
James Franklin was traded to Toronto in the off-season, but the Eskimos added experienced depth by bringing in Kevin Glenn, who threw 25 touchdown passes and helped the Roughriders reach the Eastern Final. He will be effective if the need to fill in should arise. After releasing Eli Jenkins, Danny O’Brien and Zach Klein are behind Glenn on the depth chart but aren’t Fantasy relevant at this point.
RUNNING BACKS
The arrival of Gable helped energize a ground game that had been hampered by the season-ending injury to John White and the loss of Travon Van for 12 games. The former Hamilton back rushed for 467 yards and two touchdowns while adding nine catches for 99 yards and a score during his four-game regular season run in Edmonton. He followed up with three more touchdowns during the post-season while rushing for 161 total yards.
Durability issues are the biggest concern with Gable, who has yet to play more than 15 games in his four years in the league. The counter to that issue is that Gable will be running behind the best offensive line he has seen and will not have to carry Edmonton on his shoulders. Gable will have a great opportunity to put up at least 900 rushing yards and 8-10 touchdowns this season along with being a factor in the passing game.
C.J. Gable, donning his new No. 2, has the chance to enjoy the most productive season of his career (The Canadian Press)
After catching 39 passes in 2017, Gable is a strong bet to finish with 40-45 receptions and add 2-3 visits to the end zone. Next to Toronto’s James Wilder, Jr., no back in the league can deliver the goods for Fantasy players like Gable, who will be a strong RB1 each week he starts.
Behind Gable lies a handful of talented youngsters vying to earn the backup role. Rookie Shaq Cooper has been the most impressive in training camp, while fellow newcomers Jordan Robinson and Alex Taylor aren’t far behind. Both Cooper and Robinson put their talent on full display in the Eskimos’ pre-season games and could play a role at some point this season.
RECEIVERS
Few teams can withstand the loss of a budding superstar and one of the most reliable pass-catchers in the game. Edmonton is one of those teams.
Losing Zylstra (100 catches, league-best 1,682 yards, five majors) to the Minnesota Vikings and releasing Bowman to sign with rival Winnipeg won’t hurt the Eskimos. Having Walker for a full season helps ease that pain. Walker returned after being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and displayed his All-Star form, catching 48 passes for 634 yards and two touchdowns in eight regular season games and finishing the year with six catches for 112 yards and a score in the Western Final loss to Calgary.
Fantasy players are banking that Walker, who has 246 receptions in three seasons, will be the Walker of 2016, when he caught 109 passes for 1,589 yards and 10 touchdowns. Expect he and Reilly to connect often, making him a sure-fire WR1.
Slotback D’haquille “Duke” Williams had 110 yards and a touchdown in his debut but nagging injuries cost him five games of his rookie season. He finished second to Zylstra on the team with 83 targets, catching 46 for 715 yards and four touchdowns while recording four 100-yard games and eight passes of at least 30 yards. He’s a solid WR2 that Fantasy players believe may become the breakout receiver of the Eskimos corps.
Duke Williams is looking to go from boom-or-bust Fantasy option to weekly lock (Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca)
Bryant Mitchell is another receiver who could factor in after racking up 482 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. He’s developed good chemistry with Reilly and could see his role grow significantly this season.
Kenny Stafford also has a chance to also become a major Fantasy contributor. Stafford caught 20 passes for 265 yards and two scores in limited playing time; now with a chance at more playing time, Stafford is in line to post career-best numbers. Versatile slotback/wideout Vidal Hazelton reeled in 55 passes for 709 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games and will also compete for a bigger role.
Special teams ace Natey Adjei gets his first opportunities for extensive snaps on the offensive side of the ball and could easily eclipse his career total of 17 receptions.
Among the reserves, former REDBLACKS wideout Juron Criner may have the most Fantasy upside. Criner is a big, physical receiver who also brings speed to the outside.
DEFENCE
As the Western Final loss to Calgary displayed, the Eskimos struggled defending the run, finishing eighth in yards allowed per game (98.1) while giving up a league-worst 19 touchdowns on the ground. However, they were second against the pass, allowing just 264.1 yards per contest and led the league with 69 two-and-outs and fewest plays run from scrimmage (955).
Edmonton recorded 44 sacks, tied for fourth in the league, but lost 16 of those sacks when end Odell Willis jumped to BC and tackle Euclid Cummings signed with Winnipeg. Safety Kenny Ladler, who led the team with 99 tackles, was signed by the Washington Redskins. Cornerback Johnny Adams (65 tackles, two interceptions) and linebacker Adam Konar (63 tackles) are the top returning stoppers on a unit that forced 31 turnovers in 2017.
