CFL DFS Picks and Cheat Sheet for Week 15 on DraftKings
While the NFL naturally takes center stage this weekend, the CFL serves up a tantalizing four-game Saturday appetizer before the main course of Sunday's first full slate of games arrives.
It's a key time in the CFL, as only six weeks remain in the regular season and there are plenty of postseason spots up for grabs.
As customary, we'll break down multiple options for each roster spot and also offer a trio of core plays to consider making the centerpiece of your lineups.
Quarterback Plays for CFL Week 15
Chad Kelly, TOR vs. OTT ($10,400): Kelly kept the good times rolling in Week 14, eclipsing 25 DK points for the third straight game while throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns against a talented Tiger-Cats defense. Kelly is now averaging 25.4 DK points per contest for the season, having posted more than 29 DK points on six occasions overall, including more than 30 in four instances.
Kelly already lit up the Redblacks for 33.1 DK points in his one prior encounter with them this season back in Week 3. Ottawa did actually pick off Kelly four times, but he countered with four TD passes and 424 passing yards. The Redblacks continue to be highly vulnerable against the pass, allowing a CFL-high 331.9 passing yards per game and the third-most touchdown passes (22). Moreover, they're also surrendering a league-high 73.3 percent completion rate, making them a premium matchup in every sense.
Davis Alexander, MTL at BC ($10,100): Alexander put together another solid performance in Week 14 against this same Lions defense, tallying 16.6 DK points while completing 73.5 percent of his passes for 297 yards and a touchdown. The breakout quarterback has been near perfect, generating an absurd 25:2 TD:INT across 12 games while averaging a career-best 329.5 passing yards per contest.
The Lions are now allowing 297.9 passing yards per game following Week 14, and BC is also conceding an elevated 69.9 percent completion rate. Then, the Lions have yielded the second-most touchdown passes (24), and the presence of Nathan Rourke on the other side is usually guaranteed to force opposing offenses to remain aggressive.
Zach Collaros, WPG vs. SSK ($9,300): Collaros hasn't been featured very often in this space this season, but that merits a change in Week 15. The veteran signal-caller and past Grey Cup winner is sporting an appealing value salary for his matchup against the Roughriders, and he's coming off his first instance of back-to-back games with more than 20 DK points, including a Week 14 overtime loss to Saskatchewan.
Collaros compiled 279 yards and two touchdowns in that contest, and the Roughriders are now yielding the second-most passing yards per game (317.0) on the CFL's second-highest completion rate (71.8 percent). Collaros put up a season-high 40 attempts against the Riders last week, and he could be similarly busy in a rematch that might once again come down to the wire.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jake Maier, OTT at TOR ($9,200)
Running Back Plays for CFL Week 15
Justin Rankin, EDM vs. CGY ($8,600): Rankin has cooled down considerably since a red-hot start to the season, but the talented running back offered a reminder of his upside in this same matchup against the Stampeders in Week 14 when he ripped off a 50-yard touchdown run. It was Rankin's fourth game of more than 15 DK points in the last five, a sample where he's managed to average an impressive 5.1 yards per carry and 10.9 yards per reception.
The Stampeders did shut Rankin down last week except for that one run, but Calgary is still allowing the second-most rushing yards per game (121.0) and doing so at a league-high average of 6.1 yards per tote. The Stamps have also given up the second-most rushing TDs (18) and a league-high 47 runs of 10+ yards, painting a rosy picture for Rankin's fantasy prospects.
Quali Conley, SSK at WPG ($7,400): Conley continues to operate as the Roughriders' No. 1 back in the absence of A.J. Ouellette (knee), and the former comes into a favorable Week 15 matchup fresh off his best game of the season. Conley accumulated a season-high 18.1 DK points on the strength of his 101 total scrimmage yards versus these same Blue Bombers, and he's now posted a 24-137 (5.7 yards per carry) rushing line over the last pair of contests.
Winnipeg comes into Week 15 surrendering 119.3 rushing yards per game, along with 5.7 yards per carry, the latter which ties with the Redblacks for the league's second-highest figure. The Bombers have also given up the third-most rushing touchdowns (17) and are tied for the second-most runs of 10+ yards allowed (40) -- while also sharing the league lead for most 20+ yard runs conceded (12) -- boosting Conley's prospects considerably.
ALSO CONSIDER: Brady Oliveira, WPG vs. SSK ($9,200); Dedrick Mills, CGY at EDM ($8,200)
Wide Receiver/Slotback Plays for CFL Week 15
Tyson Philpot, MTL at BC ($10,200): As customary, Philpot had a big hand in Alexander's success in the first installment of this back-to-back set against the Lions, posting eight catches for 98 yards and 17.8 DK points. It was Philpot's first tally of fewer than 20 DK points in the last five games, a testament to the type of dominance he's exhibited during a season where he's churned out a massive 98-1,414-10 line over 12 games.
