Start vs. Sit: Not the week to bargain on your QB

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

With six teams averaging at least 100 rushing yards per game through the first three weeks of the regular season, Week 4 of TSN CFL Fantasy football will see players bringing their focus on production from the backfield. While Calgary’s duo of Don Jackson and Terry Williams are off, James Wilder Jr. returns from the Argos’ first bye week and will be crucial to their success in the absence of Ricky Ray.

A friendly word of warning for Fantasy players: be very careful when it comes to figuring out a potential RB2. The backfield situations in Hamilton and Saskatchewan are filled with uncertainty along with the fact Montreal’s Tyrell Sutton has yet to get on track. Loading up on Wilder and Ottawa’s William Powell will put a dent in the $40,000 salary, leaving Fantasy players to find bargains elsewhere.

So, who’s worth the start and who needs to be benched? Well, what are we waiting for?

Hamilton (2-1-0) at Saskatchewan (1-2-0)

Thursday | 9:00 p.m. ET

Start: Jalen Saunders, WR, Tiger-Cats, $5,407 Salary

Brandon Banks ($8,211) and Luke Tasker ($6,268) might be too pricey for Fantasy players concerned about Hamilton taking on a Saskatchewan pass defence that is third in opposing passer’s QBR (64.4). Saunders has become the wideout that Jeremiah Masoli ($9,835) loves to go to when dialling long distance, as Saunders is tied for fourth with seven targets of 20 or more yards. He’s also tied for third with three catches in that range and goes against a Roughriders secondary whose weakness shows in the 8.3 yards per pass they have allowed opponents. Remember: Montreal’s Chris Williams ($4,772) got behind Duron Carter twice in last week’s game, including a 79-yard touchdown reception. Masoli’s going to test the Riders with the deep ball early, and Saunders will be the receiver most likely to benefit.

Sit: Caleb Holley, WR, Roughriders, $3,260 Salary

Holley’s breakout year is on hiatus while Saskatchewan attempts to figure out how to get their passing game on track. Riders pivots have combined for a league-low 54.6 per cent completion rate and only the Argonauts have a worse average gain per pass than Saskatchewan’s 6.9. Brandon Bridge ($5,341) will start, but it’s hard to suggest any other Roughriders player outside of Naaman Roosevelt ($5,559). Despite an impressive 21 yards per catch, Holley has just six receptions on only 11 targets. Numbers like that, especially with passers who can’t get him the ball on a consistent basis, are why some Fantasy players may feel that Holley is grossly neglected.

Ottawa (1-1-0) at Montreal (1-2-0)

Friday | 7:30 p.m. ET

Start: William Powell, RB, REDBLACKS, $8,289 Salary

Sure, he’s expensive, but Powell is averaging 6.8 yards per carry in his first two games and goes against an Alouettes run defence that is seventh with 140.7 yards allowed. Combustible? You bet. Powell’s impressive start has him on pace for 1,953 yards on the ground, and while that lofty total seems unlikely, he has been able to overshadow the sluggish start of quarterback Trevor Harris ($8,624). This should be another night in the office for Powell, who now has six games of at least 90 yards rushing since returning to the Ottawa lineup last year in Week 13.

Sit: B.J. Cunningham, WR, Alouettes, $4,148 Salary

The presence of Williams no longer means Cunningham is the Als’ top downfield target. After averaging 16.3 yards per catch last season, Cunningham is at a more pedestrian 12.4 yards on his 11 catches thus far. Among players with at least 15 targets, Cunningham ranks near the bottom in average yards per target at 9.6. It doesn’t help matters that Drew Willy ($6,069) suffered a neck injury in last week’s win over the Roughriders that could sideline him, which means Cunningham and the rest of the Montreal receiving corps would have to rely on either Jeff Mathews ($5,000) or Matt Shiltz ($5,000). In short, it’s not a pretty picture for the Als’ passing game.

Edmonton (2-1-0) at Toronto (0-2-0)

Saturday | 5:30 p.m. ET

Start: Kenny Stafford, WR, Eskimos, $3,937 Salary

D’haquille Williams ($4,956) and Derel Walker ($6,711) are atop this week’s receiver rankings, but there are plenty of targets to go around for Stafford to make an impact against an Argonauts pass D that is giving up an – wait for it – 82.4 per cent completion rate to opposing quarterbacks. Stafford scored his first touchdown of the 2018 regular season in last week’s win over the Lions, and with Toronto spread out to contain Williams, Walker and running back C.J. Gable ($6,618), the window of opportunity for Stafford to put up big numbers is wide open.

Although he’s accounted for all three of the Argos’ touchdowns so far this season, Franklin may need time to get settled as the signal-caller for the Double Blue. (Peter Power, CFL.ca)

Sit: James Franklin, QB, Argonauts, $6,000 Salary

On the surface, one can’t be blamed for wanting to play Franklin, who has accounted for all three of Toronto’s touchdowns this season. The temptation is stronger when one considers the Eskimos have allowed six passing majors, a total topped only by the seven given up by the Alouettes. The Argos are last in the league with 227.5 offensive yards per game and 4.4 yards per play, and it stands to reason Franklin will need time to adjust to finally becoming a full-time starter. He will have his moments and will develop into a viable Fantasy option, but this isn’t the week to entrust your quarterback spot on him.

BC (1-1-0) at Winnipeg (1-2-0)

Saturday | 8:30 p.m. ET

Start: Weston Dressler, WR, Blue Bombers, $4,671 Salary

The Lions are last in the league in pass defence, allowing 303.5 yards per game, and while Winnipeg rookie quarterback Chris Streveler ($6,983) was held in check during last week’s loss to Hamilton, this should be a rebound week for him in the passing department. Dressler leads the Bombers with 21 targets and has recorded double-digit Fantasy production in two of his three games this season as he has established a rapport with Streveler. If this game becomes a shootout, Dressler will be heavily involved, especially with BC allowing completions at a 72.3 per cent clip.

Sit: Jonathon Jennings, QB, Lions, $7,843 Salary

Jennings looked a lot like the 2017 version of himself in BC’s loss to Edmonton, completing barely half his passes for 199 yards and an interception. Granted, the Lions’ passing game is questionable outside of Bryan Burnham ($5,399), but it speaks volumes that Jennings is a sit candidate despite the fact Winnipeg is eighth in pass defence at 302 yards per game. Jennings will need to run to justify playing him, but another shaky outing is going to have fans calling for Travis Lulay ($1,209) very soon.

Follow CFL