CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO -- Darian Durant, Ronald Flemons, Chad Owens and Andy Fantuz were named the Gibson’s Finest CFL Players of the Month for September, the Canadian Football League announced today.

The four players were chosen by a panel of judges that includes former Canadian Football League players Matt Dunigan and Duane Forde, now of TSN, and Pierre Vercheval of RDS.

Darian Durant was solid in September leading the riders to a 3-1 record while racking up 1,387 yards and 5 touchdowns with a 62.9% completion rate.The Saskatchewan quarterback also rushed the ball 19 times for 152 yards and one touchdown.

Durant finished the month with a bang throwing for  918 yards and all five of his September touchdowns as the Riders won back to games over the Calgary Stampeders and Hamitlon Tiger-Cats to close out the month.

The fifth-year Rider is currently first in the CFL for passing yards (3,861) and pass attempts (441), while sitting tied for third in rushing TDs (5) and ninth in rushing yards (452), both of which are tops among the league’s QBs. He was a unanimous choice.

Ronald Flemons was spectacular in September leading the Argos defensive line. Four games in September saw Flemons collect 22 tackles, four sacks, two fumble recoveries, two pass knockdowns and one tackle-for-loss.

The Toronto defensive end was also named Gibson’s Finest CFL Defensive Player of the Week for his week 11 performance against the B.C. Lions. In the game, the fifth-year Argos’ veteran recorded seven tackles, including a career-high three sacks for 27 yards lost, one pass knockdown and one fumble recovery for 39 yards.

Through 12 games in 2010 thus far, Flemons has totaled 40 tackles, five sacks, four fumble recoveries, four pass knockdowns and three tackles-for-loss.

B.C.’s Solomon Elimimian and Calgary’s Juwan Simpson were named runners-up.

Flemons’ teammate Chad Owens has continued to ignite Toronto’s offence with his electrifying returns and is the Special Teams Player of the Month. In Week 12 against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the first-year Argo returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown to help spark the Argos to a 17-13 victory. The outstanding effort earned him Gibson’s Finest CFL Special Teams Player of the Week honours for week 12.

Over four games in September, Owens tallied 639 kick return yards for an average of 159.8 yards per game and one punt return touchdown. The sensational return specialist recorded 287 yards on kickoff returns, 241 on punts, and 111 on missed field goals during the month.

Owens currently leads the CFL with 2,098 all-purpose yards through 12 games this season for an average of 174.8 per game. That total includes 1611 kick return yards, as well as, 487 yards from scrimmage. He is also tied for the league lead with three kick return TDs, including two punts and one missed field goal.

B.C. Lions kicker Paul McCallum was named runner-up.

Andy Fantuz has played some of the best football of his career recently, helping bring Saskatchewan within one game of first place Calgary by accumulating a 3-1 record in September. Fantuz had 22 receptions for 449 yards and one touchdown during the month, including a dual award winning week 12 as Gibson’s Finest CFL Offensive and Canadian Player of the Week.

The Chatham, Ontario native receiver earned the accolades for his incredible performance against the rival Stampeders, tallying 10 receptions for a career-high 255 yards, one touchdown and a crucial overtime victory at home.

Fantuz currently sits in third place in the CFL for receiving yards (944), fifth in receptions (60), and is tied for 11th in receiving TDs (4).

He was a unanimous selection.