This article is part of our DraftKings CFL DFS Picks series.
The CFL moves on to Week 4 with one less game than planned, as COVID-19 will scuttle the Argonauts-Elks Thursday night matchup. With just three games on the slate, we naturally are working with a narrower player pool than we already usually do, which makes finding some strong value plays even more important. Luckily, we still have a good array of skill players in favorable matchups, making it another intriguing week of roster construction for cash games and tournaments.
DraftKings CFL Plays- Week 4
Quarterback
Vernon Adams, MTL vs. HAM ($10,400): Adams has already begun flashing his dual-threat upside under center, posting 19.3 and 23.9 DK points in his first two games of the season. The mobile veteran has quickly accumulated 94 rushing yards to go along with a pair of touchdown passes. The Ti-Cats have allowed the most points per game (24.5) and the most rushing yards per contest (158.0), and Hamilton has also yielded an elevated 8.3 yards per attempt. Those figures hint at a potentially big night for Adams through both the ground and air.
Mike Reilly, BC at OTT ($8,900): Reilly underperformed last week relative to his $10K salary versus the Elks, posting just 12.5 DK points. However, he's seen a nice drop in salary this week and gets a solid matchup versus the Redblacks, which have yielded a CFL-high 327.0 passing yards per game and a 79.7 percent completion rate. Reilly is still presumably working through his elbow problems, but he already generated one tally of over 20 DK points this season (Week 2 against Calgary) while managing the problem.
Zach Collaros, WPG vs. CGY ($7,900): Collaros has gotten his first full season as the Bombers starter off to a good start, averaging 17.8 DK points and completing 67.3 percent of his throws on his way to a 6:2 TD:INT over his first three games. The veteran has multiple TD passes in each of those contests and now gets a crack at a Stampeders squad allowing the second-most passing yards per game (319.0), second-highest average yards per attempt (8.5) and second-most touchdown passes (four) thus far.
Running Back
William Stanback, MTL vs. HAM ($9,200): Much like his quarterback Adams, Stanback can hurt defenses through both the ground and air. However, the fleet-of-foot back has yet to break the ice as a receiver this season, unusual given he posted 58 receptions over his first pair of CFL seasons. He's already generated 5.9 yards per rush over the first pair of contests, and now he faces a Ti-Cats defense that's given up a CFL-high 158.0 rushing yards per game and 6.2 yards per attempt in the early going. Stanback is the clear-cut lead option in his backfield, and having a mobile quarterback like Adams certainly helps keep defenses honest as well.
Ka'Deem Carey, CGY at WPG ($7,900): Carey had an unfortunate fumble late in Week 1, but he's put together solid numbers from a fantasy perspective over his first three contests. The former NFL back has averaged over 4.0 yards per carry in each game while also notching multiple receptions in the last pair of contests on his way to an average of 13.4 DK points, including a season-high tally of 22.1 against the Als in Week 3. The Bombers may well facilitate another strong showing, considering they've been susceptible to the run early with the second-most rushing yards per game (109.0) and second-highest average yards per rush (5.6) allowed.
Shaq Cooper, BC at OTT ($6,800): Cooper made his season debut in Week 3 against his old Elks squad and looked good in limited opportunity, needing just six carries to accumulate 35 rushing yards. Game script prevented Cooper from being more involved, but he should have a better chance at garnering a full workload against the Redblacks, which don't exactly have the most cohesive offense and should therefore afford BC plenty of possessions. Ottawa has given up an average of 94.5 rushing yards over its first two games as well, lending credence to the notion Cooper could break some runs if given enough opportunity.
Wide Receiver/Slotback
Bryan Burnham, BC at OTT ($9,900): Burnham isn't a bad way to go if you're paying up at receiver, considering he posted tallies of 22.1 and 19.1 DK points in his first two games of the season before forging a quiet 2-32 line in Week 3. Given Ottawa's previously cited difficulties defending the pass, he could be in for a resurgence Saturday night, and even more so if fellow pass catcher Lemar Durant (knee) is held out or is limited.
Jaelon Acklin, HAM at MTL ($7,000): Acklin is a sure-handed favorite of quarterbacks Jeremiah Masoli (ribs) and Dane Evans, so even if the favorite is held out in Week 4, the second-year wideout could thrive. He's already logged 16 targets through his first pair of contests, parlaying them into a 10-149-1 line and average of 15.5 DK points. Acklin should be busy again against Montreal in Friday's game, and the Als notably come in having allowed a CFL-high 9.3 yards per attempt and four completions of 30 yards or greater through just two games.
Kenny Lawler, WPG vs. CGY ($5,900): Speaking of target hogs, Lawler has had a whopping 27 passes already thrown his way through three games, and he's corralled 19 of them for 229 yards and two touchdowns. What makes the second-year wideout especially intriguing Sunday night is the significant drop in salary compared to Week 3, when he carried an $8.3K figure. The discount is being afforded despite the fact Lawler turned in a solid 11.1 DK points after eclipsing the 20-mark in the first two games. He'll be in a good spot against the Stamps as well, as Calgary has already allowed the third-most completions (72) in the league through its first three games.
Ryan Davis, OTT vs. BC ($3,200): Davis has been busy over his first two CFL games as well, logging 12 targets on his way to a 10-54 line. The pedestrian 5.4 yards per catch certainly has room for improvement, but the Auburn product has already proven a strong value play once this season with 11.0 DK points back in Week 1. Given his miniscule salary and robust role in the air attack, Davis is in play again against a Lions defense that's given up the third-most passing yards per game (272.0) and the most completions (75) in the league as well through three weeks.
ALSO CONSIDER: Lucky Whitehead, BC at OTT ($7,100); R.J. Harris, OTT vs. BC ($6,700)
Team Defense
Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Calgary Stampeders ($5,000): The Bombers came through as a recommendation last week despite a losing effort, posting 15 DK points against the Argos on the strength of two fumble recoveries, four sacks and a fumble recovery that was returned for a TD. The Bombers actually have double-digit DK-point tallies in all three games thus far, and Sunday, they'll face a Stamps offense that's averaging a modest 19.0 points per game and has scored just four touchdowns in its first three contests. Calgary has also committed a league-high 11 turnovers, while Winnipeg checks in second only to the Roughriders with nine forced miscues. Factoring in the Bombers will also be at home, they're worth the investment once again despite being the highest-salaried defense on the slate.
