TORONTO — Three weeks into the season, a few things are becoming increasingly clear.
The Roughriders are still the team to beat, the Alouettes remain one of the CFL’s toughest outs, and the Tiger-Cats suddenly have one of the hottest quarterbacks on the planet leading their offence.
At the same time, some of the league’s most intriguing stories are coming from teams climbing the standings. The Elks have opened the year with consecutive victories behind the stellar play of Justin Rankin, while the Argonauts are coming off an offensive explosion that could be a sign of things to come.
With Week 4 set to feature several pivotal matchups, here’s how this week’s AMSOIL Power Rankings shake out.
RELATED
» Overreaction Monday: 5 hot takes from Week 3
» Riders outlast Stamps in overtime to stay unbeaten
» Rankin’s pair of touchdowns powers Elks past Alouettes
» Argos hold off REDBLACKS for first win of 2026
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally
1. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Last week: 1
Last game: 40-37 win over Calgary
Next game: vs. Toronto, June 26
Worth noting: The Roughriders remain unbeaten after outlasting Calgary in overtime and continue to find different ways to win. Trevor Harris was excellent once again, while Kian Schaffer-Baker led a deep and talented receiving corps that seems to produce a new standout every week.
At 2-0, Saskatchewan has established itself as the team to beat early in the season. Next up is a home showdown on Friday against a Toronto squad coming off an explosive offensive performance.
2. Montreal Alouettes
Last week: 2
Last game: 32-29 loss to Edmonton
Next game: vs. Ottawa, June 28
Worth noting: A narrow overtime loss in Edmonton isn’t enough to significantly change how we view the Alouettes. Davis Alexander and Tyson Philpot continued their strong starts, and Montreal once again showed you can never count them out in a game, battling late in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.
Even with Alexander suffering the first regular season loss of his career, the Alouettes remain one of the CFL’s most complete teams. They’ll look to bounce back at home against Ottawa in Week 4.
3. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Last week: 4
Last game: 41-27 win against BC
Next game: vs. Winnipeg, July 5
Worth noting: The Tiger-Cats are riding plenty of momentum after another dominant performance from Bo Levi Mitchell. The veteran quarterback was once again nearly flawless, continuing his hot start to the season with back-to-back games with a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
Hamilton’s defence deserves plenty of credit, too, limiting Nathan Rourke and BC’s offence for much of Friday’s victory. Canadian safety Stavros Katsantonis continues to show he’s one of the best defensive backs in the CFL, coming away with his second interception in three games. The Ticats head into a bye week feeling good before a Week 5 home rematch with Winnipeg.
4. Edmonton Elks
Last week 5
Last game: 32-29 win over Montreal
Next game: at Winnipeg, June 25
Worth noting: The Elks continue to be one of the league’s biggest early-season stories. After opening the year with a win over Ottawa, Edmonton followed it up by knocking off Montreal behind another spectacular performance from Justin Rankin.
Rankin is approaching 500 yards from scrimmage through just two games, Cody Fajardo is reigniting his connection with Austin Mack and the Elks have shown they can compete with anyone in the league. A major West Division test awaits against Winnipeg in Week 4.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Last week: 6
Last game: 37-27 loss to Hamilton
Next game: vs. Edmonton, June 25
Worth noting: The Blue Bombers enjoyed a Week 3 bye and remain one of the league’s toughest teams to evaluate through two games.
There have been plenty of encouraging signs offensively, especially from Zach Collaros, who continues to operate efficiently and push the ball downfield.
The extra week of preparation could prove valuable as Winnipeg returns to action against an Edmonton team that’s brimming with confidence.
6. BC Lions
Last week: 3
Last game: 41-27 loss to Hamilton
Next game: vs. Calgary, June 27
Worth noting: The Lions haven’t found the win column yet, but there are still plenty of reasons for optimism. Nathan Rourke has piled up 621 passing yards while adding another 65 on the ground, continuing to show why he’s one of the CFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks.
BC’s defence hasn’t quite hit the level it reached during the second half of last season, but there’s too much talent on that side of the ball to expect that to last. Injuries to key contributors in the receiving group continue to be a big talking point in Vancouver, but an emerging Nick Cenacle could provide hope for the Orange and Black. Some Week 4 home cooking in Kelowna against Calgary could be a huge help, but this game suddenly carries plenty of importance for both teams.
7. Toronto Argonauts
Last week: 8
Last game: 44-24 win over Ottawa
Next game: at Saskatchewan, June 26
Worth noting: The Argonauts delivered one of the most entertaining offensive performances of the week in their victory over Ottawa. Chad Kelly surpassed 400 passing yards and threw four touchdowns (and four interceptions), while Kevin Mital continued his emergence as one of the CFL’s brightest young pass-catchers.
Toronto appears to be finding its rhythm offensively, and a matchup with the undefeated Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 4 provides an opportunity to make a massive statement to the league.
8. Calgary Stampeders
Last week: 7
Last game: 40-37 loss to Saskatchewan
Next game: at BC, June 27
Worth noting: The Stampeders may still be searching for their first win, but they’ve shown plenty of fight through the first few weeks of the season. Calgary erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and pushed Saskatchewan to overtime before ultimately coming up just short.
With Dedrick Mills running well and the team continuing to battle in tight games, the feeling remains that a breakthrough performance is coming. A Week 4 clash with BC presents a big opportunity.
9. Ottawa REDBLACKS
Last week: 9
Last game: 44-24 loss to Toronto
Next game: at Montreal, June 28
Worth noting: The REDBLACKS haven’t gotten the results they were hoping for through the opening weeks, but there have been encouraging individual performances. Ayden Eberhardt turned in a strong outing with 129 receiving yards and a touchdown and is starting to establish himself as a reliable target at the nation’s capital.
Ottawa’s defence also showed its playmaking ability by recording four interceptions against Toronto, including two from defensive back Scott Hutter. The challenge doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Montreal on deck, but the REDBLACKS have shown flashes that suggest better days are ahead.
