Welcome to Week 17, my friends.<\/p>\n
To get you set for the week, I\u2019m looking at a returning starting quarterback, a receiver that needs a bit more attention, a Most Outstanding Rookie candidate, and a must-win game for a West Division team.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also worth noting that this weekend, the CFL is commemorating next week\u2019s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Keep an eye out across the league for players wearing orange and white pre-game jerseys, customized footballs featuring orange laces, orange Wilson branding and each club\u2019s Indigenous logo, special content highlighting Indigenous culture and community members, and much more.<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s one storyline to watch in each matchup this weekend.<\/p>\n RELATED HE\u2019S BAAACCCK!<\/p>\n Calgary at Montreal | Friday, September 26 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN\/RDS\/CFL+<\/p>\n We haven\u2019t seen Davis Alexander<\/a> under centre since Week 7, and we\u2019re going see him back in action this weekend in Montreal.<\/p>\n Alexander has been dealing with a hamstring injury this year, but was listed as the starting quarterback on the Alouettes\u2019 depth chart that was released on Thursday.<\/a><\/p>\n The Als pivot has not lost a game this season, going 4-0 in the contests he\u2019s started. Without him, the Als are 3-7. He\u2019s thrown for 1,106 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions this season, completing 72.7 per cent of his passes. Alexander has also called his own number nine times for 87 yards and a major score.<\/p>\n Despite giving up 52 points to the BC Lions last week, the Stampeders defence is still allowing a league-low 22.8 points per game. As Alexander gets set to return, he\u2019ll have a challenge ahead of him as he looks to extend his team\u2019s winning streak to three.<\/p>\n SOME LOVE FOR KEON HATCHER SR.<\/p>\n Toronto at BC | Friday, September 26 | 10:00 p.m. ET | TSN\/CFL+<\/p>\n Keon Hatcher Sr. hasn\u2019t been getting nearly enough love this season, so I\u2019m going to spend some time handing him some.<\/p>\n The Lions\u2019 pass-catcher has hauled in a league-leading 1,317 yards to go along with five touchdowns on 79 receptions. His receiving yard total so far this year is a career-high for the six-foot-one, 212-pounder, with his previous best coming in 2023 (1,226).<\/p>\n And with four games left on the schedule for the Leos, there\u2019s plenty of time for him to add to that total.<\/p>\n Hatcher Sr. is on pace to hit 1,693 yards this season, which would be the most receiving yards since Brandon Zylstra<\/a> hauled in 1,687 in 2017. BC\u2019s franchise record was set by Geroy Simon in 2006 (1,856). Will Hatcher Sr. break that record in 2025?<\/p>\n Hatcher Sr. has caught 36 of the 39 passes thrown his way for 595 yards and three touchdowns in his last five games, including a monster 147-yard game against Calgary last week. Against the Argos, a team that gives up 358.6 yards per game through the air, expect Nathan Rourke<\/a> to continue to feed Hatcher Sr. as the Lions look to move up in the standings.<\/p>\n MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE CANDIDATE?<\/p>\n Hamilton at Winnipeg | Saturday, September 27 | 3:00 p.m. ET | TSN\/CTV\/CFL+<\/p>\n Devin Veresuk<\/a> has my vote (if I had one) for this year\u2019s Most Outstanding Rookie award.<\/p>\n The Tiger-Cats liked what they had seen from the second overall 2025 CFL Draft pick so much that by Week 4, he was their starting middle linebacker as the team moved on from Kyle Wilson.<\/p>\n Since then, Veresuk has been a playmaker in the middle of Hamilton\u2019s defence. His first start saw him tally eight tackles and a pick-six, to go along with another tackle on special teams. That was a snapshot of what was to come from the 23-year-old this year. He\u2019s been all over the stat sheet, collecting 53 defensive tackles, three special teams tackles, a tackle for loss, two sacks, an interception, two touchdowns, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.<\/p>\n Veresuk has been limited in practice this week<\/a>, so keep an eye out closer to game time to see if he\u2019s going to play this weekend against Winnipeg to add to his case for the end-of-season award. If he is in the mix, he\u2019ll need to be ready to slow down Brady Oliveira, who has gone over 100 yards on the ground in both of his last two games.<\/p>\n On the Winnipeg side, it looks like Zach Collaros<\/a> is set to return this week after taking first team reps with the Bombers\u2019 offence at practice and was listed as a full participant on the team\u2019s injury report<\/a>. The Blue and Gold are coming off a win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS as they host the Tabbies at Princess Auto Stadium looking to stay ahead of the Lions, who are also 7-7 on the season.<\/p>\n IT\u2019S A MUST WIN FOR EDMONTON<\/p>\n Saskatchewan at Edmonton | Saturday, September 27 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN\/CFL+<\/p>\n The Edmonton Elks won\u2019t be eliminated from post-season contention with a loss this weekend, but you can pretty much call this a must-win for the team as they hope to chase down BC and Winnipeg, who are both four points ahead of them in the standings.<\/p>\n
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