Becoming a Grey Cup winner fuelled D’Sean Mimbs throughout the winter.

The celebration of the fifth CFL championship in Saskatchewan Roughriders history had yet to abate when Mimbs, coming off his rookie season, resolved to elevate his off-season workouts and, ultimately, his game.

“With winning the Grey Cup and everything after that, I want to feel that again,” he said after Wednesday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “I work as hard as I can to be able to do that.”

Mimbs and the Roughriders derived rewards from his training regimen — which included three workouts per weekday during the off-season — when he played a key role in Saturday’s 28-26 victory over the Edmonton Elks.

Late in the third quarter, he made an 18-yard catch in traffic on the Elks’ seven-yard line to move the chains on second-and-five.

“It was a huge play in the game,” quarterback Trevor Harris said.

Mimbs’ longest reception in the pro ranks set up a short touchdown run by Tommy Stevens that put Saskatchewan ahead 20-16 in a battle of the West Division’s top two seeds.

“I remember going to line up and Trevor yelled something at me,” Mimbs said. “I don’t know what he said. I just went and lined up, ran a route, kind of slowed down, and he threw it to me. AlI I knew what to do was go and catch it.”

That he did.

“I thought it was a great soft-hands catch,” Harris noted.

With that one key reception, Mimbs equalled the yardage produced by his previous three catches as a Roughrider.

The former Winston Knoll Wolverines and University of Regina Rams standout had one reception for five yards in four games as a rookie in 2025.

In six appearances this year, he has three catches for 31 yards.

A sixth-round selection (50th overall) in the 2024 CFL Canadian Draft, Mimbs made his first start for the Roughriders in their third game of this season.

He was listed as the team’s sixth receiver for last weekend’s contest, but injuries led to his ascent to front-line duty during the game.

“You reap what you sow,” Head Coach Corey Mace said. “The kid put in a lot of work this off-season, so he’s getting the return on that investment.”

Oftentimes with investing, it is important to play the long game.

“I just want to keep doing it over and over again,” the Regina-born Mimbs said. “I want to keep on working and hopefully I get those opportunities again.”

The Roughriders will be without one Canadian pass-catcher for Friday’s home game against the Ottawa REDBLACKS.

Kian Schaffer-Baker has been ruled out due to a knee injury he sustained during the third quarter in Edmonton. He has 45 catches for 704 yards and four touchdowns for the 5-2 Roughriders.

Fellow receiver Samuel Emilus, who missed Saturday’s game with a foot injury, is listed as questionable for Friday. He did not practise on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Receiver/returner James Letcher Jr. (forearm) will not play on Friday. He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice.

Daniel Johnson, who started at left guard last week, was sidelined by an illness on Wednesday. He is questionable for the Ottawa game.

Also questionable is linebacker Josh Woods, who has an ankle injury.  He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s workout.

Defensive tackle Ali Saad (calf injury) is out for Friday after being limited in back-to-back practices.

Cornerback Tevaughn Campbell (forearm), fullback Albert Awachie (ankle) and offensive lineman Zack Fry (knee) are also listed as out for the upcoming game.

Offensive lineman Darius Bell (ankle) and defensive back Nelson Lokombo (ankle) are both available.

Bell, the Roughriders’ third-round draftee (29th overall) in 2026, has yet to play in his first CFL game.

Lokombo, a starter for most of the past two seasons, has missed five of the first seven games this year.