Berg vs. Ferg: Who is the CFL’s most exciting player?

Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week they debate over the most exciting player in the CFL.

There’s a handful of players in the Canadian Football League that can bring you out of your seat in an instant. The players we say are ‘worth the price of admission’ for their ability to break a game open at any given moment.

Blink and you might miss REDBLACKS receiver Diontae Spencer running back a punt return touchdown or sprinting past the defensive back on a fly route.

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Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris can take over a game play after play, running over defenders and often carrying the pile, whether by land or by air.

D’haquille Williams has emerged as one of the league’s most dominant pass-catchers, causing opposing defensive backs nightmares with his ability to catch any football in his vicinity.

Duron Carter, James Wilder Jr. and Brandon Banks are other names to consider, as Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson each make a case for their most exciting player in the three-down game.

More in this week’s Berg vs. Ferg:

BERG (5-4): WILDER’S UNIQUE RUNNING STYLE IS MESMERIZING

Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg

James Wilder has the chance to explode every time he touches the ball

It may be strange to choose a running back as the most exciting player in the CFL, but there’s something special about watching James Wilder Jr. play. The Toronto Argonauts tailback has a combination of abilities that combine to form one of the most explosive players in the league. More often than not, explosive = excitement, and that is very much the case for Wilder.

I love the way Wilder runs the ball. As opposed to running in the more traditional compact, low to the ground fashion, Wilder is far more vertical with the ball in his hand. It’s what allows him to make defenders miss so well with lateral movement reminiscent of a receiver. When he gets the ball in the backfield, Wilder is impossible to take your eyes off of because all 6-foot-3 of his frame is running that thing.

In saying that, though, Wilder still runs with ridiculous speed. Go back and watch what Wilder did in the third quarter of a game last season against Winnipeg. After a Ricky Ray interception deep in Bombers’ territory, Wilder tracked down Winnipeg’s Tristan Okpalaugo at the one-yard line to temporarily prevent a touchdown. It was a stunning display of speed and showed just how next level Wilder’s wheels are.

Finally, we’re talking about a tailback who invites contact. Sure, Wilder is great at making defenders miss and is extremely elusive in open field. But coming out of the backfield doesn’t always allow him space, which is just fine. Wilder seeks out contact with defenders and is imposing when he lowers the shoulder. Watching high-impact collisions at high speed adds another exciting element to Wilder’s game.

We know Wilder is a unique, explosive, and elusive runner. And, because of his height and speed, he’s just as dangerous in the receiving game. Some of his biggest gains have been pass plays, meaning he is a true factor on any down and in any situation. We’re talking about a player who can bust a massive gain literally at any time, which makes him an extremely exciting player to watch.

FERG (4-5): THE MASTER OF THE JUMP BALL

Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh

Think of a play, any type of sports play that gets you out of your seat.

In baseball it could be a suicide squeeze, in hockey a breakaway out of the penalty box, maybe even a buzzer beating attempt in basketball.

In football that play is the jump ball.

Sometimes it comes in the end zone, often it appears in a moment of desperation anywhere on the field but regardless of when and where it comes, the jump ball is one of the most athletic and exciting plays in all of football.

Nobody in the Canadian Football League is better at it right now than Duke Williams of the Edmonton Eskimos.

Duke’s frame and natural athleticism make him a natural at the jump ball but it’s his body control and soft hands that really make the Eskimos master pass catcher able to separate from smaller defensive backs and finish the play.

When Duke isn’t catching balls thrown as high as the first row at most stadiums he is running away from defenders with a stride length unmatched by most defenders. He can turn a big throw into a big moment or a small throw into a big play. To me that is why Duke Williams is the CFL’s most exciting play so far in 2018.

DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!

While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?

You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.

The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.