Start vs. Sit: Jake Maier to bounce back?

CFL

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With OK Tire Labour Day Weekend in the books, Week 14 marks the home stretch of the regular season.

It’s also the home stretch for CFL fantasy players, who will stake their claim toward winning their league titles. The week is highlighted by the first and only triple-header of the season, with the rematch between Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders and the second part of the Battle of Alberta as the West Division tightens.

Who to start and who to sit? We have the answers to that.

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BC (6-8-0) at Montreal (10-1-0), Friday, 7:30 PM (Eastern)

Line: Montreal -2.5

O/U: 50.5 (-122)

Start: Austin Mack, WR, Montreal, $9,200 Salary

Christmas came early for the Alouettes when Mack returned up north after spending time with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Mack caught 78 passes for 1,154 yards and four majors last season with Montreal, providing more firepower for pivot Cody Fajardo ($13,200) to work with.

Mack caught three of his eight targets for 32 yards in his Week 12 return. With a couple of weeks of practice under his belt, Mack makes for an excellent fantasy option against a Lions pass defence allowing 293.2 yards per game.

Sit: Alexander Hollins, WR, BC, $10,500 Salary

The mere thought of placing Hollins here would have responded with howls of laughter earlier in the season, but the pass-catcher who once was on a record pace has seen his numbers tumble over the past six games.

Hollins scored 13.1 FP in Week 7, the last time he scored double digits for fantasy players. His first touchdown reception since Week 3 bolstered last week’s 9.1 FP outing yet was one of only two receptions for 11 yards Hollins managed on his eight targets. With Ayden Eberhardt ($7,500) and Keon Hatcher ($5,800) taking more prominent roles alongside Justin McInnis ($9,600), Hollins’ fantasy value will continue to lag.

Toronto (6-5-0) at Ottawa (7-3-1), Saturday, 2:00 PM

Line: Ottawa -1.5

O/U: 51.5 (-115)

Start: DaVaris Daniels, WR, Toronto, $10,000 Salary

Dormant for most of the season, Daniels came through for fantasy players on Labour Day, catching seven of his 10 targets for 74 yards and a major, finishing with a season-best 20.4 FP. With the Argonauts emphasizing the pass in the last couple of games and as the team fights for a playoff spot, the veteran is positioned to be a more valuable asset.

Ottawa’s defence is tough at home, where they are undefeated this season. However, Toronto’s offence is more explosive and can dictate the pace. If the Argos can turn this into a high-scoring affair, Daniels will be heavily involved.

Sit: Nick Mardner, WR, Ottawa, $2,500 Salary

Excitement over Mardner brimmed following his 24.5 FP breakout against BC in Week 12. Those excited to get the rookie into their Week 13 lineups were disappointed as he finished 1.8 FP, catching his only target for eight yards in the Touchdown Pacific loss to the Lions.

The potential is certainly there but perhaps we were too giddy over watching Mardner begin lighting up opposing defences. Toronto’s defence allows 291.7 passing yards per game, yet if you need a REDBLACKS receiver on your roster, Justin Hardy ($10,700) and Dominique Rhymes ($8,000) are more reliable options.

Saskatchewan (5-6-1) at Winnipeg (6-6-0), Saturday, 3:00 PM

Line: Winnipeg -2

O/U: 47.5 (-105)

Start: Dohnte Meyers, WR Saskatchewan, $4,000 Salary

Quickly erasing his 9.1 FP outing in Week 12, Meyers resumed his impressive debut run with 19.6 FP in Week 13, the third time he has scored at least 18.1 FP in his first four games in the league. Meyers also caught the first touchdown of his career and came close (86 yards) to a third 100-yard effort.

The rapport between Meyers and Trevor Harris ($11,700) grows stronger with each game as Harris continues to show his trust in Meyers in critical situations. Saskatchewan’s receiving corps is too deep for the Blue Bombers to throw additional coverage on Meyers, allowing him to chalk up points for his fantasy players while improving the chances of a Riders win in the rematch.

Sit: Chris Streveler, QB Winnipeg, $5,000 Salary

Zach Collaros ($12,000) was injured in Sunday’s thriller at Saskatchewan and could be sidelined for Saturday’s rematch. Streveler scored two rushing majors in the first half but only attempted six passes, completing four for 46 yards.

Should Winnipeg turn to Streveler to start, expect the Blue Bombers to be run-heavy as they will look to keep themselves out of obvious passing situations. Streveler averages 6.6 yards per pass and has just one touchdown toss in his 52 attempts this season. The potential for short-yardage touchdowns is strong, but it’s best to focus on Brady Oliveira ($12,600) if Collaros isn’t atop the depth chart on Friday.

Calgary (4-7-0) at Edmonton (4-8-0), Saturday, 7:00 PM

Line: Edmonton -1.5

O/U: 50.5 (-110)

Start: Jake Maier, QB, Calgary, $11,900 Salary

Yes, Maier had a Labour Day Classic to forget, tossing four interceptions before being replaced for mop-up duty by Logan Bonner ($5,000). So why Maier? Because we’ve seen enough football to know not to count on the same thing happening twice.

Maier threw for 297 yards in Monday’s loss, averaging 8.7 yards per pass, and hitting three different receivers with completions of at least 25 yards. He’s had four games of at least 17 FP this season and will easily bounce back with a solid outing as the Stampeders attempt to stay in the hunt for the Wild, Wild West Division.

Sit: Marken Michel, WR, Calgary, $8,600 Salary

Michel has one game over 9.7 FP in his last five games and has not caught more than four passes since pulling in seven receptions against Montreal in Week 5. Reggie Begelton ($12,300) is the unquestioned top target in the Calgary receiving corps, but Michel has seen his standing challenged in recent weeks.

Jalen Philpot ($7,500) has caught 15 of his 17 targets in the last three games, scoring at least 11.3 FP in two contests. Ishmael Hyman ($2,500) continues to get a steady stream of targets, and running back Kylin Hill ($3,500) showed his prowess out of the backfield with five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown on Labour Day. That leaves Michel as the odd man out.

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