We’re just ten games into the 2026 season and we’ve been treated to some truly outstanding football so far.
Games have been thrilling, routinely coming down to the wire, and those experiences have only been enhanced by emphatic individual performances. Running the gamut from established CFL stars to those just starting to make their mark, we’re watching players announce their presence in impressive fashion so far in 2026.
This week’s MMQB is focusing on five players making early statements that are far too loud to ignore.
JUSTIN RANKIN | RUNNING BACK | EDMONTON ELKS
Now in his third CFL season, Justin Rankin is no stranger to big games and gaudy numbers. Rankin burst onto the scene midway through the 2024 campaign before finishing as one of six tailbacks to go over 1,000 yards last year. But Rankin’s start to this season has been borderline absurd and is one of many reasons Elks fans should be feeling genuinely excited about a 2-0 start.
Rankin started the season by rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa while adding 94 more yards on five catches. And after a bye in Week 2, Rankin went for 230 offensive yards (179 rushing yards, 51 receiving yards) and two touchdowns as Edmonton knocked off the previously unbeaten Als on Saturday afternoon.
GEOFFREY CANTIN-ARKU | LINEBACKER | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Geoffrey Cantin-Arku has emerged as a key piece of Montreal’s defence in an expanded role this season (Nicole Osborne/CFL.ca)
Montreal has gotten exactly what they were looking for in promoting Quebec-born Geoffrey Cantin-Arku to a full-time starter this season. Through three games, Cantin-Arku leads the league with 18 defensive tackles to go along with two tackles for loss. Cantin-Arku looks very much like what the Alouettes were expecting when they drafted him ninth overall in 2024.
Remember, Cantin-Arku’s emergence last year gave Montreal the confidence to part ways with mainstay Darnell Sankey in the off-season. Cantin-Arku has showed off his versatility too, as an injury to Tyrice Beverette moved him to the WILL linebacker spot in Saturday’s loss to Edmonton.
KEVIN MITAL | RECEIVER | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
One of the quiet breakout players of last year, Kevin Mital has been anything but under the radar in 2026. With back-to-back outings in the triple digits, the fifth overall pick out of Laval in the 2024 CFL Canadian Draft has picked up right where he left off and then some.
Mital reeled in seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in Toronto’s tight loss to Montreal in Week 2 before making eight catches for an eye-popping 178 yards in Saturday’s win over the REDBLACKS. With 287 total receiving yards in just two games, Mital sits third in the league in receiving and joins one of the most talented groups of Canadian receivers we’ve seen in a long time, if not ever.
STAVROS KATSANTONIS | DEFENSIVE BACK | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Hamilton defensive back Stavros Katsantonis continues to establish himself as one of the CFL’s premier defenders (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
What sort of statement can an established defensive presence in his sixth season coming off an All-CFL nod actually make? Well, in this case, Stavros Katsantonis is making a very loud case to be considered the league’s unquestioned top safety.
After tying for the CFL-lead with six interceptions and setting a new career high with 69 defensive tackles in 2025, Katsantonis is off to a great start through three games. The UBC product recorded yet another interception in Hamilton’s impressive win over BC on Friday night putting him up to two picks and six defensive tackles in three games this season.
TYSON PHILPOT | RECEIVER | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Like Rankin, Tyson Philpot has been flirting with superstardom for a few seasons now and would likely be comfortably holding down that designation if not for injuries. And once again, Philpot is putting the league on notice.
After a solid Week 1 where he recorded a touchdown and 76 receiving yards, Philpot has exploded in Montreal’s last two outings. Week 2 vs. Toronto saw Philpot haul in 193 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches before making eight more receptions for 120 yards on Saturday in Edmonton. He currently sits number one in the CFL in receiving yards and is 84 yards clear of the next closest player.
QUICK HITS
How cool is it that four of the five guys above all carry Canadian passports?
It seems the two quarterbacks who supposedly contemplated retirement over the off-season have made the right decision. Trevor Harris has thrown for 766 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Riders to a 2-0 start. Bo Levi Mitchell is sitting at an incredible 84.0 per cent completion rate with 879 yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception for the 2-1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
You have to feel bad for the 0-2 Stampeders who have lost their two games by a combined five points on a walk-off field goal and an overtime touchdown. Possibly getting defensive end Folarin Orimolade back for Week 4 in BC should be huge, as will be the return of veteran receiver Reggie Begelton a little further down the line.
I’m curious if new Ottawa head coach Ryan Dinwiddie will consider making a quarterback change after an 0-2 start. Jake Maier has been accurate, but his yards-per-attempt average is down at 6.3, which is the lowest of his career. A switch to Dru Brown, who has shown he can be a little more dynamic, might give the REDBLACKS the shot in the arm they need.
Oh, and I might have to be replaced with a lightly trained puppy if I don’t pick up my socks on our writer picks. After going 1-3 this past week, we’re down to 3-7 early this season. Somehow I won this thing last year, but that currently feels like a distant memory.
