This article is part of our DraftKings CFL DFS Picks series.
After an exciting opening week, the CFL looks to put together a successful encore during a three-game Week 2 slate. The marquee matchup involves the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos, a showdown that will see prolific gunslinger Mike Reilly return to the city he called home for the previous six seasons. He'll face off against Trevor Harris, who evoked plenty of Reilly memories with a 447-yard passing day in the opener against the Alouettes. The Argonauts will also take the field for the first time this season after a Week 1 bye, while the Roughriders embark on what will be at least a six-game absence on the part of quarterback Zach Collaros (head). Without further ado, let's dive into some of the top Week 2 plays at each position:
DraftKings CFL Plays- Week 2
Quarterback
Mike Reilly, BC at EDM ($11,000): Reilly put together a strong final line in his BC return last week after six seasons away in Edmonton. However, it was clear he was still in a bit of an acclimation process overall. He and his pass catchers could be a bit more synchronized in Week 2, and they'll likely have to be to have any chance of keeping up with Reilly's old squad. The Eskimos didn't exactly face the most stringent of tests in Week 1 against the Alouettes, especially with Montreal losing quarterback Antonio Pipkin to an in-game injury. Reilly should have a bit of extra motivation in his first game back at
After an exciting opening week, the CFL looks to put together a successful encore during a three-game Week 2 slate. The marquee matchup involves the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos, a showdown that will see prolific gunslinger Mike Reilly return to the city he called home for the previous six seasons. He'll face off against Trevor Harris, who evoked plenty of Reilly memories with a 447-yard passing day in the opener against the Alouettes. The Argonauts will also take the field for the first time this season after a Week 1 bye, while the Roughriders embark on what will be at least a six-game absence on the part of quarterback Zach Collaros (head). Without further ado, let's dive into some of the top Week 2 plays at each position:
DraftKings CFL Plays- Week 2
Quarterback
Mike Reilly, BC at EDM ($11,000): Reilly put together a strong final line in his BC return last week after six seasons away in Edmonton. However, it was clear he was still in a bit of an acclimation process overall. He and his pass catchers could be a bit more synchronized in Week 2, and they'll likely have to be to have any chance of keeping up with Reilly's old squad. The Eskimos didn't exactly face the most stringent of tests in Week 1 against the Alouettes, especially with Montreal losing quarterback Antonio Pipkin to an in-game injury. Reilly should have a bit of extra motivation in his first game back at Commonwealth Stadium and already displayed some encouraging chemistry with the likes of Bryan Burnham, Duron Carter and Lemar Durant in Week 1. Even with the five-figure price tag, Reilly is worth the investment in what should be a classic wire-to-wire battle.
Trevor Harris, EDM vs. BC ($10,500): Harris quickly put any questions on whether he'd be capable of keeping the Eskimos afloat in the absence of Reilly to rest with an eye-popping Week 1 effort. The veteran offseason acquisition racked up 447 passing yards and four total touchdowns against an overwhelmed Alouettes squad. He's now immediately faced with leading his new team against the man he replaced under center in what should make for one of the season's most intriguing matchups. The Lions facilitated one prolific performance for Harris in two regular-season meetings last year, as he put up 363 yards against them in a Week 6 battle as a member of the Redblacks. BC also proved vulnerable in Week 1, surrendering three touchdown passes to Matt Nichols and a 43-yard reception to Darwin Adams. Harris and the Esks bring considerably more firepower and should be forced to keep their collective foot on the gas against Reilly and company for all four quarters.
Cody Fajardo, SSK at OTT ($7,300): Fajardo will get first crack at replacing Zach Collaros (head), who's hit the six-game injured list. The mobile veteran doesn't have the most dynamic cast around him, but he's priced modestly on the small slate and can make plays with both his arm and legs. Fajardo was serviceable in relief last week after Collars was hurt, completing nine of 17 passes for 66 yards and adding 34 yards and a touchdown on seven rushes. The Nevada product has 471 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns overall in his four CFL seasons, so the ability to supplement fantasy production on the ground is undeniably there. He'll face a Redblacks defense that allowed 275 passing yards to Bo Levi Mitchell in the opener, a figure that falls right in line with the 275.2 they allowed per game in 2018. Fajardo has a solid but not spectacular pass-catching group, but the sum total should be enough to allow Fajardo to offer a justifiable return on his modest cost. However, it's worth noting Isaac Harker is expected to see some reps under center as well, which may limit Fajardo's fantasy upside.
Running Back
C.J. Gable, EDM vs. BC ($8,200): Trevor Harris grabbed all the headlines in Week 1, but Gable was outstanding in his own right. The veteran tailback complemented Harris' exploits through the air by rushing for 154 yards and adding an acrobatic receiving touchdown as well. Gable is a well-rounded contributor that also has an unquestioned grip on the top job, as most recently evidenced by the fact he was the only Eskimos running back to log a carry against the Alouettes in the opener. It's also worth noting that Gable compiled 165 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against the Lions in a Week 3 game last season, and that BC was just trampled by another dual-threat back in Andrew Harris for 175 total yards (148 rushing, 27 receiving) in Week 1. At $100 less than the Roughriders' William Powell, Gable is an excellent pivot with a chance at providing more raw fantasy points due to his role as a receiver.
