The Canadian Press
Every week we are going to list players here who missed the cut in our list on Tuesday.
These are players who might not be on the radar for the current week but could offer you that extra edge as you come up with the perfect lineup.
Let’s go mining for Week 2 sleepers, shall we?
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Quarterback
Jake Maier, Calgary, $12,500 Salary (at Ottawa, Thursday)
All-Star RB Ka’Deem Carey (toe) is out, putting the onus on Maier to spark an offence that generated only 249 yards in the Week 1 loss to BC. Maier threw for only 165 yards and was the only Week 1 pivot whose pass depth was under 10 yards per attempt (8.3). Those numbers must change against a relentless REDBLACKS pass rush that recorded six sacks in the loss to the Alouettes. Projected at 10.3 fantasy points this week, Maier now emerges as a sound sleeper play that will stretch the field with Malik Henry ($11,900), Reggie Begelton ($12,400), and potential gem Tre Odoms-Dukes ($4,800).
Running Backs
Dedrick Mills, Calgary, $9,500 Salary (at Ottawa, Thursday)
Our sleeper play of the week, Mills is in position to do what he did last season when filling in for Carey: run wild through defences. Mills, who missed Week 1, averaged 6.9 yards per rush and tied for the league lead with three games of over 100 rushing yards while finishing 12th with 459 yards. Ottawa did an outstanding job in containing Montreal’s ground game, holding them to just 64 yards on 2.9 yards per carry, yet with the defence focused on slowing down the passing game, the opportunity for Mills, projected at 9.5 fantasy points, to reward both the Stamps and fantasy users is one to watch.
Andrew Harris, Toronto, $10,000 Salary (vs. Hamilton, Sunday)
The opening act of the season for the Toronto Argonauts and Harris begins against a Ticats run defence that was gashed for a Week 1-high 145 yards in the loss to the Blue Bombers, and while A.J. Ouellette ($10,000) is expected to garner the bulk of the carries, rest assured the bruising veteran will have his share of the backfield pie. It would not be shocking to see the Argos turn to Harris near the goal line, so although his salary is a bit steep for a “role player,” all it would take is one short rushing major for Harris to make good on his 8.0 projected fantasy points.
Receivers
Quan Bray, Ottawa, $8,800 Salary (vs. Calgary, Thursday)
The REDBLACKS produced only 177 passing yards in Week 1, and it was Bray who led the team with 58 yards on three catches. One of his six targets resulted in a 44-yard gain that also helped the veteran produce 121 depth yards. Ottawa’s offence is in need of an additional spark to take pressure off East All-Star Jaelon Acklin ($11,900) and Justin Hardy ($9,600), so there is interesting upside with Bray, who is projected with a Week 2 total of 1.4 fantasy points. Obviously there’s risk here, but so is everyone who shows up on Wednesdays.
Shawn Bane Jr., Saskatchewan, $8,000 Salary (vs. Winnipeg, Friday)
Imagine the payoff that would have come had you put a prop bet on Bane topping the Riders Week 1 target rankings. Yup, the former Stampeder finished with 10 targets (six catches, 36 yards) in the win over the Elks, and with the offence lacking an alpha dog in the unit, there’s enough here to consider making Bane (who had a modest 11.1 fantasy points in Week 1) your value play. He will quickly top the 1.4 FP projected for him and further set the foundation of being a reliable option for Trevor Harris.
