The CFL season is heating up, and each week, we’re diving into the numbers to spotlight the league’s top performers.

Thanks to consistent demand from fans, we’re bringing you the top 10 highest-graded CFL players who played significant snaps, based on PFF’s grading system.

From quarterbacks dissecting defenses to defensive linemen wreaking havoc in the trenches, these are the athletes who stood out above the rest in Week 18. We’ll be highlighting this group every week of the season, so CFL fans can keep track of the top-tier talent making an impact across the league.

Want to dig deeper into the data? Click here for full season-level PFF grades across the CFL.

Grading Highlight of the Week: Edge defender Julian Howsare, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

It’s been a stellar season for Julian Howsare in his return to Hamilton. After finishing last year with just a 63.9 overall grade, he currently ranks second in the CFL with an 88.9 mark. His best outing came last week, when he earned a season-high 91.7 overall grade.

It’s also important to note that while the CFL credits only one player with a sack or tackle, we at PFF credit all defenders involved in making the play. Football is a team sport, and many tackles and sacks require more than one contributor. So, while the official CFL stats credited Howsare with four sacks, PFF’s grading reflects his involvement in five.

Five sacks in a single game is an absurd number — the most by any player in a week this season. But it wasn’t just the sack total that stood out. Howsare also recorded two quarterback hits and five hurries. Additionally, there were four other plays where he beat his blocker without registering any pressure. While those plays may seem minor, any pass-rush win is meaningful. A defender who consistently beats blocks will inevitably generate more pressure than one who doesn’t.

Howsare posted a 28.0% pass-rush win rate and a pass-rushing productivity score of 17.0, both tops in the league last week. With just two games remaining, he’s emerging as a dark-horse candidate for Most Outstanding Defensive Player. He currently leads the league in sacks (14), total pressures (68) and pass-rushing grade (91.6).

Quarterback

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeBo Levi MitchellHamilton Tiger-Cats4484.7Trevor HarrisSaskatchewan Roughriders5681.8Nathan RourkeB.C. Lions5873.8Dustin CrumOttawa Redblacks2666.4Vernon Adams Jr.Calgary Stampeders5962.4Jarret DoegeToronto Argonauts7041.8Dru BrownOttawa Redblacks2830.3

Running Back

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeJames ButlerB.C. Lions5872.5Greg BellHamilton Tiger-Cats4466.7Dedrick MillsCalgary Stampeders5962.3A.J. OuelletteSaskatchewan Roughriders5561.3Spencer BrownToronto Argonauts7260.4William StanbackOttawa Redblacks5060.0

Wide Receiver

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeKeon HatcherB.C. Lions5879.1Dohnte MeyersSaskatchewan Roughriders5379.0Jevon CottoyB.C. Lions4077.7Brendan O’Leary-OrangeHamilton Tiger-Cats2373.8KeeSean JohnsonSaskatchewan Roughriders5670.3Makai PolkToronto Argonauts6569.2Kenny LawlerHamilton Tiger-Cats4268.5Dejon BrissettToronto Argonauts7167.7Kiondre SmithHamilton Tiger-Cats4567.7Justin HardyOttawa Redblacks5467.5

Offensive Tackle

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeJermarcus HardrickSaskatchewan Roughriders6172.9Payton CollinsSaskatchewan Roughriders6170.0Kory WoodruffB.C. Lions5867.4Quinton BarrowHamilton Tiger-Cats4566.7Dino BoydOttawa Redblacks5466.2Joshua CokerCalgary Stampeders5963.9Ryan HunterToronto Argonauts7263.4Chris SchleugerB.C. Lions5855.8Jordan MurrayHamilton Tiger-Cats4552.8D’Antne DemeryCalgary Stampeders4937.7

