Scheduling can truly make an impact on a team’s overall season, an extra road game here or less day of rest there slowly adds up. This is the predicament the Ottawa Redblacks find themselves in week five, competing in two games in five days. It’s a tough turnaround for them, but the good news is the two games count towards fantasy this week. That’s the biggest story for CFL Fantasy Week 5.
But prices on Ottawa personnel have almost doubled because of this scheduling anomaly. To grab a couple of them, the other players you select need to be very cheap. So this week’s article looks at cheaper options that can grab you some points, while giving you room to snatch some Redblacks players in the process.
CFL Fantasy Week 5: Cheaper Options
Ricky Ray, Quarterback, Argonauts ($9,656)
The Redblacks’ Trevor Harris could potentially grab over 40 fantasy points this week. If you have doubts about him and would rather spend you money on the skilled positions, Ricky Ray is a solid option.
The veteran had an awful game last week, only pilling up 9.2 fantasy points against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He did throw for 330 yards and if his receivers made plays in the end zone, we would be having a different discussion.
What adds more value to this selection is the Argonauts are the Redblacks second game in a week on Sunday. Ottawa only has four days after their first game against the Montreal Alouettes to prepare and make proper adjustments. Last time the two squads met, Ray threw for 336 yards, two touchdowns and zero picks for 22.6 fantasy points.
The Redblacks defence does struggle against the pass. They’ve allowed over 300 yards three of the four times and a total of eight touchdowns. What’s worse, Ottawa is the only team that hasn’t recorded a interception.
Cameron Marshall, Running back, Roughriders ($4,982)
The Roughriders offence is mostly characterized by the passing game considering the numbers pivot Kevin Glenn has accumulated thus far with the receiving weapons. This leaves the running game standing in the shadows. Considering it was a major issue last year, it’s shown improvement.
Cameron Marshall was brought in to help solve the problem and he’s provided consistency to a questionable position. In two of the three games, he’s totaled over 100 yards and averaging 5.3 yards a carry. Many forget, he was successful in his first stint in the CFL back in 2014 with the Blue Bombers, where he accumulated over 1000 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 25-year-old is one of the cheapest starting running backs this week who can deliver steady results for fantasy. It also helps the opposing defence that the Stampeders have allowed four different tailbacks to tally over 10 fantasy points in four games.
Jalen Saunders, Wide Receiver, Tiger-Cats ($2,500)
A former fourth round pick of the New York Jets in 2014 wasn’t supposed to get the playing time he’s received. Jalen Saunders earned the opportunity on the 53-man roster after Terrence Toliver suffered a knee injury. He’s taken the opportunity and run with it.
Game one: caught six balls for 78 yards. Game two: snatched five balls on nine targets for 147 yards and a touchdown. Even with these two games, the Oklahoma product is still in the category of cheapest receivers. The defence’s focus has been on Luke Tasker, which opened the field for the 24-year-old Saunders to work with. The 5’9 receiver works the short game and can use his speed to take the roof off the defence. It’s only a small sample size, but if you want to save money and still get a player who can produce top-level numbers, Saunders is the man for the job.
Anthony Coombs, Wide Receiver, Argonauts ($2,500)
Another player in the cheapest receiving category as Saunders is Anthony Coombs. The former third overall pick of the Argos in 2014 doesn’t have the speed that Saunders can use. However, the opportunity is similar with both players.
DeVier Posey was placed on the six-game injury list one day before their last game. Many (myself included) predicted Jeff Fuller or Armanti Edwards would fill that void. Instead it was the Winnipeg, Manitoba native. He made eight grabs on ten targets for 94 yards. Coombs almost has the same number of catches and targets as third-leading receiver Edwards. The only difference is Coombs is the short yardage man.
The 24-year-old’s role is going to increase with Posey missing. Ray has been the number one pivot in Toronto throughout Coombs’s transition from running back to receiver. He’s a bit of a gamble since he averaged four catches for around 28 yards before last Thursday. But when it comes to the opportunity of grabbing multiple games with an expensive Redblack player, Coombs could be the perfect receiver to take, if for only this week.
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