As we enter the middle portion of the regular season, our Week 8 rankings for CFL Fantasy presented by theScoreBet show the attrition that has come from the previous seven weeks.
While quarterback has obviously been impacted, the injuries at the position have shaken the rankings at other positions.
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QUARTERBACK
- Davis Alexander, Montreal
- Vernon Adams Jr., Calgary
- Chad Kelly, Toronto
- Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan
- Cody Fajardo, Edmonton
There’s no beef among those riding with Davis Alexander as a favourite for the George Reed Most Outstanding Player award. He’s sporting an 11-0 TD:INT margin while leading the league with 2,181 passing yards. If there’s ever a must-start, Alexander is it. Despite Calgary’s defensive struggles, Vernon Adams Jr. has tossed a league-best 17 majors without an interception in 182 attempts. Speaking of miscues, Chad Kelly could be a top-two pivot if he could avoid the INT bug (nine). Still, the maestro of the league’s best passing game gets to feast on the league’s worst pass defence in BC. Trevor Harris and the Riders return from an open week, which means a lot of green in most lineups. The surprising fact of Cody Fajardo’s season? 10 completions of at least 30 yards. He will be tested against Saskatchewan’s league-leading pass defence.
Under the Radar: Can Tre Ford repeat his Week 7 performance that saw him generate 327 yards from scrimmage (109 rushing yards)? If he can trade in some of those rushing yards and get his receiving corps more involved, he will be worth the roll of the dice for those interested in starting him.
RUNNING BACK
- Dedrick Mills, Calgary
- Justin Rankin, Edmonton
- Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg
- Travis Theis, Montreal
- AJ Ouellette, Saskatchewan
Week 6 aside, Dedrick Mills has produced at least 84 yards from scrimmage in each game. He’s accounted for 19 carries of at least 10 yards and gets a solid matchup against Winnipeg and its eighth-ranked run defence. Justin Rankin will definitely rebound from a seven-carry, nine-yard effort against BC. The six catches for 46 yards kept Week 7 from being a complete disaster, so at least his pass-catching skills are intact. Like Rankin, Brady Oliveira is coming off a lower-scoring Week 7 (52 scrimmage yards). Expect a major rebound as the Bombers square up against a Stamps defence allowing 35.2 offensive points and 447.3 yards. Theis is a legit must-start following a two-game run of 272 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage. AJ Ouellette has just three games under his belt but has accounted for 38 touches from scrimmage in the past two. Trust that the workload will result in fantasy production.
Under the Radar: In what should be an offensive-friendly contest between the Argos and Lions, Toronto’s Samuel Hicks could be the sleeper play. He’s been a steady source of production most of the season but could be a show-stealer worthy of a roster spot.
RECEIVERS
- Tyson Philpot, Montreal
- Damonte Coxie, Toronto
- KeeSean Johnson, Saskatchewan
- Tyler Snead, Montreal
- Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan
- Keon Hatcher Sr., BC
- Ontaria Wilson, Winnipeg
- Kiondré Smith, Hamilton
- Makai Polk, Toronto
- Kian Schaffer-Baker, Saskatchewan
- Austin Mack, Edmonton
- Kevin Mital, Toronto
Tyson Philpot had “just” 88 yards in Week 7 yet remains atop the rankings. Damonte Coxie has strung together four straight games of at least 70 receiving yards. He’s got the highest upside among the fleet of Toronto pass-catchers. KeeSean Johnson is one of three receivers with at least 50 targets and leads the league with 16 catches on second down. Oh, yes, they call Tyler Snead “Mr. Touchdown,” having found the end zone in four straight games and five of six. Samuel Emilus has been steady, yet we’re waiting for the monster game that reminds us how good he is. Despite the challenges at quarterback, Keon Hatcher Sr. is still averaging 18.1 yards per catch while his 15.2 yards per route ranks among the league leaders. Ontaria Wilson is thriving with Dru Brown, having pulled in 17 of 29 targets in the past two games. Kiondré Smith is the one constant in Hamilton’s passing game. Makai Polk is tied for fourth with 13 targets of at least 20 yards, so count on him to continue stretching defences. Kian Schaffer-Baker has 15 second-down receptions and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard campaign. Edmonton’s passing game goes through Austin Mack, who has pulled in at least four receptions in five straight contests. Kevin Mital or David Ungerer III would be a good fit here. You don’t need to be told to start your Argos receivers.
Under the Radar: BC’s Nick Cenacle looks like the Lions’ WR2. Justin McInnis hasn’t gotten on track while Cenacle is emerging as an intermediate target who can put up fantasy points, especially in a game against Toronto that has the makings of a track meet.
DEFENCES
- Edmonton
- Saskatchewan
- Montreal
- Winnipeg
The Elks’ “Den of Thieves” have recorded 10 interceptions over the past three games. There should be no fear of starting them against Saskatchewan’s diverse passing attack. The Riders have allowed the fewest offensive yards per game (354.2) and have yielded just 11 offensive majors. Montreal is one of just four teams to have given up 10 or fewer completions of more than 30 yards (nine). The Bombers are improving their ground defence while sporting a pass defence that is second in the league (282.8 yards).
KICKERS
- Vincent Blanchard, Edmonton
- José Maltos Díaz, Montreal
- Jude McAtamney, Calgary
- Sergio Castillo, Winnipeg
There were questions about Vincent Blanchard’s accuracy coming into the season, but his 17-for-18 performance has squashed those concerns. José Maltos Díaz is just as accurate, hitting 16 of his 17 attempts. Jude McAtamney and Sergio Castillo are both long-range hammers who are capable of dropping field goals from 55 yards or longer.