James Wilder, TOR vs. HAM ($7,200): Wilder makes his season debut at a solid price, given his upside. The third-year CFL back had a serviceable year on the ground in 2018 (147 rushes, 691 yards, three TD) and was outstanding as a pass-catching option out of the backfield (56-539-1). He'll look for a strong start to the new season against a Hamilton squad that just surrendered a 104-yard rushing day to William Powell in Week 1. Wilder put together a pair of solid performances against the Ti-Cats last season, compiling a total of 123 rushing yards on 22 carries and adding another 45 yards on four receptions. Wilder does have some potential competition for carries this season in the form of Brandon Burks, Tyrell Sutton and even Chris Rainey, but he should still be the workhorse of the group and remain heavily involved.
Mossis Madu, OTT vs. SSK ($5,500): The Tiger-Cats' Sean Thomas-Erlington ($5,400) is also a viable option at just $100 below Madu, but Ottawa's lead back is very worthy of consideration. Madu acquitted himself well in a starting opportunity during Week 1, racking up 140 total yards (112 rushing, 28 receiving) against the normally stingy Stampeders defense. The assignment doesn't get much easier in Week 2 against the Roughriders, but the way Ottawa involved Madu in the game plan last week was especially encouraging. The veteran received 30 total touches (24 carries, six receptions) right out of the gate, making him especially appealing at his bargain price. The Roughriders yielded a productive day to Thomas-Erlington (11 carries, 68 yards and three receptions for 35 yards) in Week 1, and Madu brings a similar skill set and role. The yards may not come easy all the time, but Madu is likely to get enough chances to provide a strong return on his bargain price.
Wide Receiver/Slotback
Brandon Banks, HAM at TOR ($9,600): Banks answered any lingering injury questions in Week 1 with a 6-77-1 line against the Roughriders. He could be in even better in Week 2 against an Argonauts squad he eviscerated for a combined 23-466-5 line over three regular-season meetings last season. Toronto was the league's worst defense last season in terms of points allowed, having yielded a whopping 560. The Argos could well struggle in similar fashion this season despite having added a couple of solid free agents on defense, and Banks has both the talent and rapport with quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to exploit those weaknesses in spades.
Bryan Burnham, BC at EDM ($8,700): Coming into the season, there was plenty of potential in a prolific Mike Reilly-Burnham connection. The duo wasted no time delivering on it, with Burnham producing a 5-153 line that led to 23.3 fantasy points. What's more, his night could have been even bigger were it not for a couple of missed connections. However, Burnham should have plenty of chances to make up for it in Week 2, as the Lions and Eskimos are likely to engage in the highest-scoring game of the week. As mentioned in Reilly's entry, Edmonton wasn't fully challenged in Week 1 by the Alouettes, but Burnham certainly has the talent to push the Eskimos' secondary to the limit.
Ricky Collins, EDM vs. BC ($5,900): Collins' teammate Kenny Stafford ($5,600) is also an excellent option in this price range if you need to save $200, but Collins also stands out for what he did in his first game with Trevor Harris as his quarterback. The veteran receiver, a fellow new arrival in Edmonton, was Harris' top target against the Alouettes, snaring nine receptions for 175 yards on his way to 28.0 fantasy points. In Week 2, while all the focus is on Mike Reilly returning to Edmonton, Collins will also be going up against 2018 teammates when he faces the Lions. As mentioned earlier, BC allowed some big plays downfield in Week 1, and that was with the Blue Bombers emphasizing the ground game heavily with Andrew Harris. The Eskimos should be much more aggressive against Reilly and company, which could give Collins a chance to once again offer a handsome return on a price that's surprisingly low.
K.D. Cannon, SSK at OTT ($4,200): Cannon shapes up as an appealing bargain option if you really need to go cheap at one spot in Week 2. The Baylor product produced a solid 4-66 line against the Tiger-Cats on his way to 10.6 fantasy points at a minimum salary of $3,000. The price tag is higher this week as a result, but there's still limited risk associated with him. As mentioned in Collaros' entry, the Redblacks gave up a robust 275 passing yards in Week 1, and Cannon displayed solid chemistry with Cody Fajardo after he entered the game for Zack Collaros (head) in Week 1. Given his price and matchup, Cannon makes for a viable punt this week.
Team Defense
Ottawa Redblacks vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders ($4,500): Having just talked up Cannon, the Redblacks still have the best outlook for a defensive unit on the short Week 2 slate. The Roughriders already had questions on offense with Zach Collaros (head) under center, and they likely have even more uncertainty with Cody Fajardo now slotting in as the starter in Week 2. While Fajardo has proven serviceable before as outlined earlier, he's still a new signal-caller trying to acclimate on the fly with his group of pass catchers. The Redblacks notched a league-high three sacks in Week 1 and caused the most turnovers (four) overall against the Grey Cup champion Stampeders, and the matchup is markedly easier on paper in Week 2. Saskatchewan allowed a pair of sacks and was guilty of three turnovers overall against the Tiger-Cats, and a road matchup could well yield similar results.
