Checking Down: Collaros comes back; Esks battle injuries

TORONTO — Zach Collaros is ready to come back — can his return pivot the Ticats to an East Division title?

Plus, the injury bug has bitten the REDBLACKS and Eskimos ahead of their Week 19 matchups.

That and much, much more in the latest Checking Down:

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BC LIONS

Emmanuel Areneaux is having a career year at age 29 (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)

– You can’t tell by the numbers, but Rolly Lumbala has played a key role in the Lions’ success this season (Jeff Paterson, The Vancouver Province).

– The current season of the Manny Show might be the best one yet, as Emmanuel Arceneaux continues to dominate well into his career (Jim Morris, CFL.ca).

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

Adarius Bowman’s status is in question after not practising Tuesday (The Canadian Press)

–  A Battle of Alberta in the Grey Cup? That’s what a lot of the coaches and managers are thinking these days as the Esks appear headed for the crossover (Kirk Penton, Winnipeg Sun).

– Nate Coehoorn left Esks practice with a right arm injury while veterans Pat Watkins, Brandyn Thompson, Tony Washington, Adarius Bowman and JC Sherritt are question marks after not practising Tuesday (Dave Campbell, CHED).

– If Washington (leg) can’t go, Joel Figueroa would play a second straight game at left tackle (Gerry Moddejonge, Edmonton Journal).

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

– It appears there’s a pretty good chance Bo Levi Mitchell will be the uninamous MOP winner next month in Toronto (Justin Dunk, 3 Down Nation).

– The race for Most Outstanding Rookie could come down to a photo finish between teammates, as Alex Singleton and DaVaris Daniels are both legitimate candidates for the award (Scott Cruickshank, Calgary Herald).

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

– Darian Durant might be without a contract beyond 2016 but he isn’t without confidence, personally guaranteeing the he will win another Grey Cup with the Riders before all is said and done (Arielle Zerr, 980 CJME).

– Durant said there’s no update on a contract extension but that he’d like to get one done during the season (Kyle Galliver, Global News).

– With the Riders set to close out Mosaic Stadium, Riders president and CEO Craig Reynolds remembers attending his first game there as a 13-year-old in 1989 (Ian Hamilton, Regina Leader-Post).

– The Riders have announced their plans to bid farewell to Mosaic Stadium this coming weekend, with activities starting three hours before kickoff (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).

– With Joe McKnight’s status up in the air, Greg Morris could make his first career start at running back for the Riders in Week 19 (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).

– The Riders have signed former Argos receiver Phil Bates.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

– For this year’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a late-season bye week means something out of the ordinary (Ed Tait, BlueBombers.com).

– Darvin Adams has returned to the practice field for the Bombers after being sidelined three months due to injury, however his status for Week 19 is unknown (Russ Hobson, Global News).

– Taylor Loffler has to be considered among favourites to win Most Outstanding Rookie after the list of eligible players was released on Monday (CFL.ca).

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

All signs point to Zach Collaros returning to quarterback the Ticats this week (The Canadian Press)

– Zach Collaros practised for the third straight day and is expected to start on Friday (Drew Edwards, The Hamilton Spectator).

– The Ticats’ defence has been up and down this year but not the defensive line, which has been as strong as ever in 2016 (CFL.ca).

– How good has Andy Fantuz’s season been? A career year for the Chatham-Kent native has seen him become the first Ticat to eclipse 100 receptions in a year (Ticats.ca).

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Scott Milanovich’s Argos have one more game to play following the bye (Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca)

– While the Argos aren’t playoff-bound, Head Coach Scott Milanovich is telling players their film is their resume (Frank Zicarelli, Toronto Sun).

– “Pinball” Clemons and Peter Martin have been named co-winners of the CFL Alumni Man of the Year Award, as presented by the CFL Alumni Association (Argonauts.ca).

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

– How badly do the REDBLACKS miss SirVincent Rogers? The injured left tackle has allowed a league-low 0.5 ‘pressures’ per start throughout 12 games (Derek Taylor, TSN).

– OL Jake Silas and DL Aston Whiteside will miss Week 19 after being added to the one-game injured list, while DB Forrest Hightower, DL Zack Evans and WR Juron Criner haven’t practised but could still play Sunday (Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun).

– Can the REDBLACKS hang on to win the East? The CFL Simulation puts their odds at about a coin flip (CFL.ca).

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Vernon Adams Jr. didn’t look out of place in his first professional start (The Canadian Press)

– Progress has come slow for the Alouettes but Vernon Adams Jr. showed some exciting signs in his first career start (Herb Zurkowsky, Montreal Gazette).