Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — What a start to the 106th Grey Cup Playoffs, and it’s only just beginning.
Jeremiah Masoli, Bralon Addison and Andrew Harris were some of the biggest performers of the opening round, with the Ticats and Bombers cementing their spot in the division finals.
On Sunday, Trevor Harris and Bo Levi Mitchell will be among stars making their 2018 playoff debuts, as four teams set their sights on a chance to play for the Grey Cup presented by Shaw.
You saw last week’s list of Top 30 Players to Watch in the CFL Playoffs and it generated some heated debate. While we’ll continue to monitor that list, this weekend’s matchups offer some pretty intriguing storylines.
Here are 20 players we shouldn’t turn away from:
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It seems like the Ticats have found their replacement for Brandon Banks, who suffered a season-ending injury last month in Ottawa. Bralon Addison showed his impressive debut was no fluke, hauling in five passes for 124 yards in a blowout win over the BC Lions. He’s built some impressive chemistry with Jeremiah Masoli and should be on the radar in the division finals. |
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Offensive linemen aren’t going to get much play on a ‘players to watch’ list, but the Bombers’ tackles have helped power the CFL’s most productive rushing attack, led by Most Outstanding Canadian nominee Andrew Harris. Winnipeg’s O-line is the lifeblood of the offence and Jermarcus Hardrick and Stanley Bryant are a big part of that. |
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The production has been no fluke for Ticats running back Alex Green, who’s scored 13 total touchdowns in 14 career games in two CFL seasons. Green gets the job done on the ground, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt this season, but is also an integral part of the Ticats’ passing attack as a regular target for Jeremiah Masoli. He’ll try to out-perform William Powell in the nation’s capital. |
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Despite not putting up the numbers we’re accustomed to, Greg Ellingson has been as reliable as always in 2018, recording his fourth straight 1,000-yard season while finding the end zone five times. The engineer of one of the biggest playoff catches the league has ever seen, which sent Ottawa to the Grey Cup three years ago, Ellingson is a sure bet to impact Ottawa’s post-season aspirations. |
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Hitting 100-plus tackles for the first time in his career, Larry Dean has emerged as one of the most reliable linebackers in the three-down game. He’s always around the football and as the Ticats’ offence tries to figure things out in the absence of Brandon Banks, it’s the defence that will have to step up if the team is going to make it to the 106th Grey Cup. |
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There’s no one on the Bombers’ offence more likely to make a big play than Darvin Adams. Winnipeg’s top receiving option has 10 touchdowns this season and nine plays of 30-plus yards, remaining the go-to option for Matt Nichols — even in an offence that usually favours the ground attack. Look for Adams to try and stretch the field against a tough Calgary defence. |
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After setting a Canadian receiver record with 116 receptions this season, Brad Sinopoli turns his attention to winning a third Grey Cup ring and second with the Ottawa REDBLACKS. Sinopoli is far and away the top national pass-catcher out there, part of the three-headed monster in Ottawa that also includes Greg Ellingson and Diontae Spencer. |
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The injury to Brandon Banks only magnifies the value of Luke Tasker in the Ticats’ offence, as shown by his two touchdown grabs in the team’s playoff win. Jeremiah Masoli‘s top security blanket is the model of consistency, catching four or more passes in 12 of his 15 games on the way to his third 1,000-yard season in four years. |
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With 123 tackles in each of his two full seasons, Alex Singleton continues to set the standard for linebackers in the CFL. The leader of the Stamps’ defence has played a significant role in the team’s defensive success, and is noticeable on almost every snap he plays. The matchup with Bombers running back Andrew Harris is a top billing for the division finals. |
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Micah Johnson makes the Stamps a nightmare to try and run the ball against, yet the big man in the middle can also get to the quarterback, ranking second in the league with 13 sacks. He’s the most important cog in what’s been the CFL’s most consistently dominant defence over the last few years, yet remains one of the league’s most underrated stars. |
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With Brandon Banks out for the playoffs, Diontae Spencer is likely the most electrifying player on the players to watch list. The diminutive receiver/returner is a threat to score any time he touches the ball, with his presence on offence creating space for other weapons around him including Greg Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli. |
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William Powell might be the best pure runner in the CFL, ranking second in the league with 1,362 rushing yards and a 5.4-yard average per attempt. He may not get his due in the REDBLACKS’ high-octane passing attack, but Powell’s ability on the ground balances one of the league’s most efficient and productive offences. He’ll be busy against the Ticats in the Eastern Final. |
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Delvin Breaux‘s return was certainly welcome for the Ticats, who dominated the Lions from start to finish in the Eastern Semi-Final. Breaux is a rare shutdown corner in the three-down game, leading one of the league’s stingiest pass defences in his first year back in the Hammer. |
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Adam Bighill‘s status for the division final is up in the air after he left last week’s game and did not return. Bighill is the heart and soul of the Bombers’ defence, racking up 104 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and a touchdown in his first season in Winnipeg. He’s a menace to opposing offences. |
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Far and away the CFL’s top receiver from 2014-2015, Eric Rogers hasn’t been able to match that production since his return from the NFL. Still, he’s flashed the same ability, proving nearly impossible to stop in one-on-one coverage while overcoming knee issues in his first season back with the Stamps. Can Rogers return to being the CFL’s most dangerous pass-catcher? |
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Andrew Harris put the Bombers on his shoulders, rushing for 126 yards in the second half alone to grind out a playoff road win over the Riders. He continues to prove why he’s the CFL’s most dominant running back, powering the league’s top rushing attack and putting the Bombers on the brink of a Grey Cup return. |
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Jeremiah Masoli answered his critics in the Eastern Semi-Final, throwing three touchdown passes while averaging a season-high 13.6 yards per attempt in a blowout win over the Lions. If this is what playoff Masoli looks like, the Ticats have a legitimate chance to run the table and win the 106th Grey Cup Championship. |
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Matt Nichols struck when the iron was hot in the Western Semi-Final, turning a Kevin Fogg interception into six points the other way on a touchdown pass to Drew Wolitarsky. Nichols was nearly perfect, extending his streak to 109 attempts without an interception while helping the Bombers win their first playoff game in seven years. |
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Bo Levi Mitchell has a good chance to win the second Most Outstanding Player honour of his career, but has bigger goals in mind as he looks to advance to a third straight Grey Cup. Mitchell has put up strong numbers again in 2018, but his Stamps are 5-4 in the second half of the season and face a tough challenge against a surging Bombers team. |
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Trevor Harris lost out on the East MOP nod, but has gotten the best of Jeremiah Masoli in head-to-head play this season, his REDBLACKS winning all three matchups. Harris has reached a possible turning point in his career as he moves out of the shadow of Henry Burris and tries to prove he’s one of the CFL’s elite quarterbacks. |
