The Canadian Football League is back as the 2026 regular season kicks off Thursday night with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosting the Montreal Alouettes on TSN.
Ahead of the season opener, TSN has ranked the league’s best players and has now unveiled its annual Top 50 CFL Players List.
The defending champion Saskatchewan Roughriders lead the way with nine players featured, while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers sit with seven. The Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts bring up the rear with three players each listed.
The first change from 2025 comes right at the top, as there is a new No.1 player topping the list in 2026.
1. Nathan Rourke, QB, BC Lions
Nathan Rourke B.C. Lions (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
It should come as no surprise that the Victoria, B.C. native slots in at the top following a record-breaking year, in which Rourke claimed the Most Outstanding Player and Canadian awards.
The 28-year-old arguably put up the best season by a Canadian quarterback ever, setting records for the most passing yards (5,290), completions (352), and 300-yard plus games (12) by a Canadian pivot in a single season. Rourke also led the team to 8.04 yards per play in 2025, the highest in CFL history.
2. Bo Levi Mitchell, QB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Jake Dolegala (15) throws a pass during first half CFL eastern final football action against the Montreal Alouettes, in Hamilton, Ont., Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn (Frank Gunn/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Hamilton’s 36-year-old quarterback put together another superb season, falling just short of his third MOP award for the second straight year.
Mitchell led the CFL in passing yards, (5,032), touchdowns (34) and completions of 20-plus yards (47), with only 11 interceptions in 2025, as he guided a lethal Hamilton offence all the way to the Eastern Final.
3. Kenny Lawler, WR, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Kenny Lawler TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 4: Kenny Lawler #89 of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats goes to catch a pass during warm up before a game against the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field on October 4, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by John E. Sokolowski/Getty Images) (John E. Sokolowski/Getty Images)
Alongside Mitchell, Lawler had a fantastic season in 2025, earning him a spot in the top three after a jump up in the rankings.
The 31-year-old finished the year with 86 catches (third) for 1,443 yards (second) and 14 touchdowns (first), as he remained one of the best jump ball and red zone threats north of the border.
4. Mathieu Betts, DE, BC Lions
Mathieu Betts BC Lions REGINA, CANADA – NOVEMBER 2: Mathieu Betts #90 of the BC Lions on the field before the CFL Western Semi-Final game between the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium on November 2, 2024 in Regina, Canada. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images) (Brent Just/Getty Images)
One of the biggest risers in all of the rankings is Mathieu Betts, who is coming off another great season on the west coast.
The two-time and reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player led the CFL in sacks (15), was second in pressures (70), fourth in pressure rate (13.4), and second in tackles amongst linemen (42) as he dominated off the edge in 2025.
5. Keon Hatcher Sr., WR, BC Lions
Najee Murray et Keon Hatcher durant un match Alouettes – Lions le 16 août 2025, à Vancouver. LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Darryl Dyck Najee Murray et Keon Hatcher durant un match Alouettes – Lions le 16 août 2025, à Vancouver. LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Darryl Dyck (DARRYL DYCK)
Lions pass catcher Hatcher rounds out the top five after a phenomenal 2025 season.
The 31-year-old not only led the league in receiving yards with 1,688, but that was the best mark in nearly a decade, coming close to Adarius Bowman’s 1,761-yard mark for the then Edmonton Eskimos in 2016.
Hatcher also put up a league-best 102 catches last season, to go along with nine touchdowns, the second-most behind only Lawler.
The full list of the rankings can be found below:
No.PlayerTeamPos2025 Rank1Nathan RourkeBCQB72Bo Levi MitchellHAMQB33Kenny LawlerHAMWR144Mathieu BettsBCDE315Keon Hatcher Sr.BCWR-6Tyrice BeveretteMTLLB47Brady OliveiraWPGRB18Trevor HarrisSSKQB249Davis AlexanderMTLQB-10Jermarcus HardrickSSKOL-11Dedrick MillsCGYRB-12Justin McInnisBCWR613Jarell BroxtonWPGOL-14Rolan Milligan Jr.SSKDB215Justin RankinEDMRB-16Vernon Adams Jr.CGYQB817Tevaughn CampbellSSKDB-18Wynton McManisHAMLB519Samuel EmilusSSKWR-20Julian HowsareHAMDL-21Jameer ThurmanSSKLB4322KeeSean JohnsonSSKWR-23Malik CarneyEDMDL-24Chad KellyTORQB1125Clarence HicksCGYDL-26Tyson PhilpotMTLWR2627Stavros KatsantonisHAMDB-28Brandon RevenbergHAMOL3529Zach CollarosWPGQB1030Folarin OrimoladeCGYDL2131Adarius PickettTORDB1532Jamal PetersHAMDB4933James ButlerBCRB-34Logan FerlandSSKOL3735Darnell SankeyBCLB4036Isaac Adeyemi-BerglundMTLDL-37A.J. OuelletteSSKRB-38C.J. ReavisOTTDB4439Evan HolmWPGDB-40Jake CeresnaWPGDL1341Tyler SneadMTLWR-42A.J. AllenOTTLB-43Damonte CoxieTORWR-44Tyrell FordEDMDB945Nic DemskiWPGWR-46Trey VavalWPGDB-47Pier-Olivier LestageMTLOL5048Adrian GreeneCGYDB-49Coulter WoodmanseyEDMOL-50Justin HardyOTTWR18
