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Top CFL Fantasy plays at every position for Week 18

CFL Fantasy presented by theScore BetOct 2, 2026
Brandon C. WilliamsBrandon C. Williams
Top CFL Fantasy plays at every position for Week 18

Colby Spence/CFL.ca

Have we really reached Week 18? Yup.

That means CFL Fantasy presented by theScore Bet playoffs are well underway, with the first of two weeks of finals starting this weekend.

As a reminder, the total combined scores of the finals in Week 18 and Week 19 determine the overall winner.

Here are this week's rankings to help you in your postseason run.

QUARTERBACKS

  1. Nathan Rourke, BC

  2. Chad Kelly, Toronto

  3. Vernon Adams Jr., Calgary

  4. Davis Alexander, Montreal

  5. Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan

Count on Nathan Rourke to live up to his league-leading 10.4 yards per pass against a Toronto defence that’s allowed 29 completions of at least 30 yards. With three games left to play in the regular season, Chad Kelly is 933 yards from hitting the 6,000-yard plateau. Don’t bet against him reaching it, assuming he is healthy enough to play on Saturday after being listed as questionable on the team's injury report. If his O-line can keep him upright (sacked a league-high 31 times), Vernon Adams Jr. will look to keep his hot hand in a must-win showdown against Saskatchewan. The Stamps lost a 40-37 slugfest to the Riders in their previous meeting, so expect similar fireworks.

Davis Alexander has cooled off a bit, and with the Als very close to hosting the Eastern Final, there’s also the prospect of his reduced playing time down the stretch. Until the latter is announced, ride his 29:3 TD:INT margin. Three yards shy of hitting 300 yards in Week 17, Trevor Harris continues to put up yards, but the touchdowns (six games of one or fewer passing majors in his last eight) aren’t coming. Have faith, as the Roughriders’ receiving corps is getting healthy. Actually, it was a coin toss between Harris and McLeod Bethel-Thompson for the fifth spot. Regardless, the REDBLACKS will toss the ball at will against Hamilton to kick off Friday Night Football.

Sleeper: McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Ottawa

RUNNING BACK

  1. Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg

  2. AJ Ouellette, Saskatchewan

  3. Zander Horvath, BC

  4. Larry Rountree III, Hamilton

  5. Stevie Scott III, Montreal

You can bet Brady Oliveira will hit 100 scrimmage yards against Montreal. But the majors (just one since Week 12) could use more frequency. He shook off the rust in his Week 17 return and big numbers await AJ Ouellette when he gets to plow through Calgary’s run defence (112.9 yards allowed per game). Since taking over the duties of lead back, Zander Horvath has not gone consecutive games without a major. Considering Larry Rountree III faces Ottawa’s league-worst run defence (130.6 yards allowed), a case could be made for the Ticats running back to be ranked higher. Game flow will determine if Rountree is a Week 18 fantasy beast. Stevie Scott III has picked up where he left off from his dominant postseason run last year, rushing for a combined 208 yards in his previous two starts. His 21 touches from scrimmage in Week 15 showed he can handle a high volume.

Sleeper: Tough call to keep Deonta McMahon out of the top five, but he does have to contend with Saskatchewan’s run defence, ranked second (72.6 yards allowed per game). Despite that, McMahon’s versatility makes him a solid fantasy asset.

RECEIVER

  1. Tyson Philpot, Montreal

  2. Tyler Snead, Montreal

  3. Damonte Coxie, Toronto

  4. Jalen Philpot, Calgary

  5. Keon Hatcher Sr., BC

  6. Justin McInnis, BC

  7. KeeSean Johnson, Saskatchewan

  8. Justin Hardy, Ottawa

  9. Tyler Kahmann, Toronto

  10. Dorian Singer, Winnipeg

The yardage hasn’t been there of late, yet Tyson Philpot still knows how to find the end zone. He’ll bid for a third straight game with a receiving major (and fifth in his last six) against the Bombers. Tyler Snead lit up the Blue Bombers for 107 yards and three touchdowns in Week 13. Don’t expect a repeat of majors, but we’re betting he gets at least one in the rematch against Winnipeg. The East Division’s best receiver outside of Quebec, Damonte Coxie’s 17 receptions of at least 20 yards in depth lead the league. Only Calgary’s Dejon Brissett’s 18.3 yards per catch betters Coxie’s 17 yards per reception. Consecutive 100-yard games further cement Jalen Philpot’s status as an elite receiver. His first West Division All-CFL nod is equally entrenched.

Keon Hatcher Sr. topped 1,000 yards in Week 17, the fourth time in five years he’s climbed the mountain. He’s also scored three times in the last two games, but squares off against an Argos pass defence that has allowed a league-low 21 passing majors. Can’t have Hatcher without Justin McInnis, who is only 18 yards shy of his third straight 1,000-yard season. Unlike Hatcher, McInnis had success in the previous meeting versus Toronto, catching six passes for 89 yards. Winnipeg kept him in check during Weeks 14 and 15, but KeeSean Johnson returned to form with nine receptions for 119 yards in the Week 17 loss to BC. He remains the league’s most prolific receiver on second down with 33 catches that moved the chains. Inserting McLeod Bethel-Thompson revived Justin Hardy, who has scored in consecutive games after lighting up the Stampeders for 21 receptions for 227 yards. Hardy is on pace for a strong finish that should result in another East Division All-CFL nod. Just give Tyler Kahmann the Most Outstanding Rookie award now. Only 18 yards from the 1,000 plateau, Kahmann will be one of four Argos to achieve the mark, as David Ungerer III and Kevin Mital should join him and Coxie. The hot hand among the Bombers’ receiving corps, Dorian Singer, has scored in two of his first three games. He’s worth the roster spot if you have Elks receivers on bye.

Sleeper: Weird to call Kenny Lawler a sleeper, but this is a great week to play Lawler, who squares off against a REDBLACKS defence allowing 348.1 (!!!) passing yards per game.

DEFENCE

  1. Montreal

  2. Saskatchewan

  3. BC

  4. Hamilton

The Als will seek to pressure Dru Brown into miscues the same way they were after Harrison Frost (four interceptions) in Week 16. Sacks are almost a given with the Roughriders, who have recorded at least one QB takedown in all but one game this season. Normally not a unit to use, the Lions play the Argos, which means Chad Kelly, if he's available, will throw one in their direction. Containing McLeod Bethel-Thompson is the key for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defence if they want to slow down the now-potent Ottawa offence.

KICKER

  1. Sergio Castillo, Winnipeg

  2. José Maltos Díaz, Montreal

  3. Rene Paredes, Calgary

Sergio Castillo averages 38 yards per field goal. 28 of his 52 attempts have been from at least 40 yards. He’s deadly accurate inside 40 yards, connecting on all 24 of his attempts in that range. Rene Paredes continues to be an asset for Calgary's playoff run, hitting 17 of his 18 attempts since returning to the team.