Canadian Press
TORONTO — The TSN CFL Fantasy game is easy for any fan to play, with just seven roster spots and a $40,000 salary cap.
However, success requires, at a bare minimum, knowledge of which star players are sitting due to injury. With such small rosters, a wasted spot on a player who isn’t in the lineup can be a devastating blow to your week’s score.
Meanwhile, the more dedicated Fantasy player will want to keep close tabs on who’s practising with the first-team offence. Practice reports can be the source of hidden gems that produce big numbers despite low ownership percentage, providing an edge over the rest of the field.
With that, CFL.ca breaks down some of the critical roster notes for each game:
WEEK 2 STATUS UPDATE
Saskatchewan at Ottawa
Thursday | 7:30 p.m. ET
Duron Carter, REC, SSK
Duron Carter ($4,310) will take Nick Marshall’s place as the starting corner against the Ottawa REDBLACKS. Carter is not expected to take any snaps on offence and should be avoided in Fantasy, which could boost the value of Naaman Roosevelt ($5,591) and Caleb Holley ($3,806).
Shaq Evans, REC, SSK
With Duron Carter ($4,310) moving to corner, Shaq Evans ($2,500) is getting the start at boundary wideout for the Riders. He’s an intriguing option at that price tag and could be second in line for targets behind Naaman Roosevelt ($5,591).
Trevor Harris, QB, OTT
After an injury scare in the pre-season opener, Trevor Harris ($9,488) is expected to be a full go for Thursday’s season-opener. In fact, the REDBLACKS have said Harris could have played the second pre-season game if he needed to, but was held out of the meaningless game for obvious reasons.
Noel Thomas, REC, OTT
The REDBLACKS will start rookie receiver Noel Thomas ($2,500) at field wideout in their season-opener. That position isn’t generally a productive one in the three-down game, but he’ll be worth monitoring as he looks to take advantage of this opportunity.
Dominique Rhymes, REC, OTT
With Kenny Shaw, Juron Criner and Josh Stangby all departed, someone is going to benefit in an explosive REDBLACKS offence and Dominique Rhymes ($2,500) is getting the first opportunity. He’s starting at slotback and looks like a Week 2 sleeper with his affordable price and high upside.
Winnipeg at Montreal
Friday | 7 p.m. ET
Kienan LaFrance, RB, WPG
After missing the season-opener, Kienan LaFrance ($3,661) is back in the lineup for the Bombers. He’s firmly entrenched as Andrew Harris’ backup and has low upside as a Fantasy running back this week.
Timothy Flanders, RB, WPG
According to Ted Wyman, Timothy Flanders ($3,807) will be out for the foreseeable future as he deals with a lower body injury.
T.J. Graham, REC, MTL
T.J. Graham ($2,500) will be sidelined for a second straight week after missing the season-opener. His absence could mean more opportunities for Eugene Lewis ($2,500) who scored a touchdown on a fumble in Week 1 and is a deep sleeper at receiver.
Hamilton at Edmonton
Friday | 10 p.m. ET
John White, RB, HAM
A week after signing with the Ticats, John White is not in the lineup for Week 2. This could mean a pass-heavy approach from the Ticats, who will continue to use their running backs primarily in a run-blocking role to protect Jeremiah Masoli.
Alex Green, RB, HAM
Alex Green ($5,930) will miss a second week in a row as expected following a hand injury suffered during camp. The Ticats’ ground game is hurting without their top running back, but Green could be eyeing a Week 3 return.
Terrence Toliver, REC, HAM
Terrence Toliver ($4,746) is listed as a starter on the Ticats’ depth chart. His return would come ahead of schedule after it was reported he was still a couple of weeks away, although he’s a risky Fantasy play in his first game in over a year. There’s also a chance he’s scratched before the game and doesn’t play, so tread carefully.
Vidal Hazelton, REC, EDM
After missing practice throughout the week, Vidal Hazelton ($3,646) will not play in Week 2. This could mean an increased workload for D’haquille Williams ($3,276), who wound up with four catches for 74 yards in his first game working the slot.
Bryant Mitchell, REC, EDM
Bryant Mitchell ($3,687) is on the depth chart for the Eskimos, but could be a scratch while listed as the backup to rookie Miles Shuler. If you plan to play Mitchell, have a replacement handy and keep a close eye on the scratches, which are revealed shortly before kickoff.
Calgary at Toronto
Saturday | 7 p.m. ET
Brian Tyms, REC, TOR
It appears Brian Tyms ($2,500) won’t be a cheap options in Fantasy this week after being moved to the Argos’ practice roster. Tyms failed to make an impact in a season-opening loss to the Riders.
Rodney Smith, REC, TOR
With his promotion to the active roster, Rodney Smith ($2,500) could be a sneak under-the-table buy this week in Fantasy as he potentially slides into Tyms’ spot at boundary receiver. That position was a productive one for the Argos in 2017 when it was filled by DeVier Posey, who’s departed to the NFL.
Lemar Durant, REC, CGY
According to the Calgary Herald‘s Danny Austin, there’s a good chance Lemar Durant ($2,589) will return to the Stampeders’ lineup this weekend. He’s a risky play at the moment along with Juwan Brescacin ($2,500) as part of a loaded Stamps’ receiving corps.
Marken Michel, REC, CGY
The Stamps are thankful that receiver Marken Michel ($4,380) has avoided a serious injury, but as the Calgary Herald‘s Danny Austin reports, the sophomore receiver is looking less and less likely to play in Week 2. This could mean more looks for Kamar Jorden ($5,260), Eric Rogers ($5,771) and Reggie Begelton ($2,500) on a Stamps receiving corps just bursting with talent.
Eric Rogers, REC, CGY
Though he remains a risky Fantasy proposition at the moment, Eric Rogers ($5,771) should continue to see more involvement in the Stamps’ offence after playing his first game since 2015. The price has come down since a week ago for those feeling adventurous while his workload could be increased by the absence of Marken Michel ($4,380).
