Going for 2 weeks in a row with this CFL DFS series. For anyone playing Daily Fantasy Sports, the Canadian Football League offers weekly opportunities to win big. In this article, I will presents the players I perceive to have the best value on the Week 2 DraftKings slate.
Quarterback
Cody Fajardo (SSK) $10,400 @ EDM
This is a week where I think it is advantageous to pay up for the top end quarterbacks. That all begins with the most expensive QB on the slate, Cody Fajardo. Fantasy-wise, he started the game off slowly as he didn’t find the endzone until there were less than 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter. So he want 57 minutes of game time, then suddenly scored two touchdowns in a matter of seconds. Fajardo and his teammates are hoping that there can be some carry over in-between games. They will certainly try to start Week 2 then way that they ended Week 1.
Mostly, the appear of selecting Fajardo is the matchup. Edmonton is coming off of a shell-shocking 59-15 loss during Week 1. Not only did their defense surrender 469 yards of total offense, but they also allowed 8 touchdowns. And this was to a young QB who was making his 3rd career CFL start. For Fajardo entering his 3rd season as the Saskatchewan starter, he should be able to maximize his opportunities in Week 2. And his dual-threat skill set could certainly allow Fajardo to be the QB1 on the slate.
Vernon Adams (MTL) $10,100 @ TOR
I really do think that this is a week to pay up at the QB spot. Which is why the best value players at the position are also the two highest-priced quarterbacks. Much like Fajardo is Week 1, it was not a monster game for Vernon Adams. So without the massive production, and with a $10K price tag, I wonder if many DFS players will fade those top tier signal-callers. All the more reason to jump on board.
During the 2021 season, in only 8 games, Adams produced 298 rushing yards. That placed him 3rd among quarterbacks, even if he missed around 40% of the regular-season. So like Fajardo, Adams has that dual-threat ability to provide a safe floor for 50/50 and cash contests. However, both quarterbacks also have the high ceiling to be prime candidates GPP games or tournaments.
Running Back
Jamal Morrow (SSK) $6,700 @ EDM
Unlike last week’s CFL DFS article, I am advising to pay down at RB this time around. That is where you can save big to spend up at QB, without sacrificing potential production. Since you only have to play one RB on DraftKings, there are weeks where you can strategically pay down without punting the position.
Earlier, when referencing the Roughriders QB, I spoke about their Week 2 opponent. The Edmonton defense was awful to open the season, but especially bad against the run. Of the 469 yards that the Elks, surrendered, 179 were on the ground. And 5 of the 8 TD that they allowed were on rushing plays. So not only do I recommend QB Cody Fajardo this week, but also his RB Jamal Morrow. And at less than $7K, Morrow is a bit of a bargain compared to the other running backs who received double-digit touches in Week 1.
Jeshrun Antwi (MTL) $4,500 @ TOR
Jeshurn Antwi is arguably the best value on the entire slate. With Montreal’s starting RB out for at least 6 weeks on the IR, Antwi looks primed to take over the role, at least for now. While he only got 7 carries in Week 1, Antwi made the most of them producing 98 yards on the ground. He was also 3rd on the Alouettes in targets and receptions. With not much behind him on the depth chart, Antwi should fill a true workhorse role, for a fraction of the price in Week 2.
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The other edge that Montreal may have is their opponent. Toronto is coming off of a bye in Week 1, so they have yet to play a 2022 regular-season CFL game. Will they be fresh and rested, or a little rusty? I am banking on the latter, and especially leaning toward the fact that it would help the run game. Just ask the Edmonton defense what they might allow on the ground if they are a step behind to start the season.
Wide Receiver
Shaq Evans (SSK) $8,700 @ EDM
Going with the full Saskatchewan stack. Back to reason that I want to pay down so much at RB, I mentioned wanting to pay up for elite options. Specifically, I want to stack Cody Fajardo alongside his top target Shaq Evans. After an injury-plagued 2021 season, Evans looks ready to regain the alpha status for the Roughriders. Even though he only caught 4 of his 10 targets in Week 1, Evans still produced 92 receiving yards. His big-play potential was an element that Saskatchewan was lacking last season. With Evans back and healthy, look for this offense to be unlocked.
Arguably the biggest risk of playing Evans would be a repeat of Edmonton’s Week 1 results. Specifically, the fact that the Elks trailed 42-6 at halftime. That meant that the front-running Lions did not even attempt 30 passes in the entire game. Knowing how well the Roughriders have run the football over the last few years, that is a legitimate fear. However, if Saskactchewan can put up over 40 points in a couple of quarters, I would expect Evans to be involved in the scoring.
Greg Ellingson (WPG) $8,500 @ OTT
One of the predictions I got wrong last week was guessing on who would be Winnipeg’s top receiver to start the season. While I would have gone for the less expensive options that had been of team in previous season, it turned out DraftKings had it right from the get-go. Blue Bombers newcomer Greg Ellingson led the team in receiving yards during Week 1. In terms of pure targets, Ellingson only had one more than Rasheed Bailey (my selection last week), yet doubled him up in yards (74 to Bailey’s 37).
