Weekly Predictor: Eskimos need to add another ingredient to the mix

Jamie Nye

CFL.ca

@jamienye

And what a week it was in Week 2!

This week of matchups gives an intriguing game that will answer one of two questions. Is Chris Streveler the real deal? Are the Hamilton Ticats the ‘Beast in the East’?

Total CFL Pick ‘Em is back in 2018 and if you can pick the winners with regularity, you’ll have a chance to win $5,000. *View rules regarding streaks and prizing.

With the first game tabbed to kick off on Thursday, here are my picks for Week 3 of the CFL season.

OTTAWA @ CALGARY

Thursday | 9:00 p.m. ET

The combo of Trevor Harris and William Powell will be crucial in the REDBLACKS chances of taking down the well-rounded Stamps. (Patrick Doyle, CFL.ca)

The Calgary Stampeders are at home, which is always a daunting task for the visiting team. However, the Ottawa REDBLACKS looked very polished in their victory over Saskatchewan.

Ottawa had the first-week bye and used it to take care of the little details, and Trevor Harris and William Powell were exceptional that kept the Roughriders defence off balance. Can they do it against the league’s perennial best? After two weeks, the Stampeders defence is #1 against the run and the pass so the yards aren’t going to be as easy this week.

For the Stampeders, Eric Rogers looks back to his all-star form and that as expected adds to the most dynamic receiving corps in the entire CFL. The Stamps also throw a balanced attack at you with the number two running game in the league.

I’ll take the easy way out on this one.

PICK: CALGARY (50% confidence)

WINNIPEG @ HAMILTON

Friday | 7:00 p.m. ET

Jeremiah Masoli is riding a 7-game streak of passing for more than 300 yards. Will he get another against the Bombers? (The Canadian Press)

Jeremiah Masoli has come out of the gate flying with an offence that he looked so comfortable with last season. He appears to have grown over the off-season and with Brandon Banks, Luke Tasker and Jalen Saunders he has a trio of receivers who are getting open and can turn upfield and make plays (or blocks – see Banks last week!). Mercer Timmis was fantastic last week to add another weapon the arsenal out of the backfield to complement Masoli’s ability to take off.

On the flip side, how far will the Chris Streveler hype train ride until he starts looking like a rookie, making some rookie mistakes? I fear against a far superior team than the one he just faced in Montreal it could be this week on the road. But I said that last week. Hamilton is better than the Alouettes, however. Add in the questions about Andrew Harris‘ health and that drops the confidence in the Bombers to take this win.

PICK: HAMILTON (35% confidence)

B.C. @ EDMONTON

Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET

Odell Willis will line up against his former team for the first time this week against Edmonton. (Jimmy Jeong, CFL.ca)

I feel a bit of buyers remorse in the Edmonton Eskimos. I was pretty bullish on their 2018 season but there are some clear flaws, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Jeremiah Masoli exposed them and Jonathon Jennings the B.C. Lions have a similar ability. They have great receivers and strong complement out of the backfield. The Eskimos defence won’t have it any easier and, to be honest, I don’t think many offences in this league will be easy to stop this season.

The Lions come off a week two bye and will be the fresher team but Wally Buono’s teams haven’t come off a bye with much success in the last two years with a 1-3 record.

My big question is how much of the Lions looking strong in week one was due to the opponent?

Edmonton’s defence needs to strengthen up along the defensive line or it’s going to be a long season for the hosts of the Grey Cup. On offence, Mike Reilly needs more than just Derel Walker as the offence has been run through Reilly and Walker for the most part. Reilly is nearly the team’s leading rusher after two weeks and Walker 33% of the team’s receiving yards. (by far the most of teams who have played two games this season)

What? I have to pick at least one upset this week!!!!

PICK: B.C. (25% confidence)

MONTREAL @ SASKATCHEWAN

Saturday | 9:00 p.m. ET

With Collaros on the Rider’s 6-game injury list, Brandon Bridge will get the start against his former team this week vs. Montreal. (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

It’s going to be an emotionally charged game with the Roughriders honouring the Humboldt Broncos and first responders from the tragedy that gripped the world back in April.

On the field, the big story is Brandon Bridge at quarterback for the Riders with Zach Collaros in concussion protocol. Bridge shouldn’t have too many people thinking an upset is in order as he was responsible for a lot of wins last season coming off the bench. He’ll get all the reps in practice this week and be more than ready to take on a defence that has given up nearly 40 points a game.

Running back Marcus Thigpen should also be in the lineup after a two-game suspension and the last we saw of Thigpen in the preseason shows he has that same burst we saw in the latter part of 2017 and in the East Final.

The Montreal Alouettes aren’t leaving much to the imagination. I know I went out on a limb to pick them last week but I had zero confidence riding on that pick. With the defence the Roughriders brought in week one at home, I fear it’s going to be a long night for the Alouettes UNLESS they can get Tyrell Sutton to do to the Riders what William Powell did last week for Ottawa.

PICK: SASKATCHEWAN (99% confidence)

TSN CFL FANTASY PICKS FOR WEEK 3

QB – BRANDON BRIDGE (Saskatchewan) – Bridge likes throwing the deep ball and making plays with his legs. Against an Alouettes defence who are struggling and facing injuries, I think it is a great bargain at $6,000 to go with the Roughriders back-up at home.

RB – MARCUS THIGPEN (Saskatchewan) – Watch the Riders depth chart closely and if he’s not a go, Jerome Messam is right there with a similar value but this is another discount pick! Thigpen has the speed and vision to do some serious damage when he gets the ball and with the Riders ability to change the ratio up, I expect to see more of Thigpen than we did of Tre Mason in the first two weeks.

RB – JEREMIAH JOHNSON (B.C.) – I was tempted to put Chris Rainey in the lineup but after Mercer Timmis had a huge night against the Eskimos, I can’t ignore the ability for Johnson to be able to do similar damage this week. I also like the two catches out of the backfield. (If Andrew Harris does play, it’s always hard to take him out of the lineup)

WR – DEREL WALKER (EDMONTON) – As I mentioned in my picks, Walker has 33% of the Eskimos receiving yards through two weeks. Volume is huge in fantasy for receivers with points per reception in the game and Walker will continue to be the guy Mike Reilly is looking for first.

WR – DARVIN ADAMS (WINNIPEG) – Call this the ‘can’t keep a good man down’ pick this week. Adams hasn’t had the targets you’d like to see for a fantasy player but after two weeks having an okay game. I know he threw a touchdown pass last week but that’s not going to be in the plans very much. Hamilton has also allowed a tonne of receiving yards through two weeks so this is the week Adams gets back to his 1,000-yard potential.

FLEX – BRYAN BURNHAM (B.C.) – Eight targets for six catches in week one as he again is a favourite of Jonathon Jennings the passing game. While it didn’t lead to huge yards, Burnham is a weapon to have those 30+ point fantasy games that put you over the top.

DEFENCE – SASKATCHEWAN – A home game for the Roughriders yielded them some big points in week one and I expect Willie Jefferson and Charleston Hughes to disrupt the Alouettes early and often, leading to turnovers and maybe… just maybe Duron Carter can find his third career interception return for a touchdown.

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