This article is part of our DraftKings CFL DFS Picks series.
The CFL enters its penultimate regular-season week, and although the playoff picture has largely come into focus, there is still a battle between the Ti-Cats and Argonauts for first place in the Eastern Division, while the Lions are still fighting to garner a playoff spot despite their ugly 4-8 mark with two games remaining. We have some good matchups through the air for several players as well, while a pair of sub-$7K running backs could prove to be very fruitful value plays.
DraftKings CFL Plays- Week 15
Quarterback
Jeremiah Masoli, HAM at TOR ($11,400): Masoli has been highly effective since his return from injury back in Week 9, posting three tallies of over 27 DK points in his first five games back. He generated a more modest 16.1 in his most recent contest against the Lions, but he has an appealing matchup against an Argos defense that's allowed 262.3 passing yards per contest, the second-most passing touchdowns (19), and the second-most completions of more than 30 yards (20). Masoli posted 27.7 DK points against Toronto when he saw them in Week 10 as well, furthering his prospects in this rematch.
Mike Reilly, BC vs. CGY ($10,200): Reilly is back to form after a concerning stretch where he produced three single-digit DK-point tallies in Weeks 9, 11 and 12. The veteran has bounced back to score 23.1 and 24.6 DK points in his last two contests and is averaging an impressive 18.4 for the season overall. One of Reilly's aforementioned duds did come against the Stamps in Week 11, but he also put up 23.3 DK points against Calgary in Week 2. What's more, the Stamps are allowing 256.9 passing yards per game and the fourth-highest completion percentage (65.2) in the league, setting Reilly up for another potentially rewarding night.
Taylor Cornelius, EDM at SSK ($8,000): While he still struggles with consistency at times, Cornelius' salary is such that he presents as a viable value play anyhow. The OSU product has definitely shown some flashes, posting 25.3 DK points against these same Roughriders in Week 15, producing an even better 27.6 DK points against the Redblacks back in Week 9, and generating another pair of double-digit DK-point tallies. Cornelius also offers some rushing production in each contest (17 carries for 106 yards on season) and Saskatchewan checks in allowing an elevated 271.5 passing yards per game, along with a co-CFL-high 8.8 yards per attempt and the league's third-highest passer efficiency (94.4).
ALSO CONSIDER: Bo Levi Mitchell, CGY at BC ($9,700)
Running Back
William Stanback, MTL vs. WPG ($11,000): Stanback's salary just keeps rising, but the running back pool in the CFL is a classic case of supply and demand. The versatile Stanback is one of the few workhorse backs on the pass-centric league and has a ceiling north of 25 DK points, which he's already exhibited on two occasions this season. Stanback has averaged a solid 17 DK points per home contest this season and cleared the 100-yard mark in Week 14 against the same Blue Bombers, putting him in play once more during Saturday afternoon's rematch.
Sean Thomas-Erlington, HAM at TOR ($6,900): Don Jackson has been thriving as Hamilton's lead back over the last two games, but he'll miss Friday night's game with a groin injury. That should move Thomas-Erlington into the top position in the backfield just in time to face an Argos defense allowing 109.8 rushing yards per contest at a CFL-high 5.7 yards per carry. Thomas-Erlington has only seen double-digit carries once all season, but he's a very good receiver out of the backfield and posted 14.9 DK points against Toronto in Week 10 based largely on his 51 yards and a touchdown through the air in that contest.
James Butler, BC vs. CGY ($6,200): Butler is a very appealing mid-salary play who's starting to see a solid workload, as he's logged a combined 24 carries over his last two games. The CFL rookie has scored 11.5 to 21 DK points in three of his last four games as well, and he's also encouragingly recorded multiple receptions in five straight games. The Stampeders are only allowing a relatively modest 91.8 rushing yards per contest, but they're doing so at 4.9 yards per carry and also yield plenty of high-percentage completions, making Butler a potentially rewarding value play.
ALSO CONSIDER: Walter Fletcher, EDM at SSK ($4,700); AJ Ouellette, TOR vs. HAM ($3,600)
Wide Receiver/Slotback
Kenny Lawler, WPG at MTL ($9,900): Lawler eclipsed the 100-yard mark against the Alouettes in Week 14, leading to 21.1 DK points, his fifth tally of over 20 this season. The 27-year-old will be catching passes from backup Sean McGuire in Week 15, but Lawler has drawn at least seven targets in eight of 11 games and should once again serve as an integral component of the passing attack in the rematch against Montreal. The Als have also allowed the CFL's second-highest average yards per attempt (8.1) and the fourth-most completions of 30 yards or greater (16).
Shaq Evans, SSK vs. EDM ($8,500): Evans is coming off a massive 12-target game against the Elks in Week 14, and that type of volume at his current salary is too good to ignore. Evans has been working his way back after missing extensive time with a leg injury earlier in the season, and although he's only scored 6.4 to 11.1 DK points in his first three contests back, he's seen his receiving yardage total climb in each of those contests. Edmonton has been one of the league's stingiest teams against the pass overall, but Evans' six grabs in Week 14 support the notion he could navigate the matchup successfully.
Kamar Jorden, CGY at BC ($7,900): Jorden scored 19.9 DK points in his most recent contest in Week 13 against the Redblacks, and he posted 36.9 DK points four games ago against the Elks' tough pass defense, offering a glimpse at his considerable ceiling. The veteran had a 3-68 line against BC back In Week 2, but that was only his second game back from what was nearly a three-year layoff due to a very serious knee injury. Jorden is much more back to speed at this point and the Lions come in allowing a CFL-high 276.5 passing yards per game, along with the second-most completions (279).
Danny Vandervoort, EDM at SSK ($3,400): Vandervoort came out of nowhere in Week 14 with a three-reception, 54-yard, two-touchdown performance that netted 20.4 DK points against these same Roughriders. With Greg Ellingson (hip) and Mike Jones (knee) missing practice again Thursday for Edmonton and Derel Walker (groin) limited, Vandervoort could well be in for a much bigger role in Week 15 than his salary would imply. The Roughriders' deficiencies against the pass were already covered in Cornelius' entry, and in addition to the numbers cited there, it's also worth noting Saskatchewan has allowed the third-most touchdown passes (17) and a co-CFL-high 21 completions of greater than 30 yards.
ALSO CONSIDER: Steven Dunbar, HAM at TOR ($6,800)
Team Defense
Hamilton Tiger-Cats ($5,100) at Toronto Argonauts: The Ti-Cats defense is averaging a solid 9.8 DK points per contest, and although they've been at their most effective at home, they still have a solid chance of generating a strong return against a quarterback that's had some trouble with ball security in the Argos' McLeod Bethel-Thompson. MBT has thrown 10 INTs in 13 games, and Toronto has committed the league's second-most turnovers (32) overall. That's led to Toronto allowing the second-most points off turnovers (77) as well, while Hamilton checks in with the third-most turnovers forced (28) and third-most points off turnovers (80). The Ti-Cats racked up 21 DK points in one of their two meetings with the Argos thus far this season and could also benefit from the fact Toronto will be down starting running back John White, who's expected to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
