CFL Week 9: Fantasy sleepers emerge as regular season midpoint nears

By Liam Tremblay — 29 July 2026 — 3 min read

As the Canadian Football League season approaches its midpoint, Week 9 presents opportunities for several players to make an impact in fantasy lineups. Injuries and shifts in player production are creating new considerations for fantasy participants.

Offensive Players to Watch

Brendan O’Leary-Orange of the Edmonton Elks is a receiver who has shown recent strong performance, securing 81.8 percent of his targets. He recorded his first touchdown of the 2026 season in a recent victory against Saskatchewan and has achieved double-digit fantasy totals in two of his last three games. Despite being behind other receivers in the depth chart, his play suggests potential for significant upside, especially with quarterback Cody Fajardo‘s ability to deliver the ball downfield.

For the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Quali Conley could see increased playing time. With lead back AJ Ouellette not practicing, Conley might take on a more prominent role. He previously made consecutive starts for the defending Grey Cup champions, accumulating 21.4 Fantasy Points and a touchdown with 124 yards from scrimmage. Conley averages 5.4 yards per carry.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Tre Ford demonstrated his capabilities in Week 8 against a strong defence, scoring 10.4 Fantasy Points. The Tiger-Cats are scheduled to face a Stampeders defence that has allowed a league-high 29 offensive majors and 435.1 offensive yards, potentially offering Ford a favourable matchup.

Nick Mardner, the second overall pick of the 2024 CFL Canadian Draft, has been a full participant in practice, indicating a possible return to action after missing the entire 2025 regular season due to a lower-body injury. His return could provide a deep-threat element to the REDBLACKS‘ receiving corps.

Key Statistical Insights for Week 9

The Elks and Roughriders are set for a rematch after a high-scoring game. While their previous encounter saw 70 points combined, both teams generally feature stingy defences. The Elks allow the fewest offensive points per game, and Saskatchewan ranks third, suggesting a potentially lower-scoring affair this time.

Larry Rountree III of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats has become more involved in the passing game, particularly since Bo Levi Mitchell‘s injury in Week 5. Over his last four games, Rountree III has averaged 5.5 passing targets per game. The Stampeders, Hamilton‘s upcoming opponent, have been vulnerable against the pass, averaging 36.6 pass attempts against per game and 25.1 receptions against per game.

The Ottawa REDBLACKS‘ defence has struggled against rushing attacks, allowing an average of 123.2 rushing yards against per game and 23.7 rushing attempts against per game, with an average of 5.2 yards against per carry. This could benefit running backs facing them.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Dru Brown has been a consistent streaming option since taking over for Zach Collaros. The Blue Bombers have allowed Brown to throw frequently, with 40 or more passing attempts in their last two games and an overall average of 38.0 pass attempts per game in his three starts. His average of 301.7 passing yards per game is not expected to decline significantly.

Damonte Coxie, a receiver for the Toronto Argonauts, has been a frequent target in his team’s prolific passing offence. Over the last four games, Argos quarterbacks have targeted Coxie 36 times, averaging 9.0 targets per game. He has caught 25 of those 36 targets, contributing 378 combined yards in that span.

The upcoming Week 9 schedule includes the BC Lions against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Montreal Alouettes facing the Ottawa Redblacks, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats playing the Calgary Stampeders, and the Edmonton Elks hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Source: cfl.ca