Montreal's offense is basically an unlimited withdrawal machine at this point, and your DFS lineup should treat it that way.
Four games on the Week 13 slate, and the headline matchup pits the 9-1 Alouettes against a Winnipeg team that's lost its last two and can't find its offensive rhythm. Meanwhile, winless Ottawa rolls into BC Place to face a Lions team that's going to want to run up the score early and often. If you're building lineups this week, the game script writes itself in a couple of spots — lean into it.
Must-Start Players
These are the players you build around, not the ones you fade because they're expensive. Pay up here.
- Tyson Philpot (WR, Montreal) — $11,100: 83 catches, 1,229 yards, nine touchdowns. He's the highest-priced skill player on the board for a reason, and Winnipeg's secondary has been picked apart most of the second half. Philpot's touchdown equity alone makes him a lock in any format.
- Travis Theis (RB, Montreal) — $9,900: Seven rushing touchdowns and nearly 800 yards on the ground, plus he catches the ball out of the backfield. Montreal is going to lean on the run against a Winnipeg front that's been gassed late in games. Full-workload back in a smash-spot matchup.
- Brady Oliveira (RB, Winnipeg) — $9,500: Even in a Bombers offense that's stalled, Oliveira is still getting his — 853 rushing yards, 30 catches, and he's the one guy on that roster who shows up regardless of script. If Winnipeg falls behind early, expect him to see even more work as a check-down valve.
- Nathan Rourke (QB, BC) — $10,300: Ottawa is 0-10 and giving up points like it's charity work. Rourke's dual-threat ability (129 rush yards, two rush TDs to go with 11 passing scores) gives him one of the highest ceilings on the slate against the league's worst defense.
Top Value Plays
Here's where you find the salary to pay up for the studs above. These guys are priced like role players but play like starters.
- Kaidon Salter (QB, BC) — $9,300: Limited sample size but 172 rushing yards in two games shows what he brings when he's on the field. If he gets run against Ottawa's leaky defense, he's a cash-game weapon at this price.
- Tim White (WR, Winnipeg) — $8,800: 48 catches, 603 yards, five touchdowns, and he's priced $2,300 below Philpot despite similar TD equity. Collaros needs someone to throw to when Montreal's pass rush gets home, and White's the guy who gets targets no matter the score.
- Larry Rountree (RB, Hamilton) — $6,000: 541 rushing yards and 29 catches out of the backfield, and he's playing a Calgary defense that's been gutted on the ground for most of the season. Bell-cow workload at running-back-two pricing.
- Greg Bell (RB, Ottawa) — $5,800: 31 catches for 216 yards to go with 297 rushing yards. In PPR formats, Bell is a floor play no matter how bad Ottawa's offense looks on paper — he's the only reliable outlet in that backfield.
- Dedrick Mills (RB, Calgary) — $7,900: 750 rushing yards and 23 catches. Vernon Adams Jr.'s health is a question mark, which could mean even more early-down work funneled to Mills if Calgary leans conservative.
Sleeper Picks
Low-owned, low-cost, and capable of blowing up your lineup in the best way.
- Tommy Stevens (QB, Saskatchewan) — $6,500: 11 rushing touchdowns on the season out of the backup/change-of-pace role. If he gets goal-line snaps against Toronto, that's a touchdown at the minimum price point — the definition of a GPP smash.
- Maximilian Mang (TE, Hamilton) — $2,500: Ten catches, three touchdowns. That's a 30 percent TD rate on receptions at the cheapest tight end price on the board. Stack him with Rountree in a Ti-Cats lineup that could put up points against Calgary.
- Keric Wheatfall (WR, Hamilton) — $7,600: 37 catches for 616 yards. Quietly efficient, and Calgary's secondary has had issues all year covering outside receivers.
Players to Avoid
- Chad Kelly (QB, Toronto) — $10,200: 15 interceptions is a real problem, and paying top-tier QB salary for a guy who turns it over this much is asking for a bust week. There are cheaper, safer options at the position.
- Jake Maier (QB, Ottawa) — $9,400: 13 picks and an 0-10 team around him. Ottawa's offensive line has looked lost most of the season, and BC's front will get after him early and often.
- Zach Collaros (QB, Winnipeg) — $8,900: Only 1,426 passing yards and six touchdowns through six games played. Montreal's defense has been suffocating lately, and Collaros hasn't shown the volume to justify near-$9K pricing.
Budget Lineup of the Week
The strategy here is simple — pay down at quarterback with a rushing threat, stack cheap Hamilton pieces against a leaky Calgary defense, and grab receiving volume at running back wherever you can find it.
| Position | Player | Team | Salary | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Tommy Stevens | Saskatchewan | $6,500 | 11 rush TDs gives him a real touchdown floor even in a change-of-pace role |
| RB | Larry Rountree | Hamilton | $6,000 | Bell-cow workload against a soft Calgary run defense |
| RB | Greg Bell | Ottawa | $5,800 | 31 catches gives him a PPR floor no matter the score |
| WR | Tim White | Winnipeg | $8,800 | Volume target in an offense that needs to throw to keep pace |
| WR | Kiondre Smith | Hamilton | $6,800 | 43 catches, 648 yards, plays into a Ti-Cats passing attack that should get work |
| TE | Maximilian Mang | Hamilton | $2,500 | Three touchdowns on just 10 catches — pure red zone value at the minimum price |
| FLEX | Dedrick Mills | Calgary | $7,900 | 750 rushing yards and a heavy workload if Calgary plays it safe under center |
Total Salary: $44,300 / $50,000
Final Thoughts
The theme this week is simple: fade Ottawa's offense, target Ottawa's defense. BC's skill players are in a smash-spot, and Montreal's passing attack is still the class of the league — Philpot and Theis are locks regardless of price. If you want the contrarian angle, load up on Hamilton pieces against Calgary; that game has bounce-back written all over it, and the Ti-Cats' cheap skill players give you salary relief to pay up elsewhere.