Quarterbacks across the Canadian Football League are enjoying unprecedented early-season success.
After speaking with Edmonton and Montreal on Thursday ahead of their Week 3 tilt at Commonwealth Stadium, it’s clear a variety of factors are at play. Whether it’s veteran passers dissecting defences before the snap, young guns stretching the field with elite arm talent, or the growing use of sideline tablets providing instant access to live game footage, there’s no shortage of explanations.
Whatever your preference, the league’s starting quarterbacks are lighting it up right now. Here’s one thought on each in celebration of their early-season excellence.
NATHAN ROURKE | BC LIONS
Did anyone doubt Nathan Rourke was going to give BC a chance at the end of Week 2 in Saskatchewan? Me neither. Throwing for 330 yards on the road in a hostile Regina environment is nothing short of impressive. Now he gets set to go shot-for-shot with Bo Levi Mitchell, whom he beat out for the George Reed Most Outstanding Player award last season. Despite being down some key receivers, you can expect the Rourke train to keep rolling with more eye-catching throws in The Hammer on Friday night.
CODY FAJARDO | EDMONTON ELKS
Cody Fajardo continues to guide Edmonton’s offence with the steady, efficient style that has defined his CFL career. (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
Not a statistical monster at any point in his career, Cody Fajardo might be the only quarterback on this list who is perfectly content throwing for 250 yards and getting the win, so long as he protects the football and controls the game. Edmonton got hot towards the end of 2025 and Fajardo along with Justin Rankin are doing their part to get off to a hot start in 2026. Perhaps Cody can lean on Chad Kelly’s Week 2 film to find a few explosive plays and boost those personal numbers against a stout Montreal defence in Week 3.
VERNON ADAMS JR. | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Vernon Adams Jr. is finding his rhythm early in 2026 after a 17-of-27 for 239 yards and a touchdown performance in Week 1. The home loss to Winnipeg will only fuel the fire entering Week 3 as Calgary hosts Saskatchewan for another classic duel with Trevor Harris, where quickness and accuracy in green meet explosive, daring attempts in red. Adams Jr. will have confidence in his 6-2 career record against the Riders, including sweeping the season series in 2025.
TREVOR HARRIS | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Trevor Harris currently holds an 83.3 per cent completion rate through the opening weeks of the 2026 season. (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
Speaking of Harris, it’s hard to believe we’ve only seen him once this season because Week 2 on banner night was so memorable. Harris is currently second in completion rate with 83.3, but my favourite stat is how his average time from snap to throw continues to drop each season in Saskatchewan: from 2.42 seconds in 2023 to 2.27 in 2024 and 2.20 in 2025. By the way, in Week 2 he got the ball out in an average of just 1.97 seconds.
ZACH COLLAROS | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
PFF’s highest-graded passer from Week 2’s home opener, Zach Collaros and the Bombers have plenty of room to grow after suffering a rare loss at Princess Auto Stadium. But Zach’s ability to identify and exploit weaknesses in CFL defences remains among the very best in the league. They have this week off to prepare for another home clash in Week 4 with the Elks.
BO LEVI MITCHELL | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Bo Levi Mitchell has picked up where he left off, averaging nearly 300 passing yards per game through Hamilton’s first two contests. (Jonathan Kozub/CFL.ca)
The home-opening overtime loss to Montreal hurts, but Bo Levi Mitchell’s production has picked up right where it left off during his 2024 and 2025 MOP nominee seasons. He’s already averaging nearly 300 passing yards per game while completing a league-high 84.1 per cent of his passes, with his lone interception, a pick-six to Montreal’s Robert Kennedy III in Week 1, the only blemish on an otherwise stellar start.
CHAD KELLY | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Chad Kelly returned to the lineup with a 445-yard passing performance in his first start since the 2024 Eastern Final. (Graham Hughes/CFL.ca)
The rust is real, but imagine calling a 445-yard road performance “rusty.” Returning to the place where he suffered the injury that cost him the entire 2025 season, Chad Kelly’s first outing was a huge statistical performance and a statement. As he continues to shake off the supposed rust, he still possesses the ability to score in fewer than five plays. Up next, a Saturday matchup with the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the Nation’s capital.
JAKE MAIER | OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Jake Maier threw for 203 yards and a touchdown in his first start as Ottawa’s quarterback. (The Canadian Press)
It was a tough Week 1 for an unexpected starter still adjusting to a new team and new surroundings while facing an Edmonton defence that appears to be finding its rhythm. Let’s not forget all of this was during a heavy downpour of rain for much of the night. Yet, Maier still finished with 203 passing yards and a touchdown. Such has been the level of quarterback play through the first two weeks of 2026. After a week off, another home matchup awaits in Week 3 on Saturday afternoon.
DAVIS ALEXANDER | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
There can be no doubt now about the talent that Davis Alexander possesses and what he brings to the Alouettes’ offence. The league leader with 777 passing yards is still undefeated as a regular season starter at 13-0, and there’s plenty of room for growth. Davis Alexander continues to develop an even deeper understanding of the Canadian game while surrounded by CFL quarterback royalty with the Alouettes. Hate to break it to defences, but he’s only getting better, not worse.
