Ranking CFL Fantasy defences for 2025

Brandon C. Williams

CFL.ca

Do not ever discount the value of defence in CFL fantasy football.

You won’t nail the perfect defence weekly, but the bonus makes a good CFL Fantasy lineup even better when you do. One only needs a reminder of what a difference the Argonauts’ defence was during the fourth quarter of the 111th Grey Cup last November.

A new season means looking at each defence in a different light from when we last saw them. Changes have been plentiful, and while some units remain reliable, there are a couple of defences that might develop into solid fantasy options as the season goes on.

1. Saskatchewan ($8,400): Reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player Rolan Milligan Jr. anchors one of the league’s elite defences. Just the second defensive back to win the award, Milligan Jr. also has fellow All-CFL DB Marcus Sayles to help patrol the secondary. You’d rather be caught in a Regina blizzard than run against the Roughriders, the league’s stingiest ground defence in 2024. Stopping the run begins with defensive tackle Mike Rose, a four-time West Division All-CFL selection who joins All-CFL defensive tackle Micah Johnson in the middle. The ends (Malik Carney and Shane Ray) aren’t shabby, either. Linebackers C.J. Reavis and Jameer Thurman are returning West Division All-CFL selections while fellow linebacker C.J. Avery has the potential to join them this season.

2. Montreal ($9,800): Start with the linebackers when evaluating the Als’ defence. Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey are among the league’s elite defenders. Fellow ‘backer Tyrell Richards still has a ton of untapped upside and could use this season as the springboard for a breakout. The secondary is solid, anchored by veteran free safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy and a full season of cornerback Lorenzo Burns on the roster. Up front, the presence of defensive tackle Mustafa Johnson and newly acquired defensive tackle Shawn Oakman will go a long way toward helping the tandem that will open Week 1 at each defensive end spot.

3. Toronto ($8,400): Regardless of the constantly changing faces for the defending Grey Cup champs, as long as Wynton McManis is patrolling the middle of the field, the Argonauts defence will be OK. Adding Cameron Judge in the deal that sent Folarin Orimolade (back) to Calgary further strengthens a unit that will be counted on to provide stability to the revamped defensive line. The pair of defensive tackle Jordan Williams and defensive end Derek Parish will be asked to do more as each enters their second season in the league. Likewise, the secondary will see several youngsters being asked to step their game up, chief among them halfback Mark Milton, whose strong post-season play showed he’s ready for a bigger role.

4. Ottawa ($7,100): A vicious line led by defensive ends Lorenzo Mauldin IV and Bryce Carter along with defensive tackles Cleyon Laing and Michael Wakefield is perhaps the league’s best defensive front. The health of linebackers Frankie Griffin and Jovan Santos-Knox is an important question facing the REDBLACKS. Both were sidelined for lengthy spells last season, and if both can stay off the injured list, it goes a long way toward helping a secondary that lost Brandin Dandridge and Damon Webb. This opens the door for Deandre Lamont to emerge as a standout at halfback.

5. Winnipeg ($9,500): Linebacker Redha Kramdi might be the next great Blue Bombers defender. The line will anchor the unit, led by the seemingly ageless defensive end Willie Jefferson, who will seek a seventh consecutive season of at least six sacks. Added free agent James Vaughters gives the Bombers a worthy complement to Jefferson. Meanwhile, the secondary endured the departures of Brandon Alexander and Tyrell Ford and will have to open the season with Jake Kelly on the six-game injured list. Usually one of the steadier defences in fantasy, expect more of the same.

6. BC ($8,500): With defensive end Mathieu Betts available from Week 1, the Lions will harass opposing pivots at will. Defensive tackle Christian Covington can also provide pressure from the inside, while defensive end Sione Teuhema returns after leading the team in sacks. Veteran defensive back Garry Peters remains a constant in the secondary, which will see young halfback Ronald Kent Jr. and wicked-hitting safety Christophe Beaulieu continue to take steps toward stardom. At linebacker, Micah Awe comes back home to Vancouver, and if Josh Woods can bounce back from a knee injury that dashed his 2024 season early, this has the makings of a defence capable of taking the Lions — and fantasy users — to a wealth of success.

7. Edmonton ($8,000): This is the defence to watch. The Elks loaded up in the offseason by adding Canadian defensive backs Tyrell Ford and Royce Metchie to go along with a defence that has the league’s best linebacker duo in Nick Anderson and Nyles Morgan, who finished first and second in total tackles. Defensive end Jake Ceresna brings a Grey Cup title ring back from his one year in Toronto and will team up with another member of the Argos’ championship run, defensive end Robbie Smith. Somehow, this feels like a completely different Elks defence than we’ve seen in previous seasons.

8. Calgary ($6,600): Only Hamilton (557) allowed more points than the 527 allowed by the Stamps. To solve the problem, Calgary welcomed defensive end Folarin Orimolade via trade after his two-year stint in Toronto. He’ll form a solid pairing with promising defensive end Clarence Hicks, who had four sacks last season and is primed for a big leap forward. A huge change in the secondary resulted in the addition of Damon Webb and Adrian Greene to go along with holdovers Tyler Richardson and Bentlee Sanders. The Stampeders will also be counting on linebacker Derrick Moncrief to regain the form that once made him an All-CFL selection.

9. Hamilton ($5,700): How well the Ticats can stop opposing offences from lighting up the scoreboard will go a very long way toward their post-season aspirations. Getting to the quarterback was a challenge last season, so Hamilton added defensive end Julian Howsare to help them climb from eighth in total sacks. Holdover defensive tackle Casey Sayles should benefit from Howsare’s arrival as he is one of the league’s top interior pass rushers. At linebacker, several youngsters will compete for starting roles but count on Kyle Wilson to be a part of the lineup. The secondary is rich in talent, headlined by halfback DaShaun Amos and cornerback Jamal Peters, while former Alouette Reggie Stubblefield will add his experience to the unit.

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