Paul Swanson/CFL.ca
Outside of Winnipeg and BC, offence was a rare commodity in Week 1 as the league averaged a meh 43.5 points per game.
One week doesn’t determine an entire season, so optimism for Week 2 and the projections that follow should make fantasy users feel warm and toasty as they build their lineups.
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» Start vs. Sit: Argos join fantasy party in Week 2
Quarterbacks
1. Vernon Adams Jr., BC, $15,000 Salary (projected 4.1 fantasy points): My, what a low bar to set for a pivot who put up 25.5 FP in Week 1 and will go wild and free with his receivers against an Elks defence that will put into a track meet.
2. Zach Collaros, Winnipeg, $15,000 Salary (15.9): Gladly pay for Collaros and leave just enough room in your $70,000 salary cap to add a Bombers receiver or two. Prepare the air raid warnings in Saskatchewan.
3. Chad Kelly, Toronto, $10,300 Salary (6.6): Here’s saying Kelly will exceed his modest projection and establish himself as a solid fantasy option on a weekly basis. Hamilton allowed a 70% completion rate, and while they may not give up 354 passing yards this week, count on Kelly and an underrated Argos receiving corps to pick up where Zach Collaros left off.
4. Taylor Cornelius, Edmonton, $13,900 Salary (14.8): He’s way too good to offer up another dud of 9.4 fantasy points, but his middling completion percentage is becoming a concern. Another shaky outing could usher whispers of Tre Ford.
5. Jake Maier, Calgary, $12,500 Salary (10.3): With Ka’Deem Carey ruled out of the matchup against the REDBLACKS, Maier has an excellent chance to erase doubts after he struggled at home against the Lions. Bet on seeing more of Reggie Begelton and Malik Henry.
Running Backs
RB Taqual Mizzell was listed as a good value last week and finished with 12.3 (Brett Holmes/CFL.ca)
1. Taquan Mizzell, BC, $9,100 Salary (2.0): Mizzell had a solid CFL debut as he produced 12.3 fantasy points and will face an Edmonton run defence that allowed 135 yards on 5.9 yards per carry. We wouldn’t be shocked if Mizzell gets multiple majors this week.
2. Jamal Morrow, Saskatchewan, $12,000 Salary (13.0): He needed a late dash of yardage to help him finish with just 8.0 FP. Morrow wasn’t involved in the passing game in Week 1, an oversight that should be corrected. Although the Blue Bombers allowed just 66 rushing yards, they did so at a 6.0 yards clip.
3. A.J. Ouellette, Toronto, $10,000 Salary (12.1): Unlike Morrow, Ouellette will be a factor in the Argos passing game, which is why he’s ranked here. Andrew Harris will get his touches, yet the hunch here is that Ouellette will get the bulk of touches to establish himself as the lead back for the defending champs.
4. Peyton Logan, Calgary, $9,300 Salary (7.7): With Carey missing this week’s game, Logan is in position for a considerable workload on both offence and in the return game.
5. Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg, $14,300 Salary (12.5): The expectation is that Oliveira won’t get such a high volume of touches (24) as he did in Week 1. If he does repeat that level of production, we’ve got ourselves a fantasy star, folks.
6. James Butler, Hamilton, $14,700 Salary (14.9): Butler owns the highest Week 2 projection among running backs, and while his Week 1 numbers (11 carries, 66 yards) were OK, there’s the feeling his rushing attempts will be limited if the Ticats are forced to dig themselves from an early deficit.
7. Kevin Brown, Edmonton, $12,200 Salary (12.3): He’s going to need more than 11 touches to get going. Again, it all comes back to the inconsistency of Taylor Cornelius’ accuracy.
8. Devonte Williams, Ottawa, $10,500 Salary (8.1): We now know he’s the featured back. Problem is, fantasy users can’t put much trust in Williams if his offence is averaging just 220 total yards.
Receivers
1. Eugene Lewis, Edmonton, $15,000 Salary (17.3): Lewis produced a Week 1-best 51.6 fantasy points on just five receptions. There is plenty room for improving his 55.6% target accuracy, a reality that is pretty darn scary when you think about his production.
2. Dominique Rhymes, BC, $15,000 Salary (16.7): Surprisingly, only 3.5% of fantasy users had Rhymes in their Week 1 lineups, so 96.5% of users missed out on a 30.0 FP effort that Rhymes made look routine.
3. Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg, $14,200 Salary (16.3): Nic Demski got the Week 1 shine but it was Schoen who led the team with nine targets. The offence isn’t near peak efficiency (ease up on the turnovers, gents), so look for Schoen to improve on the modest 13.9 depth yards he had in the opener.
4. Tim White, Hamilton, $15,000 Salary (16.1): Among receivers with at least four targets, White’s 229 depth yards in Week 1 were second only to Rhymes’ 259. At some point, he and Bo Levi Mitchell are going to get that timing thing down, so keep the faith in White.
5. Alexander Hollins, BC, $9,000 Salary (10.2): Hollins caught all six of his targets in Week 1 and is pushing hard to become the second option in a Lions passing attack that rewards its second options quite well.
6. Nic Demski, Winnipeg, $15,000 Salary (15.5): Week 1 was another reminder of the sheer brilliance that comes when Demski and Zach Collaros collaborate.
7. Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Toronto, $13,500 Salary (n/a): The All-Star should be available after a shoulder injury took him out early in the team’s preseason opener and establish himself as the best National receiver in the league.
8. Jaelon Acklin, Ottawa, $11,900 Salary (9.4): Expect a strong rebound from Acklin after he caught just two of his seven targets for 24 yards in Week 1. Overlooked is that he averaged 23.6 depth yards, second-best among receivers with at least four targets.
9. Reggie Begelton, Calgary, $12,400 Salary (11.3): Like most, Begelton underperformed in Week 1 yet could see a sharp rise in production if the Stampeders are forced to rely on the pass more.
10. Tre Odoms-Dukes, Calgary, $4,800 Salary (8.7): Were his 10 targets simply a one-off or has Odoms-Dukes become a reliable option for the Stamps? The salary suggests he’s worth a gamble in hopes a star is on the rise.
11. Duke Williams, Hamilton, $11,000 Salary (9.4): Look for a more concerted effort to get Williams into favorable downfield matchups.
12. Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan, $5,100 Salary (3.3): Emilus looked the best among a group of Riders receivers who weren’t asked to do much in Week 1. Someone has to be atop the targets list, and Emilus appears set to take a significant step forward.
Defences
1. Ottawa, $9,800 Salary (6.6): Expect the usual wave of pass rushers aimed in the direction of Jake Maier. The REDBLACKS are a solid value play here.
2. Calgary, $10,500 Salary (8.9): Sure, Ottawa’s defence will bring heat, but the Stamps should also thrive on a REDBLACKS offence that averaged a Week 1-low 4.15 yards per play.
3. Winnipeg, $9,700 Salary (7.4): Not sure if you can count on the Bombers forcing four turnovers, yet the veteran D allowed only 4.88 yards per play and held Hamilton to just 51.1% completion rate.
4. Toronto, $11,100 Salary (8.7): The defending champs are set to let loose on a reeling Hamilton offence.
