DraftKings CFL: Week 12 Value Plays

The CFL and DraftKings are back with a three-game slate in Week 12 that kicks off Sunday night with a Blue Bombers-Roughriders showdown and wraps up a with a two-game matinee Monday. The smaller player pool presents us with some interesting decisions, particularly with respect to ownership in tournaments.

With plenty to break down, let's delve into multiple options at each position across the salary spectrum for your Week 12 cash games and GPPs.:

DraftKings CFL Plays- Week 12

Quarterback

Trevor Harris, EDM at CGY ($10,500): Harris continues to be the top quarterback option in Week 12 despite the vaunted reputation of the Stampeders defense. The veteran also exploited Calgary's secondary in Week 8, as he racked up 26.02 fantasy points on the strength of 373 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Stamps are allowing 267.6 passing yards per contest, along with the third-most completions (236) and the highest completion percentage (72.8) in the league. Harris has put up at least 39 pass attempts in all but two games this season and should be firing away in what should be a hotly contested battle, especially if Bo Levi Mitchell is able to return for the Stampeders under center.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, TOR at HAM ($9,300): Bethel-Thompson was outstanding once again as a four-figure play in Week 11, as he compiled 29.96 fantasy points against the Alouettes on the strength of a career-high 464 passing yards in a comeback attempt that fell just short. The mobile veteran also brings some nice dual-threat upside and remains priced very reasonably relative to upside. Bethel-Thompson has been eclipsing 300 passing yards with regularity – he'd exceeded that mark in four of the six contests prior to his Week 11 explosion. The Tiger-Cats have only been about league average versus the pass as well, yielding 277.7 yards per game, 7.8 yards per attempt and 14 completions of 30 yards or greater. Additionally, Hamilton's vulnerabilities against the run (111.1 rushing yards per game, league-high 5.6 rush yards per carry and 13 rushing touchdowns allowed) could bode well for Bethel-Thompson, who's rushed for 96 combined yards over the last three contests.

Dane Evans, HAM vs. TOR ($8,800): Evans checks in as my bargain play at quarterback on the short slate, considering the production he's previously generated and his matchup. The Argonauts continue to be one of the most porous secondaries in the CFL, while Evans posted between 16.6 and 24.0 fantasy points between Weeks 8 and 10 before slumping versus the Lions in Week 11. Toronto is surrendering 310.8 passing yards per game, along with a 71.2 percent completion rate and CFL highs in yards per attempt (9.5), completions of 30 or more yards (19), passing touchdowns (18) and passer efficiency rating (112.8). That gives Evans a multitude of paths to provide a solid return on his very reasonable salary against a team that's repeatedly proven incapable of slowing down opposing pass attacks.

Running Back

C.J. Gable, EDM at CGY ($8,400): Gable is arguably overpriced relative to recent production, but there aren't many choices on the small slate, especially with Andrew Harris (suspension) on the shelf for the Blue Bombers. Gable did offer a glimpse at his upside when he ripped up the Redblacks for 34.0 fantasy points in Week 9 on the strength of 150 total yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns. He's seen a downturn to 12.1 and 12.5 fantasy points, respectively, over the last two games, but he continues to be a steady, complementary part of the air attack with at least three catches in every contest this season. Calgary has been tough versus the run this season while allowing just 93.3 rush yards per contest at a CFL-low 4.3 yards per carry, but they have yielded eight rushing scores and have also been more vulnerable than usual on pass defense as outlined in Harris' entry. Therefore, while not an ideal matchup by any means, Gable is still arguably the best option if you're paying up.

Don Jackson, CGY vs EDM ($6,900): Jackson's Week 10 return from the injured list was a triumphant one, as he accumulated 16.5 fantasy points versus the Alouettes with 105 total yards on 19 touches. Jackson's clear lead-back role in that contest makes his current salary especially enticing, even against a generally tough defense like that of the Eskimos. Edmonton has been middle of the pack in allowing 98.4 rush yards per contest, but they're also surrendering the second-highest average yards per carry (5.5) and are tied for second-most rushes of 20 or more yards allowed (nine). Jackson has the big-play ability to exploit those numbers and certainly won't cause you to have to blow up your budget to get him.

