Fantasy Projections: Lewis to go off in Week 2?

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

Scoring was high in Week 1, and CFL fantasy players thrived upon the steady stream of end zone visits. No position was as eye-opening as at pivot, where seven of the eight starters scored at least 17.6 fantasy points.

With expectations that Week 2 will continue the trend, our Week 2 rankings at quarterback are stacked, meaning you (almost) can’t go wrong with who you choose.

CFL.ca brings you Fantasy Projections to help you build your lineup for Week 2.

Quarterbacks

1. Vernon Adams Jr., BC, $14,000 Salary (19.4 Projected Fantasy Points): Even with the Argos defence spending much of Sunday evening in the Lions backfield, Adams scored 22.5 fantasy points. Imagine how much more production he can deliver if the offensive line can find its stride.

2. Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan, $12,000 Salary (16.1 PFP): We said last week that there will be weeks where Harris will be a viable fantasy option. This is the week as he faces a Hamilton defence that allowed Jake Maier ($11,000) to record a 132.7 QBR, the second-best mark in Week 1.

3. Zach Collaros, Winnipeg, $14,000 Salary (15.6 PFP): Just say to yourself, “Week 1 never happened, Week 1 never happened” when considering Collaros. The only opening week starting quarterback that was left out of the fantasy fun will come back with a vengeance that will make his 6.5 FP in Week 1 feel like a distant memory.

4. Jake Maier, Calgary, $11,000 Salary (13.1 PFP): We’re all-in on Maier’s Week 1 being an indication of a strong season. You should, too as the Stamps prepare for what should be a free flow of points against BC on Saturday.

5. Cody Fajardo, Montreal, $13,500 Salary (14.5 PFP): If the Alouettes can’t get their running game on track, having Fajardo’s rocket arm on display against the Elks’ pass defence could see him exceed his Week 1 total of 18.3 FP. We’re banking on him scoring his first rushing major on top of at least one touchdown pass.

Running Backs

1. James Butler, Hamilton, $12,500 Salary (15.6 PFP): We sometimes don’t truly appreciate Butler’s skills. Don’t expect another week of 9.2 yards per carry but do expect Butler to rack up over 100 yards from scrimmage.

2. AJ Ouellette, Saskatchewan, $11,900 Salary (12.5 PFP): If the Roughriders give Ouellette 19 touches against a Hamilton defence that allowed 5.6 yards per carry in Week 1, trust that Ouellette is going to top his projection.

3. Dedrick Mills, Calgary, $10,000 Salary (10.1 PFP): Week 1 offered our vision of what Mills’ production as a starting running back would look like. He will get his share of touches against the Lions and should top the 12.6 FP he tallied against the Ticats.

4. William Stanback, BC, $10,400 Salary (11.3 PFP): We saw in Week 1 how Stanback enhanced the Lions’ passing game, catching all five of his targets for 50 yards. Just wait until BC figures out its offensive line issues.

5. Kevin Brown, Edmonton, $12,200 Salary (9.7 PFP): Fantasy hopes for Brown were tempered after rushing for only 23 yards against the Riders. Brown was more effective as a receiver (five catches, 26 yards) and will need to be against the Alouettes.

Receivers

1. Tyson Philpot, Montreal, $7,000 Salary (15.8 PFP): Fair warning: Philpot is not going to be this cheap all season. If he was your Week 1 captain, you revelled in the 72.2 fantasy points in your lineup. A receiving major in a sixth straight regular season game (dating back to last season) is a strong reality.

2. Shawn Bane Jr., Saskatchewan, $12,500 Salary (16.8 PFP): If Tyson Philpot is on his way to a 2024 breakout, then Bane is nipping at his heels. Anything close to his Week 1 only cements Bane as the Riders’ clear WR1.

3. Alexander Hollins, BC, $12,800 Salary (14.6 PFP): The only thing Hollins didn’t do in Week 1 was find the end zone on his 13 targets (Week 1 high among all players): The scary part of Hollins’ potential is the 202 depth yards his targets produced.

4. Justin McInnis, BC, $7,000 Salary (13.7 PFP): Like our top receiver, McInnis won’t come cheap for much longer. He topped all receivers with six targets of 20 yards or more and tied Bane Jr. with a Week 1-best three receptions of that depth.

5. Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg, $12,000 Salary, (16.3 PFP): The encouraging stat for Schoen is that he averaged 17.5 yards per target, which is around his average. Those numbers could translate into a Week 2 rebound.

6. Eugene Lewis, Edmonton, $12,300 Salary (12.4 PFP): Only Philpot had more yards after catch (74) than Lewis’ 51 in Week 1. Those 8.8 average depth yards are not Lewis, so expect him to be more involved downfield against the Alouettes.

7. Tim White, Hamilton, $12,800 Salary (15.3 PFP): White isn’t going to drop too many touchdown passes. His 11 targets are on line with what fantasy players can count on as he bounces back against a Riders secondary that was lit up by McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

8. Reggie Begelton, Calgary, $11,800 Salary (14.7 PFP): It almost felt like Begelton was a decoy against the Tiger-Cats as Clark Barnes ($5,400) finished with an 8-5 edge in targets. We all know Begelton is more than a decoy, so feel free to find a spot in your lineup for him this week.

9. Dillon Mitchell, Edmonton, $6,300 Salary (8.2 PFP): There is good value here in Mitchell, who looked a lot like the promising star he showed late in 2022. Like teammate Eugene Lewis, his average depth yards (10.0) is going to climb as he and McLeod Bethel-Thompson continue to establish rapport.

10 .Justin Hardy, Ottawa, $9,700 Salary (13.3 PFP): Hardy and the REDBLACKS open the season against a Blue Bombers pass defence that had its problems in Week 1. One of the league leaders in targets last season, bank on Hardy getting between 10-13 looks from Dru Brown.

11. Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Edmonton, $8,000 Salary (9.5 PFP): Gittens scored 15.2 FP in his Elks debut. Do not underestimate the familiarity he and McLeod Bethel-Thompson have, and it won’t surprise many if Gittens rises to WR1 in Edmonton.

12. Shemar Bridges, Hamilton, $2,500 Salary (2.5 PFP): Know that Bridges is going to exceed this total. He is one of several low-end salaried receivers to keep in mind this week.

Defences

1.Montreal, $9,800 Salary (9.0 PFP): The turnover-obsessed Alouettes defence faces an Elks offence that committed three turnovers in Week 1.

2.Winnipeg, $9,700 Salary (6.7 PFP): Looking to rebound from Week 1, the Blue Bombers plan on making former teammate Dru Brown’s debut a miserable one.

3.Calgary, $7,200 Salary (5.4 PFP): Adams Jr. was sacked six times in Week 1, and the aggressive Stampeders pass rush is capable of making Adams run for his life.

4.Hamilton, $6,800 Salary (6.1): Keep in mind Saskatchewan pivot Trevor Harris was intercepted twice in the opener in an otherwise solid performance by the Riders pivot. The Ticats’ ballhawks would love to see him throw often.

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