Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-1) vs Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0)

Saturday, August 14th, 2021 10:00pm EST @ Mosaic Stadium

A Possible Grey Cup Preview?

The Tiger-Cats and Roughriders are both very talented teams, and there’s little doubt about it. While the Tiger-Cats roster features a larger veteran presence, the Roughriders hope that their younger players will shine and lead them to victory. The Tiger-Cats are coming off a disappointing loss against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the Roughriders narrowly squeezed by the BC Lions despite having a sizable lead for most of the game. 

Key Matchups

Jeremiah Masoli vs. Cody Fajardo

Fajardo was the better quarterback in week 1, although he was playing against an (arguably) less talented team. Masoli, despite putting up some big numbers in years past, still has plenty to prove as he continues his eighth season with Hamilton. It will be interesting to see which quarterback can outplay the other, as both of these squads are almost evenly matched on paper. 

Brandon Banks vs. Shaquelle Evans 

Banks and Evans both had big seasons in 2019. While Banks had quite a few more receptions and touchdowns than Evans, their receiving yards totals weren’t too far apart (Evans had 1,334, Banks had 1,550). Many may assume that Banks is the better player without question, but Evans is three years younger than him. Will Banks continue to dominate, or will Evans enter his prime and surpass him?

Jumal Rolle vs. Nick Marshall

Here are two cornerbacks that both have NFL experience. Both of them also had similar statistics in 2019, although it was Marshall who emerged as the more dominant player for the Roughriders. In the season opener this year, Marshall returned an interception for a touchdown. While Rolle has yet to do anything of that magnitude with the Tiger-Cats, he does have 3 NFL interceptions to his name. Rolle should use his prior professional experience and get to a similar level as Marshall very quickly. 

Injury Report

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

DB – Tunde Adeleke – OUT (hamstring)

DB – Cariel Brooks – OUT (hamstring)

TE – Jake Burt – OUT (quad)

RB – Wes Hills – OUT (healthy scratch)

RB – Maleek Irons – OUT (hamstring)

RB – Don Jackson – OUT (hip)

DL – Lorenzo Mauldin IV – OUT (hamstring)

OL – Trevon Tate – OUT (healthy scratch)

WR – Marcus Tucker – OUT (foot)

DL – Dylan Wynn – OUT (calf)

Saskatchewan Roughriders

DL – Kevin Francis – OUT (hamstring)

WR – Justin McInnis – OUT (hamstring)

OL – Mattland Riley – OUT (non football related)

DL – Pete Robertson – OUT (hamstring)

OL – Brett Boyko – OUT (non football related)

Fantasy Preview

Both Masoli and Fajardo are pretty solid starts at quarterback in this matchup. If you’ve got both of them on your team, starting Fajardo over Masoli is probably the safer choice. Wide receivers are also pretty good in this one, too, and Jaelon Acklin could be a sneaky pick to get you some points. After his 37-yard touchdown against Winnipeg, it’s no secret that Acklin is ready for more big plays. It might be a smart idea to sit the running backs from this game, though, since Saskatchewan’s William Powell and Hamilton’s Sean Thomas-Erlington only combined for 72 yards in week 1. However, it’s worth noting that Powell had a touchdown while Thomas-Erlington did not. 

Summary

This game should be a fun one, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if these teams met in the Grey Cup later on. Whoever wins this matchup will be making a statement for the entire CFL to take note of.