Injuries at pivot (and the weather in Calgary) impacted CFL Fantasy football production in Week 3.
Weather aside, those pesky bumps and bruises will influence how fantasy users set their lineups on WestJet Canada Day Weekend, so let’s heed how this week’s batch of sleepers can become difference makers.
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QUARTERBACK
McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Montreal, $5,000 Salary (vs. Hamilton, Friday)
Having a Grey Cup-winning quarterback as Plan B makes life easier for the Alouettes should Davis Alexander cannot answer the call on WestJet Canada Day Weekend. Alexander’s season-best 23.1 fantasy points in the win over Edmonton was cut short due to a hamstring injury that led to McLeod Bethel-Thompson’s insertion into the lineup, where he completed six of his eight attempts for 77 yards.
Bethel-Thompson would be facing a Tiger-Cats defence that has allowed 66 points in their first two games. Hamilton is also eighth with 422 yards allowed per game, setting up Bethel-Thompson to have a huge week as Alexander’s fill-in. Closely monitor how Alexander is used in practice this week. If the Als decide to give him a week of rest, strongly consider Bethel-Thompson, who could rack up 20+ FP with the fleet of receivers at his disposal.
RUNNING BACKS
Quinton Cooley, Winnipeg, $2,500 Salary (vs. Edmonton, Thursday)
Bombers fans got their first look at Quinton Cooley in Week 3 when he rushed for 43 yards on seven carries as the backup to Matthew Peterson. Cooley had a pair of runs of over 10 yards as he helped keep the Winnipeg ground game going despite BC’s focus on slowing down Peterson.
At five-foot-seven, 220 pounds, Cooley’s low center of gravity and elusiveness make him difficult to bring down. With Brady Oliveira’s status again in question, the pairing of Peterson and Cooley faces an Elks run defence allowing 5.8 yards per carry. Cooley is a strong sleeper play in this scenario and has the potential to see more touches after his solid debut, significantly boosting his chances of topping the 4.3 FP he tallied in his CFL debut.
Daniel Adeboboye, Ottawa, $4,800 Salary (vs. Toronto, Sunday)
The chilly conditions of Calgary forced the REDBLACKS into a ball-control style offence in Week 3. It also might have ushered in an intriguing backfield combination as Daniel Adeboboye rushed 10 times for 96 yards and scored the game’s lone major on a reception from Dustin Crum. Adeboboye finished with 19.3 FP and paired well with William Stanback, who added 82 yards on nine carries as Ottawa generated 239 rushing yards.
Don’t count on the REDBLACKS being as run-intensive as they were last Saturday, but Adeboboye’s performance has earned him more than just a complimentary role in the offence. He makes for an interesting sleeper considering he squares off against an Argonauts run defence allowing 131.3 yards per game. Oh, it’s also the same Toronto team Adeboboye spent his first three seasons in the league, and where he won a pair of Grey Cups. A repeat of last week’s fantasy numbers might be a stretch, yet Adeboboye’s upside is worth considering.
RECEIVERS
Kevin Mital, Toronto, $7,800 Salary (vs. Ottawa, Sunday)
Has Kevin Mital become more than just a sleeper? His 22.8 fantasy points in Week 3 suggest that might be the case. However, considering the distribution of targets among Toronto’s receiving corps, we’ll place him here this week.
Mital is as sure-handed as they come, catching 15 of his 16 targets for a league-best 93.8 percent rate. Thirteen of his receptions have come in the past two weeks, and with Nick Arbuckle’s growing confidence in him, Mital is pushing toward becoming Toronto’s WR2 behind Damonte Coxie. He’s not a deep threat (just one target of over 20 yards), but his presence over the middle will help Coxie against a REDBLACKS secondary that has yielded six completions of better than 30 yards. Pairing Mital and Coxie should provide a solid fantasy foundation that could see both perform in the 15-18 FP range.
Zach Mathis, Edmonton, $4,300 Salary (vs. Winnipeg, Thursday)
Zach Mathis is here because, well, Tre Ford likes throwing to him. No one would have suspected Mathis would be the Elks’ top target with the likes of Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Steven Dunbar Jr., and Kaion Julien-Grant lined up with him, but here we are.
Whether the trend continues remains doubtful. However, Mathis has a rapport with Ford, which could play well against a Winnipeg pass defence allowing 307 yards per game. Mathis averages 10.8 depth yards per route. If the Elks find themselves playing from behind, Mathis will be positioned to produce around 11-13 FP.
Dhel Duncan-Busby, Saskatchewan, $3,900 Salary (vs. BC, Saturday)
Dhel Duncan-Busby had just one reception in Week 3, yet merits consideration here as long as star pass-catcher Samuel Emilus is sidelined. He scored 12.8 FP in Week 2 and has averaged 11.6 yards on his six receptions in the early going.
Trevor Harris hasn’t displayed his usual fantasy production so far, so we’re taking this week as the week he gets back on track and scores over 20 FP for the first time this season. With that in mind, Duncan-Busby makes for a risky yet worthy fantasy play with considerable upside.