CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO -- October usually means playoff time is around the corner and the jockeying for positions in both divisions has begun.  The CFL's second-to-last month also signifies that time of year when some players begin to feel the effects of a season's worth of bruising wear-and-tear, while others start making their way back into the lineup after spending the majority of the game calendar trying to get healthy.

As we head into Week 14, three teams are all revising their depth charts as each day goes by, trying to find the magic formula under centre that will take them to the next week with a win, as well as a healthy roster.  And they are all doing so for separate reasons.

Nichols likely to gets first career start

Matt Nichols has already thrown a touchdown pass but has yet to get a CFL start but will likely do so Friday against Calgary.  

Nichols' lone touchdown came on a botched field goal attempt against the Stamps in their Labour Day rematch but outside of a few snaps in Hamilton two weeks ago, he has yet to take any meaningful reps.  Kerry Joseph is out with an injury as is last week's starter Steven Jyles, who may dress out of necessity.

"Steven kind of came up banged up after the last game and Kerry's been dealing with a calf injury for a few weeks now, so it was a good chance for me to get reps, with them banged up," Nichols explained.

One thing that the youngster won't have to worry about is confidence from his head coach.

"Matt has done a very good job of really studying the system that we have and doing the things that we've asked him to do in practice," Kavis Reed said. "He's a very cerebral young man. When we've put him in up tempo situations and asked him to command the offence by calling the plays, he's been able to do that."

Working his way back

Drew Tate will likely be back in the Stampeders lineup but not in the same starting spot that he was originally slated in at the start of the season.  Tate will sit third on the Calgary depth chart behind Kevin Glenn and Bo-Levi Mitchell Friday night.

Tate injured his non-throwing shoulder in July and has been off the roster since.  However, he insists that he is well ahead of schedule and will dress against the Esks.

In two starts with this season, Tate completed 30 of 41 passes, two of which went for touchdowns.

Jackson springs into action

The Toronto Argonauts announced this week that Jarious Jackson will get the start under centre in place of an injured Ricky Ray when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers Saturday night.

Jackson completed 15 of 31 passes for 198 yards and threw one interception in relief of Ray last weekend after the Argos' starting pivot went down with a knee injury.  

Ray had completed just 3 of 4 passes for 30 yards before leaving the contest.  His injury is being defined as a strained MCL.

The 32-year-old underwent an MRI Monday, but the Argonauts did not disclose the degree of Ray’s sprain.

"This is why we brought (Jackson) here, for this type of situation exactly," head coach Scott Milanovich said. "The positive thing is he basically played an entire game last week.