Breaking down the CFL Player award races

The CFL Player awards will be handed out Thursday in Edmonton. TSN.ca makes a case for each nominee to claim the honour in their respective category.

Most Outstanding Player

Bo Levi Mitchell, QB, Calgary Stampeders – Mitchell had a similarly impressive season to his 2016 MOP campaign. Mitchell finished this year with 5,124 passing yards, just 261 less than two seasons ago, and a career-high 35 touchdown passes. These stats are becoming the norm for Mitchell, but this season stands out in particular for the 28-year-old because he accomplished it with an injury-ravaged Stampeders’ receiving corps. Eric Rogers, DaVaris Daniels, Kamar Jorden, Marken Michel, and Reggie Begelton all missed significant time to injury this season and still Mitchell found a way to lead the Stamps to their third-straight West Division title.

Jeremiah Masoli, QB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats – Finally given a chance to open a season as a starter, Masoli ran with it. Masoli led the East Division in both passing yards (5,209), and touchdowns (28), in reversing the Ticats’ fortunes and leading them back into the playoffs after a year out. Like Mitchell, Masoli also dealt with a depleted receiving corps throughout the year – Brandon Banks, Jalen Saunders, Terrence Toliver, and Chris Williams all missed significant games to injuries – but the 30-year-old proved he could still be an impact player over a full 18 games.

Most Outstanding Defensive Player

Adam Bighill, LB, Winnipeg Blue Bombers – The 2016 Most Outstanding Defensive Player returned to the CFL after a year down south but not with the BC Lions, signing instead with the Blue Bombers. Bighill proved he still has it, leading the Bombers’ improvement from eighth to fifth in total defence and fifth to second in scoring defence. The middle linebacker was one of only five defenders to finish with 100-plus tackles – he had 105 – while also adding four sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Larry Dean, LB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats – A stalwart in the middle of the Tiger-Cats defence the past three seasons, Dean continued to gain prestige league-wide last season. After being named an East Division All-Star in 2017, the 30-year-old set a career-high with 105 tackles while also adding two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Most Outstanding Canadian Player

Andrew Harris, RB, Winnipeg Blue Bombers – Chasing 2,000 offensive yards this season, Harris fell just short. But that doesn’t mean Harris didn’t have another spectacular year in 2018. Harris set a career-high in rushing yards with 1,390 and finished with the second-most offensive yards of his career with 1,841, just 51 yards shy of last year when he won his first Most Outstanding Canadian award. Harris’ 11 touchdowns were also four more than he scored last season.

Brad Sinopoli, SB, Ottawa Redblacks – Sinopoli etched his name in the record book with 116 receptions, the most ever in a single season by a Canadian receiver. This year’s Most Outstanding Canadian will be a repeat winner, with Sinopoli also having won in 2015 when he finished the year with 86 receptions for 1,035 yards. By comparison, this year he finished with 116 receptions for 1,376 yards, which were both career-highs. 

Most Outstanding Special Teams Player

Ty Long, K/P, BC Lions – In his second season Long led the league in punting average at 48.8 yards, over two yards more than the second place punter, while also finishing with a solid 87.8 per cent field goal rate. And his long of 52 was tied for third on the season.

Lewis Ward, K, Ottawa Redblacks – Another Redblacks player to enter the record books this season, Ward is in there twice. He set the record for most consecutive made field goals at 47, a streak which went to the end of the regular season, and missed only one field goal the entire year, setting the field goal percentage record at an incredible 98.1 per cent. Ward’s season was among the finest by a placekicker.

Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman

Stanley Bryant, OT, Winnipeg Blue Bombers – The Blue Bombers offensive tackle is looking to win his second straight Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award. Bryant was part of a Bombers’ line that paved the way for the league’s top rushing attack while also surrendering the third fewest sacks (tied with the Tiger-Cats).

Brandon Revenberg, OG, Hamilton Tiger-Cats – In his third season with the Tiger-Cats, Revenberg looks to become the first interior lineman to win the award in three seasons. Revenberg was part of a Ticats offensive line that helped the team finish third in rushing yards and gave up the third fewest sacks.

Most Outstanding Rookie

Jordan Williams-Lambert, WR, Saskatchewan Roughriders – In his first season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the wide receiver finished first on the team in receptions with 62, second in receiving yards with 764, and tied for first in receiving touchdowns with four.

Lewis Ward, K, Ottawa Redblacks – Ward is the lone double-nominee for this year’s CFL Player Awards.

Coach of the Year

Chris Jones, Saskatchewan Roughriders – Jones has improved the team in each of the three years he’s been there, and this year had them fighting for the West Division title until the end of the season. At 12-6, the Roughriders finished with the second-best record in the league.

Rick Campbell, Ottawa Redblacks – A third division title in four seasons led Campbell to his second Coach of the Year nomination. Campbell led the Redblacks to an 11-7 record, their second best in franchise history.