With CFL Fantasy drafts soon to be underway, the discovery of trends toward building a championship roster varies from player to player.
As the regular season draws closer, some players who may not be popular selections in earlier drafts are gaining traction.
Be it taking advantage of training camp clashes, enjoying a new locale, or building momentum from a strong finish at the end of the 2025 regular season, these seven players are worth a second gander.
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BRENDAN O’LEARY-ORANGE | RECEIVER | EDMONTON ELKS
Over his previous six seasons, Brendan O’Leary-Orange has shown flashes of his potential with the Blue Bombers and Tiger-Cats. His big-play skills were on display with Hamilton, recording receptions of 71 and 87 yards, while setting career-bests with 22 catches for 336 yards and four majors last season.
Signed by the Elks in January, O’Leary-Orange is positioned to exceed his 2025 numbers as part of a revamped receiving corps looking to take advantage of the arm of veteran pivot Cody Fajardo. Fellow newcomers Austin Mack and Joe Robustelli will also compete for targets, but O’Leary-Orange’s size (six-foot-four, 205-pounds) makes him an ideal weapon near the goal line, where defences will be locked in on containing Rankin. A late-round flier on O’Leary-Orange could translate into a receiver who could develop into a solid contributor to your bench.
CLARK BARNES | RECEIVER | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
The retirement of Dominique Rhymes opens the door for someone to seize the bulk of the targets Rhymes leaves behind. Adding Dejon Brissett from Toronto is a major step toward achieving that goal, yet Clark Barnes’ resume suggests he can become a significant contributor to Vernon Adams Jr. and the Stamps’ deep ball-oriented attack.
Barnes averaged 17.2 yards per catch and scored twice last season on 35 receptions and a career-best 601 yards. He’s recorded at least one reception of 54+ yards in two of his first three seasons in the league and might have generated bigger numbers in 2025 had he not missed four games with an ankle injury. Barnes is definitely a name to remember in the later rounds of drafts.
TAYLOR ELGERSMA | QUARTERBACK | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Will Taylor Elgersma be a CFL Fantasy sleeper in 2026? (BlueBombers.com)
For a player who may enter the regular season third on the depth chart, the talk surrounding the former Wilfrid Laurier star has many believing he will be a factor at some point during the 2026 campaign.
Zach Collaros is entrenched as the starter. However, Taylor Elgersma’s immense upside strongly suggests he will be the future in Winnipeg. Any fantasy team drafting Collaros will have to keep tabs on Elgersma; the Elgersma Era could be on the horizon.
ISAIAH SMITH | RUNNING BACK | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Named “Team Least Likely to Become a Ground-Oriented Attack” in this season’s yearbook, the Argos would like to at least improve upon a league-low 51.6 rushing yards per game in 2025. To that end, the Boatmen selected Isaiah Smith, who shined collegiately at Guelph, as the 11th overall selection in the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft. The six-foot-one, 230-pounder saw his chances to make an immediate impact enhanced when the Argos released Spencer Brown, who led the team in rushing in 2025, earlier this month.
The Argos have several young backs in camp, including eighth-round pick Weagbe Mombo and Jyran Mitchell, who spent time on the roster last season. Right now, it’s still a dart throw as to who sits atop the Week 1 depth chart, but they don’t pick you 11th overall just to sit on the bench. If it’s Smith, then invest in a late-round pick or make him a priority in the first batch of waiver wire selections.
SEVEN MCGEE | RECEIVER/RETURNER | BC LIONS
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Seven McGee was an electrifying rookie who led the league with 1,198 kickoff return yards, added 516 punt return yards, and scored a major. He showed flashes as a receiver and could add yardage from scrimmage as part of one of the league’s most lethal offences.
Having run with the first team during training camp, McGee could thrive as a downfield option for Nathan Rourke. A threat to score virtually any time he touches the ball, McGee should be a sure play in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts, especially if he maintains his role as a starting receiver.
NAHREE BIGGINS | RUNNING BACK | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Greg Bell took his 1,000-yard season to Ottawa. While veteran Johnny Augustine remains in play as the possible RB1 for the Ticats, the addition of Nahree Biggins adds to the competition as exhibition games begin. Signed to the team last Wednesday, Biggins rushed for 676 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his time at Central Michigan, where he also played defensive back and receiver.
How Biggins fares in live action obviously determines where he fits in the scheme of things, but the six-foot-one, 210-pounder could play his role into a late-round/waiver wire factor. That the Ticats added him this close to the regular season is another sign they see him as a possible contributor.
SIAOSI MARINER | RECEIVER | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
With the wealth of talent in the Roughriders’ receiving room, it’s hard to stand out and make your own mark. Somehow, Siaosi Mariner has stepped up and become a surprising performer in training camp after leading the United Football League with 527 receiving yards in 2025 with the Michigan Panthers. The former REDBLACKS receiver probably won’t have too many opportunities to lead Saskatchewan in receiving during the regular season, yet his experience should lead Mariner to become a complementary option.
Mariner isn’t a draft option, but he’ll be a waiver wire consideration if he either exceeds expectations or if injuries lead him to become more frequently targeted by Trevor Harris.
