The 2026 CFL season kicks off Thursday night time with the Montreal Alouettes visiting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Listed below are among the high gamers (excluding quarterbacks) value retaining tabs on this yr:
Brady Oliveira, RB, Winnipeg — The Winnipeg native appears to crack the 1,000-yard speeding plateau for a fifth straight season after ending fourth final yr with 1,013 yards. He ran for a career-high 1,534 yards in 2023 to earn the CFL’s high Canadian honour earlier than claiming it and the MVP award in 2024 with 1,353 yards on the bottom.
Dedrick Mills, RB, Calgary — He was the CFL speeding chief final season with 1,409 yards (5.6-yard common) with 11 touchdowns. Each have been additionally profession highs for the 29-year-old. Calgary led the league in speeding (126.7 yards per recreation) and completed third within the West Division (11-7) to return to the playoffs after lacking out in 2024.
Mathieu Betts, DE, B.C.– The previous Laval star was the CFL’s high defensive participant for a second time final yr after posting a league-high 15 sacks. He additionally received it in 2023 with a document 18 sacks (most ever by a Canadian). Betts, 31, of Montreal, has 44 sacks in 79 profession regular-season video games and has reached double digits in two of the final three seasons.
Keon Hatcher Sr., WR, B.C. — The veteran receiver, coming into his sixth CFL season with the Lions, led the league in 2025 in targets (145), yards (1,688), 100-yard video games (seven) and yards after catch (611) and completed tied for first in catches (102). All have been profession highs, as have been his 9 TD grabs. The 31-year-old Hatcher will chase a fourth profession 1,000-yard marketing campaign in 2026.
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Kenny Lawler, WR, Hamilton — Lawler’s first season with the Tiger-Cats was a memorable one. He led the CFL in TD catches (14), was second in targets (144), tied for third in receptions (86) and was second in yards (1,443). Hamilton signed Lawler to a three-year extension reportedly value $1 million this low season.
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Wynton McManis, LB, Hamilton — The veteran center linebacker dons the black and gold after 4 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts which noticed him win two Gray Cups and earn two league all-star nods. McManis replaces Canadian Devin Veresuk (Indianapolis, NFL) as Hamilton chases its first CFL title since ’99, the league’s longest championship drought.
Adarius Pickett, LB, Toronto — The veteran linebacker rejoins the Argos after two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks. Pickett was stellar with Toronto in 2023, incomes the East Division’s excellent defensive participant honour after posting profession highs in tackles (105), special-teams tackles (19) and sacks (six) with a compelled fumble.
Micah Awe, LB, Montreal — The veteran linebacker is again with the Alouettes after showing in 13 video games (12 begins) with them in 2022. Awe had a league-high 114 tackles in 2025, with the B.C. Lions. He added three special-teams tackles, a compelled fumble and two interceptions. Awe grew to become expendable after the Lions signed veteran Darnell Sankey upon his launch by Montreal.
Tyrice Beverette, LB, Montreal — The 31-year-old was a CFL all-star final season after registering 83 tackles, seven special-teams tackles, seven sacks and 4 interceptions. It marked the third straight yr he’d registered not less than 80 defensive tackles. The 4 interceptions have been additionally tops amongst linebackers and the 4 compelled fumbles have been a league-high.
A.J. Allen, LB, Ottawa — The six-foot, 235-pound Burlington, Ont., native begins his first season with the Redblacks. Final yr Allen had 87 tackles, 4 special-teams tackles, three interceptions and 4 sacks in 18 regular-season video games for Gray Cup-champion Saskatchewan. He capped his season with six tackles and a special-teams deal with within the Riders’ title victory over Montreal.
Trey Vaval, KR, Winnipeg — Final season, Vaval grew to become simply the third CFL participant to earn high rookie and special-teams honours in the identical season. The cornerback scored a league-high 4 return TDs and led it in punt-return yards (957) and missed subject aim yards (391). Vaval’s 2,266 whole return yards left him third in all-purpose yards whereas including 21 tackles, 4 special-teams tackles and an interception.
Josh Rankin, RB, Edmonton — The five-foot-10, 210-pound Rankin ran for 1,013 yards and had a league-high 12 runs of 20 or extra yards. He added 56 catches for 713 yards with 4 touchdowns. Rankin is a viable risk to turn out to be the primary CFL participant to document 1,000 yards speeding and receiving in a season.
Tevaughn Campbell, DB, Saskatchewan — The 32-year-old Toronto native completed tied for the CFL lead in interceptions final season with six, a profession excessive. Campbell led the league in yards (205) and longest return (112 yards for TD). He additionally performed an enormous position in Saskatchewan’s Gray Cup win over Montreal with three tackles, an interception and key compelled fumble late within the fourth quarter.
Darnell Sankey, LB, B.C. — The six-foot, 242-pound Sankey posted 101 tackles, two special-teams tackles and two sacks final season with Montreal. It was Sankey’s second straight season of 100 or extra tackles and marked the third time in his 5 CFL campaigns that he’s reached the 100-tackle plateau.
Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, DL, Montreal — The six-foot-two, 244-pound defensive lineman had a breakout ’25 season. He was the East Division’s high Canadian after posting a career-high 11 sacks. The Dartmouth, N.S., native has recorded a mixed 18 sacks the final two seasons with Montreal after beginning his CFL profession with the Calgary Stampeders (2021-23).
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed June 1, 2026.
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