Matt Smith/CFL.ca
Well, are we ready to do this?
The 2025 CFL regular season arrives Thursday, giving us a welcomed respite from the world we live in. It also means the beginning of CFL Fantasy football and the opportunity to see how the whirlwind of an off-season starts to provide a new landscape.
Most of all, it means this is our eighth season of Start/Sit, so without getting sappy, let’s chart our path toward a successful Week 1, shall we?
RELATED
» Play CFL Fantasy on CFL Game Zone now!
» AMSOIL Power Rankings: Where did each team rank?
» Cutdown Tracker: Teams make their final roster cuts
» Get ready for the 2025 season with insights, analysis and more
» Buy Tickets for the 2025 season
» Subscribe to the CFL’s official YouTube channel
» Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates
OTTAWA AT SASKATCHEWAN
Thursday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Saskatchewan (-3.5)
O/U: 49.5
Start: AJ Ouellette, RB, Roughriders, $12,000 Salary
An easier choice would have been Riders pivot Trevor Harris ($13,000) or either of the REDBLACKS receiving duo of Justin Hardy ($11,300) and Eugene Lewis ($11,400). However, our first recommendation of the season is AJ Ouellette, who is healthy after missing 10 games in 2024 with injuries.
Ottawa’s defence will focus on containing the Saskatchewan passing game but this plays well into utilizing Ouellette, who should be able to find room between the tackles. He will also be involved in the passing game, so we’re feeling 19-23 touches for Ouellette, with at least one of those resulting in a major for the home team.
Sit: William Stanback, RB, REDBLACKS, $12,100 Salary
Yes, William Stanback rushed for 1,175 yards as a member of the Lions last season. Thankfully, he didn’t see the Saskatchewan run defence weekly as they made life miserable for him. In two games against the Riders, Stanback rushed 22 times for 49 yards, a paltry 2.2 yards per carry. Ouch.
Much of the same cast of hard-hitting characters is still around to welcome Stanback in his debut with Ottawa, and when you consider his salary and recent lack of production against Saskatchewan, Week 1 does not bode well for starting him. There will be better matchups for him. Remember, we’ll have 17 more opportunities to put Stanback into the lineup.
TORONTO AT MONTREAL
Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
How will Davis Alexander do in his first season as the Montreal Alouettes starting quarterback? (Geoff Robins/CFL.ca)
Line: Montreal (-4.5)
O/U: 47.5
Start: Davis Alexander, QB, Alouettes, $11,000 Salary
He’s projected 15.5 fantasy points, yet we feel there’s room for more. The Argos had their challenges defending the pass last season and losing Royce Metchie and DaShaun Amos will leave the secondary vulnerable for Davis Alexander, who should also add fantasy points with his running skills.
Week 1 always delivers a fantasy performance that serves as a springboard toward a huge season. Alexander is positioned to be this year’s opening game breakout. Star receiver Tyson Philpot ($10,500) will be in the lineup and his game-altering presence will also mean the Als’ other pass-catcher will thrive with favorable matchups. Don’t be surprised if Alexander pops a 25 FP outing.
Sit: Toronto Running Backs
Sometimes, it’s better to watch the wind than to throw caution into said wind.
There’s certainly intrigue in how the defending Grey Cup champs will use their youth movement in the backfield as Deonta McMahon ($4,300) and rookie Miyan Williams ($2,500) will share the load. The Argonauts released a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Ka’Deem Carey and Kevin Brown, ushering in McMahon and Williams as their top ground pounders. The upside feels unlimited for the new duo yet let’s see how Toronto distributes the wealth. Both have the makings of fantasy sleepers who will thrive as the season develops.
HAMILTON AT CALGARY
Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Hamilton (-1.5)
O/U: 52.5
Start: Shemar Bridges, WR, Tiger-Cats, $10,500 Salary
A year ago this time. Shemar Bridges’ fantasy salary was $2,500. Oh, how time has changed. Bridges set the franchise record for most catches by a first-year Ticat (83) and would have easily cleared 1,000 receiving yards (he finished with 933) had he not missed three games.
Even with Tim White ($12,000), Kiondré Smith ($8.600), and newcomer Kenny Lawler ($8,600) competing for targets from Bo Levi Mitchell ($14,000), Bridges feels like the best play among the Hamilton quartet. As the O/U suggests, this is not going to be a defensive struggle, so we’re feeling Bridges exceeding his projected 11.7 fantasy points. He was targeted at least nine times in 10 games last season and will pick up where he left off. The salary’s a little higher but the production stays the same.
Sit: Both Defences
The bottom two scoring defences in 2024 both made efforts in the off-season to keep opponents from lighting up scoreboards. Just because they did doesn’t mean they’re going to defensive stalwarts in Week 1. You’re better off paying more for a defence rather than going all-in with your core before realizing there’s just enough salary left to choose either of these defences. Save yourself the trouble and take our advice.
EDMONTON AT BC
Saturday, 10:00 p.m. ET
Will Keon Hatcher Sr. be Nathan Rourke’s favourite target on Saturday night? (Daniel Crump/CFL.ca)
Line: BC (-5.5)
O/U: 48.5
Start: Keon Hatcher Sr., WR, Lions, $8,000 Salary
We know what Justin McInnis ($13,500) can do. We’d love to see Keon Hatcher Sr. doing what he did before a knee injury in the 2023 post-season limited him to 11 games last year. Remember, Hatcher recorded 148 receptions for 2,269 yards and 11 majors in 2022-23. He thrived with starting pivot Nathan Rourke ($12,500) when the latter had his sterling 2022 campaign before being injured and the duo looked sharp during the preseason.
Hatcher’s projected total of 9.5 FP feels safe. Let’s roll the dice here and go with the mindset that he and Rourke will connect on at least one completion of better than 30 yards along with teaming up for a passing major.
Sit: Kaion Julien-Grant, WR, Elks, $7,100 Salary
Another from the “let’s be careful out there” crowd. Kaion Julien-Grant is going to torch defences all season as he and Tre Ford ($12,000) will become an exciting deep-threat pairing. The only reason Julien-Grant is here this week is because we’d love to see how the Elks’ passing distribution plays out. Kurleigh Gittens Jr. ($9,500) and Steven Dunbar Jr. ($8,500) will be the top options for Ford, leaving Julien-Grant competing with a handful of youngsters bidding for attention.
Julien-Grant projects 9.4 fantasy points Saturday. The projection is reasonable yet other receivers with lower salaries should at least equal or outperform him. Sit back and see how this all plays out and see if Julien-Grant proves me wrong.