Ellingson also caught Winnipeg’s 1st TD reception of the season showcasing instant chemistry with the QB. Now the only concern is that Zach Collaros left the game with a potential head injury. So monitor the situation before locking Ellingson into lineups. While I wouldn’t avoid him entirely if Collaros was out, I would still want to limit my exposure.
Eric Rogers (TOR) $7,500 vs MTL
There is a lot of talent is that Toronto WR room. With 5 Argonauts wide receivers all within a $1,900 range, it may be difficult to distinguish with weapon to select. Zoom in even further, and in the $7K range, there are 3 Toronto teammates all within $400 of each other. That would seem like to best range to attack. But which player is the best value?
My answer would be Eric Rogers, for one trait in particular. He posses good size and a great jump-ball ability. This has especially helped Rogers find the end zone with 18 touchdowns in 31 career CFL games. More than anything, that TD upside is highly coveted in DFS contests. So when searching for an option at the start of this season, I like taking a chance on Rogers. Especially before the Argonauts play their first game of the season, and we see some potential price changes.
Darvin Adams (OTT) $7,400 vs WPG
I am selecting two receivers from this Blue Bombers-Red Blacks contest. The teams are about to complete and home-and-home series as the matchup heads east to Ottawa. Now, this opening game was not so fantasy friendly as neither team was able to record 20 points. But perhaps the offenses will have adjusted to that. Either way, Darvin Adams was the RedBlacks top target and receiver in the passing game. Much like Ellingson, Adams is coming to a new team with a new QB and immediately stepping in as a potential alpha.
Adams’ reward for a 7-catch, 71-yard game, was a $400 price drop on DraftKings. While most wide receivers saw a cap hit increase after Week 1, (or at least stayed neutral), Adams dipped to below $7,500. I say take advantage of the price and play Adams with the most confidence out of arguably any WR this week. In all likelihood, he will be one the Ottawa’s top two targets in Week 2.
Deep Dive
Richie Sindani (CGY) $5,200 @ HAM
Speaking of team’s top targets, Richie Sindani surprisingly held that role for Calgary in Week 1. Not only did he pace his team with 7 receptions on 9 targets, but from a pure fantasy points perspective, no other Stampeders receiver was close. Sindani’s 101 receiving yards basically tripped up the next highest total, and that was partially because he produced at over 14 yards per receptions. Of the Calgary pass-catchers with more than 1 reception in Week 1, the next best rate was 11.5 yards per reception.
However, another element that Sindani showcased was superior catch rate at over 75% of his targets. There were 4 other Stampeders with at least 5 targets, and all of them had a catch rate below 60%. And it is not as if Sindani was only running shorter routes, and getting the easier targets to haul in. Only 36 of his 101 receiving yards were after the catch in Week 1. If Sindani maintains not only his deep threat role, but also his target share, then he seems very under priced at only $5,200. Normally, we would not want to overreact to one week. But in spite of his productive Week 1, I think DraftKings may have underacted by keeping his price low. That makes me want to put him in as many lineups as possible. I suppose Sindani is a value, simply because he is the same price at the top defense that I will recommend.
Defense
Saskatchewan Roughriders $5,200 @ EDM
Since I selected a Saskatchewan player at every position, it only makes sense to also go with the Roughriders defense. Even ignoring last week’s 59-15 loss, I entered the season thinking that the Edmonton offense would be the team to target in terms of fantasy D/ST matchups. So it is no surprise that Saskatchewan is the highest priced defense on DraftKings for their Week 2 contest against the Elks. However, after putting up an excellent performance in Week 1, the Roughriders defense may be the most expensive option most weeks, regardless of the opponent.
So there are two main reasons why Saskatchewan is at the top of the defensive price list. And frankly, I expected their cost to be higher than $5,200. Certainly, I would have guessed that they would be more of a disparity than just $400 between them and the next highest-priced unit. Something in the high $5K was what I was anticipating, but that makes $5,200 seem like a great value. I know in typical DFS contests, that it is not always advisable to go after the top tier players. But with only 8 defenses to choose from every week, there are frankly fewer choices. So I am much more likely in CFL DFS to take from the top, especially at D/ST.
Montreal Alouettes $4,000 @ TOR
While, I expect Saskatchewan to more than pay off their price, there are a couple of decent values to pivot off of. Most notably, Montreal in their Week 2 matchup with Toronto. In the RB section, I explained my theory of targeting the team that has not yet played a game. Being a 9-team league, there is always a bye week. The Argonauts had the Week 1 bye, so who knows how well the offense will click. Perhaps this is where the Alouettes defense can take advantage and create some turnovers. However, there is also the risk that Toronto will be fresh and ready to produce immediately on offense. But paying only $4,000 for the Montreal defense, I am willing to take that risk.
Thank you for reading CFL DFS Best Dollar Values DraftKings Week 2. Be sure to check out all of the great DFS content available on GoingFor2.
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