Philpot now gets a second consecutive crack at the Lions defense, which, in addition to the vulnerabilities against the pass already detailed in Alexander's entry, also have given up the fifth-most completions of 30+ yards (22) and a league-high 1,525 yards after the catch. Philpot has 11 catches of 30+ yards and is averaging a formidable 6.3 yards after the catch per reception, making him well-suited to exploit those weaknesses.
Damonte Coxie, TOR vs. OTT ($10,100): Coxie's career-best season now includes new high-water marks in receptions (62) and receiving yards (1,043) over 12 games, along with the second-highest receiving TD total of his career (five). Coxie has also logged a career-high 98 targets, and his chemistry with Kelly has been unquestioned.
The Memphis product checks into Wednesday in the midst of his best stretch of play this season as well, considering he's averaged 23.7 DK points in his last three games. The Redblacks have conceded the third-most completions of 30+ yards (23), while Coxie is averaging a robust 16.8 yards per grab and has eight receptions of 30+ yards, the second-highest figure in the CFL.
Dhel Duncan-Busby, SSK at WPG ($7,100): Duncan-Busby was the star of the Roughriders' air attack in Week 14, posting a 10-148-0 receiving line against these same Blue Bombers on his way to 27.8 DK points. The performance was the culmination of a multi-game build of momentum, as Duncan-Busby had also recorded 18.5 and 18.2 DK points in his prior pair of contests on the strength of a combined 8-167-2 line.
While Winnipeg has been more notorious for its weakness against the run, the Bombers did give up Duncan-Busby's stellar effort in Week 14. Following that breakout performance, the Bombers are now surrendering a 275.6 passing yards per game and are tied for the fourth-most touchdown passes (21) allowed. Winnipeg is also tied with the Redblacks for the third-most completions of 30+ yards given up (23), which dovetails favorably with the fact Duncan-Busby has already taken five of his 35 catches for 30+ yards.
Clark Barnes, CGY at EDM ($4,500): Barnes has quietly been putting together a solid season when he's managed to avoid the injury bug, posting a 27-434-3 line over 11 games. The fourth-year pro just posted his best fantasy effort of the season at the expense of the Elks in Week 14 as well, recording 15.5 DK points via three receptions, 75 receiving yards and a touchdown.
The Elks have been one of the league's stingiest pass defenses, but Barnes doesn't need many catches to produce a yardage total that will make it worth rostering him at his salary – he's averaging an impressive 16.1 yards per reception and already has proven capable of putting together an efficient performance against this defense.
ALSO CONSIDER: Keelan White, OTT at TOR ($8,500)
Team Defense Plays for CFL Week 15
Edmonton Elks ($4,300) vs. Calgary Stampeders:
The Elks are enjoying an outstanding season overall that includes a West Division-leading 9-3 record, and Fajardo and Cody Fajardo and his weapons have rightfully garnered plenty of headlines. However, a significantly improved Edmonton's defense has also played a pivotal role, allowing the second-fewest total net yards per game (360.1), including the third-fewest rushing yards per contest (89.8).
However, the unit has been even more impressive rankings-wise against the pass, where the Elks are conceding the second-fewest passing yards per game (270.3) and have recorded a CFL-high 17 interceptions and the fourth-most sacks (24). In the Week 14 game against these same Stampeders, the Elks brought Vernon Adams down four times while also holding the veteran to an abysmal 51.7 percent completion rate.
Calgary has now allowed a league-high 29 sacks, and Calgary is averaging a middling 6.8 yards per play as well. Despite scoring plenty of points, the Stamps also rank next to last in passing yards per game (242.1), and the Elks check in having allowed a league-low 307 points over 12 games. With this being the second game in as many weeks between the teams, I like Edmonton's chances of churning out a solid score.
CFL DFS Cheat Sheet for Week 15
- Davis Alexander, QB
- Quali Conley, RB
- Damonte Coxie, WR
Total salary expenditure: $27.6k
This week's trio is more cost-effective than our Week 14 group, and we should be accessing a strong combination of both floor and upside. Alexander has been outstanding all season while leading the Alouettes to a league-best 10-2 record, and he draws a generally appealing matchup against the Lions. Then, Conley is capable of producing as both a runner and receiver and should have a good chance of making some waves against the Bombers' vulnerable run D. Finally, Coxie has turned into Kelly's most consistent target and has recorded all three of his 100-yard games in the last five contests.
