Fantasy Sleepers: Logan to zoom past projection?

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

Dalton Schoen was an afterthought entering Week 1 of the 2022 CFL fantasy football season.

Alexander Hollins was considered a complementary piece of the BC offence as Week 1 of the 2023 fantasy football campaign lifted its lid.

See where we’re getting? Someone will emerge as a fantasy star this season. Perhaps it’s one of the players listed among our Week 1 sleepers.

Quarterback

Cameron Dukes, Toronto, $9,000 Salary (vs. BC, Sunday)

We know Dukes will be productive near the goal line, as he recorded eight rushing majors last season. The question surrounding the new Argos pivot is whether he can translate that production into his passing. With the team expected to play more conservatively to begin the season, there is the question if Dukes can become a solid fantasy option. He has the tools to do so, as DaVaris Daniels, Damonte Coxie, and Dejon Brissett give Dukes three playmakers to throw to, while new running back Ka’Deem Carey is a veteran presence is only a season removed from a CFL All-Star campaign.

Dukes is projected for just nine fantasy points against a Lions defence that will be locked in toward forcing him to beat them with his arm. This falls under “be careful what you wish for,” because Dukes is positioned to exceed that projection. A 15-17 FP debut is within reach.

Running Back

Peyton Logan, Calgary, $5,500 Salary (vs. Hamilton, Friday)

Injuries limited Logan to only six games, but one of those was a Week 20 performance where he rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown in a 41-16 win over BC that helped lift the Stamps into the playoffs. Dedrick Mills opens as the starter, but where Logan will be a sneaky good fantasy play is what he does as a return specialist.

Remember that Logan finished second in the CFL with 2,078 all-purpose yards in 2022, earning the nomination as the team’s Most Outstanding Rookie. Logan had a 122-yard missed field goal return for a major and a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Putting the ball in Logan’s hands 10-13 times on Friday could ensure he zooms past the 5.5 fantasy points he’s projected for Week 1.

Receivers

Tre Odoms-Dukes, Calgary, $7,500 Salary (vs. Hamilton, Friday)

Could Odoms-Dukes be the next receiver to develop into a fantasy staple? He quietly finished second on the team to Reggie Begelton with 60 catches last season. With Malik Henry lost for 2024, the third-year pro has an opportunity to become a favourite option of pivot Jake Maier.

Projected for 9.2 fantasy points in Week 1, Odoms-Dukes looks like a player who can finish with 13-15 FP against the Tiger-Cats, especially if he obtains a level of use similar to what he had in the first half of 2023. In nine of his first ten games, Odoms-Dukes was targeted at least six times and had seven games of at least eight targets. That trend will make him a breakout receiver waiting to happen.

Cole Spieker, Montreal, $4,700 Salary (at Winnipeg, Thursday)

Looking for a good value play? Well, here he is. Spieker finished the 2023 regular season catching 14 of his 15 targets and continued displaying his sure hands in the post-season with four receptions for 74 yards and a major. Spieker has an increased role in the Montreal offence with Austin Mack in the National Football League. The fact that the Alouettes released Tevin Jones, who had 65 catches with Saskatchewan last season, is another sign that Spieker will be counted on to spark the passing game.

Spieker is projected for 7.7 fantasy points as the Grey Cup champions begin defence of their title against a Blue Bombers team seeking a measure of payback from last November’s loss. With the pecking order of the Alouettes receiving corps unwritten, Thursday provides Spieker the chance to rise up in the eyes of both QB Cody Fajardo and fantasy players.

Luther Hakunavanhu, Hamilton, $6,700 Salary (at Calgary, Friday)

Bo Levi Mitchell isn’t the only Ticat returning to McMahon Stadium for the first time since leaving the Stamps, as Hakunavanhu projects to be in the starting lineup. After three seasons of flashing his potential in Calgary, Hakunavanhu and his career 14.8 yards per catch average teams up with East All-Star receiver Tim White and dual-threat RB James Butler to give Hamilton a trio of game-altering players who can make life miserable for the Calgary defence.

Hakunavanhu had just 23 catches last season, but three were at least 30 yards. He can reach his projected total of 5.4 fantasy points on one catch. Yet, we’re relying on Hakunavanhu establishing himself as a vital part of the offence, especially if Mitchell reminds his former team why he’s a future Hall of Famer.

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