3DownNation CFL power rankings: Toronto Argonauts get exposed

Photo: Raphael Williams-Claudio/RWC Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Week 5 of the CFL season is officially in the books, and the balance of power may never be the same.

Edmonton is undefeated no longer, while the B.C. Lions finally got up off the mat. Toronto and Calgary returned to their preseason expectations. And quarterback injuries are threatening to throw a wrench into the best-laid plans of two franchises.

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 courtesy: Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.

1) Montreal Alouettes (3)

The Alouettes have spent their bye week thinking about what Davis Alexander described as an “awful” finish against the Ottawa Redblacks, but moving up to the top of the power rankings without playing a game should raise their spirits. Montreal was already a serious contender for the number one rank, and with other developments around the CFL, they clearly boast the best offence. Alexander is playing exceptionally well, and Tyson Philpot leads the league in receiving by an incredible 149 yards.

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

2) Saskatchewan Roughriders (4)

The Riders had to show some grit to overcome the woeful Ottawa Redblacks this week, but managed to get back into the win column. The offence uncharacteristically struggled, save for receiver KeeSean Johnson and short-yardage QB Tommy Stevens, who iced the game with some hard running. Jaxon Ford stepped up with the deciding stop defensively, while Mathew Sexton introduced himself to the league by taking a punt back for a touchdown against the team that cut him in rookie camp.

Photo courtesy: Leah Hennel/CFL.ca

3) Calgary Stampeders (6)

When we look back on Vernon Adams Jr.’s CFL career, his MVP performance in the 2026 Stampede Bowl may end up being his best ever. Big Play VA seemed to occupy a different plane of existence from anyone else on the field, completing 20-of-25 passes for 405 yards and six touchdowns — tying a single-game franchise record — while rushing 22 yards for another major. Add in the emergence of rookie DB Zy Alexander, who has three interceptions through two games, and the furious nature of Calgary’s newly healthy pass rush, and the Stampeders look dangerous once again.

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

4) Edmonton Elks (2)

The Green and Gold’s feel-good undefeated start finally came to a close in Kelowna, as they fell to the B.C. Lions. Star running back Justin Rankin kept his 1k/1k dreams alive with a 100-yard receiving performance, but was almost entirely erased in the run game and fumbled twice. Cody Fajardo added an uncharacteristic three interceptions, and the offence was limited to just three points in the second half. On a positive note, Austin Mack bounced back from some questionable drops with a 141-yard outing that included a touchdown.

Photo: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography / 3DownNation. All rights reserved.

5) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1)

Normally, a fall from the top of the mountaintop to the middle of the pack would be seen as dramatic, but given the circumstances, it seems merciful to Hamilton. Franchise quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell had to be carted off the field on Saturday night after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury, throwing his season into jeopardy. Tre Ford and Jake Dolegala split reps the remainder of the way, struggling mightily in the narrow defeat. Though Mitchell’s status remains unclear, this is the type of loss that could derail everything the Ticats have worked for.

Photo courtesy: Brian Johnson/B.C. Lions

6) B.C. Lions (8)

The B.C. Lions endured some unexpected distractions and finally gave fans in the Okanagan something to cheer about, as they said goodbye to the Apple Bowl by recording their first win of the season. Offensively, James Butler was the engine for the first time this year, rushing for 135 yards and two touchdowns while catching three passes for 27 yards. The beleaguered defence broke the levee after a turnover drought, taking the ball away from Edmonton four times and holding their opponent to only a field goal in the second half. That was especially impressive considering that defensive coordinator Mike Benevides had to pull double duty and pick up special teams slack after the firing of Cory McDiarmid.

Photo: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography / 3DownNation. All rights reserved.

7) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7)

Zach Collaros showed his dedication to the Bombers this week by skipping the wedding of the century between his close friend Travis Kelce and music icon Taylor Swift, but didn’t get any good karma for his decision. The 37-year-old QB threw an interception on his first series and was later forced to exit the game with an upper-body injury. Backup Taylor Elgersma was underwhelming in his first meaningful action, but running back Brady Oliveira did enough of the final drive to set up a game-winning kick.

Photo: Raphael Williams-Claudio/RWC Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

8) Toronto Argonauts (5)

The Argonauts have vastly exceeded many preseason expectations thus far in 2026, but a blowout defeat at the hands of the Calgary Stampeders exposed a lot of flaws. The defence allowed 496 yards, surrendering more than 10 yards per play, while the team as a whole coughed up 139 yards worth of penalties, resulting in eight touchdowns allowed. Chad Kelly battled through considerable pressure to try to keep pace in the shootout, extending his CFL lead in passing touchdowns, but he also threw two more interceptions and had to be benched for his own safety once the game became unwinnable.

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

9) Ottawa Redblacks (9)

For the second week in a row, the Redblacks pushed a top-flight opponent to the brink, but it wouldn’t be enough to change their status as the CFL’s last remaining winless club. Key special teams mistakes hurt them badly, as Kalil Pimpleton was stripped on one of his returns and punter Noah Gettman refused to put his body on the line to stop one the other way, but ultimately the game hinged on Bryson Barnes’ failure to get six inches in short-yardage when it was needed. Head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie reacted to the fourth consecutive defeat by taking his team to task in a classic post-game rant, questioning the “football intelligence” of his players.