5 players poised for a year-two breakout in 2026

The CFL saw some great rookie performances in 2025, including several that flew under the radar as well.

Looking ahead to 2026, it is always interesting to watch how a rookie develops over the off-season and hits the ground running in year two.

Here are five players I am particularly interested in watching as they enter the second season of their CFL careers.

CHELEN GARNES | LINEBACKER/DEFENSIVE BACK | EDMONTON ELKS

Chelen Garnes was the Elks’ Most Outstanding Rookie last season, making a strong debut at multiple defensive positions. He was used primarily at cover linebacker, while also seeing time at safety. He is clearly a versatile coverage defender who is willing to step up and make tackles in the run game.

Garnes finished the season with 62 tackles and one interception. As the Elks’ defence improved over the course of the year, it felt like Garnes became increasingly comfortable with the significant transition from the American game and field to the CFL.

KEELAN WHITE | RECEIVER | OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Ottawa’s first-round pick from last season did not disappoint. Keelan White was named the REDBLACKS’ Most Outstanding Rookie after posting nearly 500 receiving yards and 46 catches.

With the offence as inconsistent as it was in 2025, White should benefit from the arrival of new head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie, who will look to unlock quarterback Dru Brown in Ottawa. That should only mean good things for players like White heading into 2026.

White is just 24 years old and should enter his second season as a more mature and polished receiver for the REDBLACKS.

ALI SAAD | DEFENSIVE LINEMAN | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Another first-round pick from the 2025 draft, Ali Saad entered his rookie season with the Roughriders as a rotational option. The defensive line was already crowded, with Micah Johnson, Mike Rose, Caleb Sanders, Malik Carney and Shane Ray all entrenched from the start.

As the season wore on and injuries began to pile up, Saad was forced into the lineup for ratio reasons and showed clear improvement from where he was at the beginning of the year. With Micah Johnson transitioning from player to coach, there should be more opportunities for Saad to prove his value as the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft.

DEREK SLYWKA | DEFENSIVE BACK | TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Yes, Derek Slywka had an epic game against the Ottawa REDBLACKS that firmly put him on the map as one of the CFL’s top rookies. What is most exciting, however, is the potential for added consistency in his game as the Argonauts’ defence looks to take another step forward in 2026.

There were moments where the rookie safety’s performances varied from week to week, which is to be expected. An off-season spent studying film should help him identify opportunities to make a bigger impact and improve his reads.

Slywka is an outstanding athlete, and as he continues to refine his overall game, he has the potential to become a true game-changing player for the Argos.

SEVEN MCGEE | RETURNER | BC LIONS

While Seven McGee did not burst onto the scene in the same way 2025 Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Trey Vaval did for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he showed enough flashes to suggest he can be a dangerous return man for the BC Lions.

With one punt return touchdown and several other explosive returns, McGee is clearly a speedster. If he wins the return job again in 2026, he is more than capable of giving Vaval a run for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

5 players poised for a year-two breakout in 2026

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