At this point, everyone should be plowing their way through their leftover Thanksgiving turkey and ready for another week of Canadian football. Three teams will sit this week out as the Riders, Argos, and Ticats are all on a bye. This will leave you with fewer options for sure on this slate, but there are still plenty of fantasy points up for grabs. Emotions will be running high this week as well with two Week 10 rematches on the schedule.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will face the Edmonton Elks again and so will the Ottawa Redblacks and the Montreal Alouettes. Expect three highly contested, physical, and just plain entertaining games this weekend. As always, there is money and pride on the line each week and this article is here to help you get as much as you can.
The following players are suggestions for each position (except defence), that span across every slate. Feel free to mix and match to find a final roster that is best for you. As always, many of the players that work on the CFL’s official fantasy game also work for your DraftKings lineups. So because of that, player prices will be listed by their CFL value first, and their DK price next.
Note that Top Shelf Options do not necessarily indicate the highest priced player. Instead, it is a play based on the ability to finish the week with the best point total based on matchup. Hopefully, you have fun this season watching the CFL and of course, playing fantasy football along with it.
Quarterback
Top Shelf Option: Zach Collaros – Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL: $8,646; DK: $9,000)
While last week’s Blue Bomber win against the Elks was a blowout, Zach Collaros played a muted role in it. The Winnipeg pivot threw for 207 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Most of the heavy lifting in the game was done by Andrew Harris as is usually the case. Of course, this seems to continue to be the case as the Bombers are content to lean on their most valuable player week after week.
It does take a considerable bite out of the fantasy value for Collaros though. In his nine games so far this season, he has eclipsed 20 fantasy points only once. That said, he is not too far removed from that performance as it occurred two weeks ago against the Lions.
It may seem like none of this is making a very convincing case to play Collaros this week, and you’re right. What makes Collaros a compelling option this week is more necessary than opportunity. Three of the league’s top quarterbacks are on bye with McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Jeremiah Masoli, and Cody Fajardo all off this week. That leaves a severe lack of options down the line.
You have the shell of Bo Levi Mitchell against a tough B.C. defence that intercepted him four times in Week 2. Then you have rookie Caleb Evans in Ottawa and Matthew Shiltz who is filling in for the injured Vernon Adams Jr. in Montreal. The only other viable option this week is Michael Reilly, but even he looked oddly human last week and is facing a Stampeders defence that has toughened up since the first time they met. Take the discount on Collaros and spend up elsewhere to beef up your roster. What’s more, Collaros will get the league’s leading receiver Kenny Lawler back this week..
House Options: Michael Reilly (CFL: $11,550; DK: $9,500), Caleb Evans (CFL: $5,000)
Running Back
Top Shelf Option: Andrew Harris – Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL: $11,302; DK: $9,700)
Speaking of the Bombers main offensive weapon, Andrew Harris enters this week on the heels of his best game of the season last week. He racked up 150 rushing yards and two majors while adding a reception for 24 yards to his total. At the final buzzer, he finished the day with a 32.4 CFL fantasy point day. Not to mention, the extra point added on by DraftKings for topping the 100-yard mark. Since taking the field back in Week 4, Harris has only once failed to reach double digit fantasy points.
The only knock on him has been his yield has not been worth his high price ticket many times this season. That said, he will continue to have the potential for the type of games like his last one. When he does and you don’t have him, chances are you won’t be cashing.
Only one major fantasy relevant running back will be taken off the board this week with the byes. With the Riders not in the mix this week, William Powell will not be available for this slate. Your best bet here is to ride the hot hand. This is especially true when the hot hand just dropped 30 plus fantasy points on the team he’s facing again this week. Should you choose to stack him with Collaros, be prepared to get creative with the rest of your lineup, especially on the CFL platform.
House Options: William Stanback (CFL: $8,974; DK: $9,600), Ka’Deem Carey (CFL: 7,023; DK: $8,700)
Wide Receiver
Top Shelf Option: Jake Wieneke – Montreal Alouettes (CFL: $9,344; DK: $7,800)
Once again, “TD Jake,” lived up to his nickname last week against the Redblacks. All told, Jake Wieneke caught all four passes for 46 yards in his third straight game with a major. Wieneke sits atop the leaderboard with seven receiving touchdowns. He’s three majors ahead of his teammate Eugene Lewis. More than that, there have only been two games so far this season in which he has failed to find the end zone. It is as safe a bet as any to make that TD Jake will score each and every week. So far that bet has paid out more than it hasn’t and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
Although, one thing that could potentially stop Wieneke from scoring in his fourth consecutive game could be his quarterback. Last week Vernon Adams left the game on the final drive of the game against Ottawa with a shoulder injury. When Shiltz came into the game, the Als were down on the scoreboard and needed a touchdown to win. The backup did his job and won them the game. It remains to be seen if Shiltz can replicate that success as the starter. That said, he and Wieneke get to try it again this week against the same Ottawa team they just beat. All in all, he’s been a consistent fantasy option and worth trying to fit into your fantasy rosters.
House Options: Kenny Lawler (CFL: $8,826; DK: $6,800), Josh Huff (CFL: $6,935; DK: $5,700)
