3DownNation CFL power rankings: Hamilton Tiger-Cats tumble after Week 1 loss

Photo courtesy: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

After seven long months, there are meaningful football games to fuel our speculation.

The CFL’s opening week slate may have been unusually short, with just three games on offer, but it exceeded all expectations with a pair of all-time finishes. That has already sent our preseason power rankings into obscurity, with plenty of movement up and down in our first regular season edition.

3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having our contributors rank each team from No. 1 to No. 9 independently, then averaging out the scores. Each team’s most recent ranking is listed in brackets.

Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on social media for anything you think we got wrong.

Photo: Matt Johnson/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

1) Saskatchewan Roughriders (1)

You can’t knock the defending champions off their pedestal before they’ve even played a game. The Riders were allowed to rest on their laurels thanks to a Week 1 bye, but celebrated by receiving their shiny new Grey Cup rings at a special ceremony. They’ll return to the field this week with their veteran corps relatively healthy, though it remains unclear who will officially back up quarterback Trevor Harris, who turned 40 last Sunday. Both Jack Coan and Brayden Schager remain active after a training camp battle, though one will have to be placed on the reserve list.

Courtesy: B.C. Lions

2) B.C. Lions (2)

The Lions seem to be Grey Cup favourites in the eyes of many of our contributors, though an opening week bye means they haven’t had a chance to prove it. That doesn’t mean that the week was uneventful, though, as the team unveiled a renovated locker room and a new ‘Pacific Frost’ away jersey that has fans salivating. Owner Amar Doman also appears confident regarding the financial future of the franchise, though he is still convinced that the winning touchdown in last year’s West Final shouldn’t have counted. They’ll get a chance for redemption this week, led by the freshly anointed number one player in the CFL, Nathan Rourke.

Photo courtesy: Kevin Sousa/CFL.

3) Montreal Alouettes (3)

The Alouettes didn’t look particularly polished out of the gate, but the team battled back in overtime to keep Davis Alexander’s unbeaten streak as a regular-season starter alive. Injuries to Stevie Scott III in practice and Travis Theis early in the game forced the offensive attack skyward, where Tyler Snead hauled in nine receptions for 163 yards andTyson Philpot reached around a defender for an early Catch of the Year frontrunner. Robert Kennedy II christened his new contract extension with a heroic performance on defence, securing a pick-six and punching out the deciding fumble in the extra frame.

Photo: Blair Takahashi/COACHTAK/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

4) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6)

Winnipeg’s new look offence under Tommy Condell didn’t exactly light the world on fire, but did enough to set Sergio Castillo up for a walk-off winner late. The typically aerial-focused playcaller wisely allowed Brady Oliveira to stay the focal point, as he rumbled for 113 yards and a score on the ground, though newcomer Tim White did deliver with a touchdown in his debut. Fellow free agent addition Jake Ceresna had a whale of a day on defence, tripling his 2025 sack total with a hat-trick in the opener.

Photo: Blair Takahashi/COACHTAK/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

5) Calgary Stampeders (5)

The highest-ranked team to suffer a loss in their opener, Calgary looked like they had Winnipeg under control before opening the door with a series of costly mistakes. The CFL’s reigning rushing champ, Dedrick Mills, was lights out in the first half but nearly invisible in the second. A missed field goal from Irishman Jude McAtamney, who was kicking in place of the injured Rene Paredes, also loomed large in the final accounting. However, there is a sense of optimism for what’s possible once Folarin Orimolade and Jaylon Hutchings return to the field.

Photo: Gord Weber/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

6) Edmonton Elks (7)

For the first time since 2019, the Edmonton Elks have won a season opener. Remarkably, that also means their first winning record since the name change. Justin Rankin made the first steps towards his ambitious goal of 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving, producing 102 yards on the ground and 94 through the air. Austin Mack made the most of his debut for the Green and Gold, hauling in a spectacular touchdown catch, while Malik Carney flashed on defence as part of a three-takeaway performance from J.C. Sherritt’s unit. Add in a perfect night on field goals from Vincent Blanchard, and things in Edmonton might finally be turning around.

Photo courtesy: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

7) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4)

It’s the Tabbies who get the short end of the stick from voters this week, tumbling three spots despite taking the Alouettes to overtime. Bo Levi Mitchell threw for over 300 yards yet again, but an ill-advised interception turned into points for the other side and opened the door for a Montreal comeback. Keric Wheatfall can certainly sympathize, as he scored a touchdown in his Hamilton debut but will be remembered exclusively for coughing up the ball in overtime. At least the fanbase have Brandon Banks’ surprise Hall of Fame selection to feel good about.

Photo: Gord Weber/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

8) Ottawa Redblacks (8)

The only thing more depressing than the weather on Saturday night in Ottawa was the way in which the Ryan Dinwiddie era began. Newly crowned starting quarterback Jake Maier looked largely ineffective, managing just 203 yards passing, while the offence turned the ball over three times in the first half. The defence failed to record a takeaway of their own, and were gashed for several explosive plays. Canadian running back Daniel Adeboboye was the lone bright spot, assuming control of the job in the absence of Greg Bell to produce 87 yards rushing and a major.

Photo: Toronto Argonauts

9) Toronto Argonauts (9)

You can’t crawl out of the basement before you’ve taken the field, which leaves the Argonauts at the bottom of these rankings. Head coach Mike Miller made some bold roster decisions on cutdown day and has kept tweaking in the week since, as he prepares for his head coaching debut. Chad Kelly is also ready to go after missing the entire 2025 season with injury, though his brief preseason appearance hasn’t provided much insight as to how he’ll look.