Johnny Augustine, WPG at SSK ($3,500): Harris' suspension suddenly opens the door for Augustine, who's still priced like the bit player he's been thus far. Augustine has actually been very efficient in limited opportunities this season, totaling 60 rushing yards on nine carries. The Roughriders are far from the ideal matchup, ranking in the top three in the CFL in all major rush defense categories. The 26-year-old national could certainly split carries, but with such a minuscule salary, there isn't a lot he'd have to do to justify rostering him. Including Augustine in your lineup will also give you considerable flexibility elsewhere, allowing you to fit in more high-priced players than usual.

Wide Receiver/Slotback

Bralon Addison, HAM vs. TOR ($9,000): Addison has been excellent for both cash games and GPPs this season due to his high level of involvement in the offense. The emerging wideout has often played a solid role in the running game during Sean Thomas-Erlington's (knee) time on the injured list in addition to his receiving duties. Addison has at least seven catches in each of the last four contests, and he also logged four or five carries between Weeks 8 and 10. The Argonauts' extensive vulnerabilities to the pass were already detailed in Evans' entry, and their weakness in the short passing window of up to nine yards (83.0 percent completion rate and CFL-high nine touchdown passes allowed) dovetails well with Addison's offensive profile (10.4 yards per catch).

DaVaris Daniels, EDM at CGY ($7,800): Daniels validated our prediction of a possible breakout last week when he eviscerated the Blue Bombers for a 10-207 line that generated 33.7 fantasy points. Rather surprisingly, there was no change in his price following that eye-popping performance, which was his second straight over the 100-yard mark. The Stampeders have been average in the secondary this season as detailed in Harris' entry, and given Daniels' clearly emerging rapport with his quarterback, he's an excellent mid-tier play at his cost.

Jaelon Acklin, HAM vs. TOR ($6,600): Given the three-game slate and the Tiger-Cats' matchup versus the Argonauts, I'm willing to roll with two different Hamilton receivers this week. Acklin is a natural choice at his price and in light of recent production. The rookie has back-to-back double-digit fantasy-point tallies, most recently scoring 15.1 fantasy points in Week 11 against the Lions on the strength of a 6-91 line. Acklin has between three and six catches in the last six games as well, and with Toronto's all-around issues defending the pass, he's a viable option as a cost-effective component of the Tiger-Cats' passing game.

Cory Watson, SSK vs. WPG ($4,800): Even with the smaller-than-usual slate, there's still a potential bargain to be had in Watson. The veteran has rather surprisingly enjoyed a solid, consistent role in the offense in recent weeks, posting at least four grabs in four of the last five contests. Watson is averaging a modest 10.3 yards per catch this season, but that fits well with the 71.7 percent completion rate the Blue Bombers are allowing on targets of up to nine yards in distance. The Bombers are also surrendering 281.2 passing yards per game and have faced the most pass attempts (381) in the CFL, so they're not a stay-away matchup by any means.

Team Defense

Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers ($5,400): The Roughriders won't come cheap this week, but facing an Andrew Harris-less Blue Bombers squad and on a multi-week hot streak, they're worth the investment. Saskatchewan's latest success came at the expense of the Redblacks, which they victimized for three interceptions, three sacks and two fumble recoveries in Week 11. The Riders defense has scored double-digit fantasy points in four of the last five games overall, and they're averaging an impressive 11.0 over five home games thus far. Meanwhile, the Bombers come in ranked last in passing yards per game (211.4) and next-to-last in yards per attempt (7.7), so they may be rather ill-equipped to cope effectively with Harris' absence for all four quarters. Additionally, the Riders have done an excellent job of limiting opportunities for opposing offenses, as they've allowed the second-fewest plays from scrimmage per game (50), second-fewest yards per play (5.6) and fewest first downs (150) while also recording the third-most sacks (28) and forcing the fourth-most two-and-outs (52).