Quarterback Rankings is a bi-weekly series that breaks down the top signal-callers in the CFL. The ranking of starters heading into each week reflects recent performance, statistical indicators, team success, and overall on-field evaluation.
We are now officially at the midpoint of the year with every team having played at least nine games.
So far, 2026 has been wildly compelling and much of that can be traced to the quarterback play. When looking at the Quarterback Rankings, it feels like we have a clear top tier of three, with another on the rise.
Overall, even with the usual injuries, I imagine most fans must be thrilled with what they’ve seen.
On to the rankings.
*Tre Ford is included here assuming he is starting in Week 12. The Tiger-Cats have not announced their starter for Week 12 as of this writing.
1. (1) DAVIS ALEXANDER | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Even coming off of a bye week, there is no way Davis Alexander could be knocked off his spot as the game’s best passer.
Alexander tops the CFL in passing yards and average yards per pass, and that is a rare feat to lead in both of these critical categories. Against the Edmonton Elks, Alexander had nearly as many touchdown passes (four) as incompletions (six).
I want to put a spotlight on his legs as he set the tone early with his 10-yard touchdown run in Montreal’s Week 10 48-30 win. He pumped-faked himself open, had more than enough speed to get to the corner, then used his 210-pound frame to power his way the final yard into the end zone.
A lot will have to happen in the next two weeks to find Davis not in this now-familiar position.
2. (2) TREVOR HARRIS | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
We saw two different versions of Trevor Harris in the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ last two contests.
Yes, the Ottawa REDBLACKS are going through it, but you have to be impressed with Harris’ 401 passing yards and two touchdowns when you factor in that both Kian Schaffer-Baker and Samuel Emilus missed this game due to injury. Harris started with a tough interception to Lucas Cormier, but ended on a heater completing his last 14 passes for nearly 200 yards and a touchdown.
On the flip side, it’s fair to say Harris’ worst performance of 2026 was Saturday night’s 26-19 road loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The first quarter interception to Stavros Katsantonis should not be pinned on Harris, but his late-game pick to Reggie Stubblefield was into heavy coverage. The fourth quarter saw far too many Saskatchewan drives end in punts.
That being said, one bad game is not enough to demote the reigning Grey Cup MVP.
3. (3) CODY FAJARDO | EDMONTON ELKS
Normally I don’t focus on touchdown passes late in a blowout, but I have to give Cody Fajardo style points for his 33-yard strike to Austin Mack. Was the game out of reach? You bet it was. Was that a beauty of a deep pass right over Mack’s head and into his arms? You bet it was.
Speaking of blowouts, Fajardo was super efficient in the team’s 42-12 victory over the Toronto Argonauts, with 301 yards, only six incompletions and no turnovers. Cody’s best moment, though, was converting a second-and-16 with a 44-yard run. Fajardo showed off far more speed than I expected, especially after breaking one tackle 20 yards downfield.
4. (5) NATHAN ROURKE | BC LIONS
I don’t want to jinx it, but Nathan Rourke is starting to look like his 2025 MOP self again. Don’t take it from me though. The scientists who crunch all the numbers for Pro Football Focus gave Rourke the highest grade among all quarterbacks for Week 11.
Two passes need to be mentioned here. The first was against the Tiger-Cats with the game tied at 24 and under two minutes to go. Rourke hit Justin McInnis right in the soft spot of the Tabbies secondary for a 33-yard gain. That play would lead to the game-winning field goal.
Then, while trailing the Calgary Stampeders 9-0, Nathan unleashed a gorgeous rainbow of a pass to Jermaine Jackson just over the hands of Zy Alexander for 85 yards. Zander Horvath cashed in on a two-yard touchdown run soon after.
5. (6) CHAD KELLY | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
There is no way I can defend Chad Kelly’s four-interception game in Toronto’s 33-30 victory over the Calgary Stampeders.
As I wrote last week, the man has the shortest of memories and plays this decadent brand of football that will win you and lose you plenty of games. However, the Argonauts don’t escape with a 33-30 victory if not for his perfect 31-yard over-the-shoulder completion to Damonte Coxie close to the sideline.
Last week was not great for the Boatmen against the Elks and Kelly’s longest play that day was all about Kevin Mital taking a short pass and turning it into a 51-yard gain. It should be noted, the J.J. Ross 85-yard interception-return touchdown that sealed the game for Edmonton was the result of the ball going off the hands of Coxie, a rare mistake for a receiver who is fifth in the league in yards.
6. (4) VERNON ADAMS JR. | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
It’s been a tough two weeks for Vernon Adams Jr. and the Stampeders, who lost both games by a combined seven points. Against the Argonauts, Vernon’s streak of not throwing an interception came to an end with two picks.
While he did have a crafty touchdown run near the end of the first half against Toronto, by and large the Stampeders offence only produced 249 total yards.
Looking at the bigger picture, here’s hoping Vernon will be fully recovered following the team’s bye after getting injured in his team’s 30-26 loss to the Lions.
7. (-) ZACH COLLAROS | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
It was good to have Zach Collaros back and starting for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after being out since Week 5.
The last time he was here, Zach was sixth in the rankings and there’s a world that sees him getting back into the top half. The star last week was Brady Oliveira (19 touches for 154 total yards) but Zach’s late-game, 33-yard hookup with Nic Demski is hopefully a sign of things to come.
8. (7) JAKE MAIER | OTTAWA REDBLACKS
To circle back to what I mentioned off the top, the number eight quarterback on this list threw for 653 yards with four touchdowns against two interceptions in the REDBLACKS last two games. When you watch this team, you can see these games are often closer than the final score would indicate, but it is the critical mistakes that are keeping them out of the win column.
Against the Roughriders early in the fourth quarter, Jake Maier hung up a pass leading to an easy interception for Jonathan Edouard. Then last week, it was a parade of bad luck/mistakes as a screen pass to Cade McDonald went off his hands right to David Reese. Later in the first quarter, it looked like Jake and Ayden Eberhardt were about to connect on an easy touchdown, only for the ball to hit the uprights.
Finally, with Ottawa down 7-3, a wide-open Jevoni Robinson collected a Maier pass only to go down with a non-contact injury. The play went for 32 yards, but could have been so much more if not for that tough moment.
9. (9) TRE FORD | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
With Harrison Frost limited in practice to start the week, it could be Tre Ford getting the start this week against the Argonauts. Here’s hoping Frost is healthy soon, as he has shown plenty of flashes in his limited time. Instead of speculating about the health of Harrison Frost or marvelling at Tre Ford helping Hamilton’s second-half comeback against Saskatchewan, why don’t we just all re-watch that crazy, does-gravity-really-exist, diving Keric Wheatfall 41-yard touchdown catch?