Offensive Guard

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeLiam DobsonHamilton Tiger-Cats4575.3Brandon RevenbergHamilton Tiger-Cats4572.0Philippe GagnonSaskatchewan Roughriders6164.4Zack WilliamsCalgary Stampeders5963.6Jacob BrammerSaskatchewan Roughriders6162.7Christy NkanuCalgary Stampeders5962.4Sage DoxtaterToronto Argonauts6759.1Jacob RubyOttawa Redblacks5456.7George UnaB.C. Lions5854.1Brandon YatesB.C. Lions5852.6

Centre

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradePeter NicastroToronto Argonauts7265.9Coulter WoodmanseyHamilton Tiger-Cats4563.9Logan FerlandSaskatchewan Roughriders6163.3Christopher FortinCalgary Stampeders5954.3Michael CoutureB.C. Lions5549.3Peter GodberOttawa Redblacks5449.0

Interior Defender

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeMike RoseSaskatchewan Roughriders3290.8Micah JohnsonSaskatchewan Roughriders2584.3Caleb SandersSaskatchewan Roughriders2784.2Jaylon HutchingsCalgary Stampeders4083.6Justin SambuCalgary Stampeders2679.6Dewayne HendrixB.C. Lions2576.6Charles WileyCalgary Stampeders3771.8Miles BrownCalgary Stampeders4769.6Ali SaadSaskatchewan Roughriders2269.0Miles FoxHamilton Tiger-Cats5968.8

Edge Defender

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeJulian HowsareHamilton Tiger-Cats6591.7Malik CarneySaskatchewan Roughriders4281.0Philip OssaiHamilton Tiger-Cats5478.7Jose RamirezHamilton Tiger-Cats3978.0Andrew Chatfield Jr.Toronto Argonauts4276.9Mathieu BettsB.C. Lions5376.2Habakkuk BaldonadoSaskatchewan Roughriders4675.0Derek ParishToronto Argonauts3968.9Clarence HicksCalgary Stampeders4766.5Bryce CarterOttawa Redblacks3866.3

Linebacker

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeAntoine Brooks Jr.Saskatchewan Roughriders5479.8Micah AweB.C. Lions3473.3Micah TeitzCalgary Stampeders2671.6Adarius PickettOttawa Redblacks6170.5Branden DozierToronto Argonauts3869.3Braxton HillHamilton Tiger-Cats2868.1A.J. AllenSaskatchewan Roughriders5467.5Reggie StubblefieldHamilton Tiger-Cats7266.4Wynton McManisToronto Argonauts3664.0Jovan Santos-KnoxOttawa Redblacks6162.8

Cornerback

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeGarry PetersB.C. Lions5978.9Jonathan MoxeyHamilton Tiger-Cats7272.7Marcus SaylesSaskatchewan Roughriders5467.7Jamal PetersHamilton Tiger-Cats6067.5Robert Carter Jr.B.C. Lions5966.7Benny Sapp IIISaskatchewan Roughriders5466.5King AmbersOttawa Redblacks6165.9Anthony JohnsonCalgary Stampeders5764.8Benjie FranklinToronto Argonauts4564.3Willie Drew Jr.Toronto Argonauts4157.4

Halfback

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeDestin TalbertHamilton Tiger-Cats7267.6DaMarcus FieldsSaskatchewan Roughriders5466.9DaShaun AmosHamilton Tiger-Cats7264.9Deontai WilliamsB.C. Lions5964.3T.J. LeeB.C. Lions5963.6Ronald Kent Jr.B.C. Lions5662.2Tarvarus McFaddenToronto Argonauts4458.0Adrian FryeOttawa Redblacks4356.1Deandre LamontOttawa Redblacks6050.3Jaydon GrantCalgary Stampeders5748.9

Safety

NameTeamSnapsOverall GradeJackson FindlayB.C. Lions5990.8Stavros KatsantonisHamilton Tiger-Cats7290.4Damon WebbCalgary Stampeders5570.2C.J. ReavisSaskatchewan Roughriders5465.6Derek SlywkaToronto Argonauts4364.3Bennett WilliamsOttawa Redblacks5155.6