Which CFL team has had the most injuries so far in 2023?

Photo: Timothy Matwey/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

We’ve officially reached the midway point of the CFL season, which means it’s time to take stock of where teams currently stand across the league. In this case, we’re looking at how many injuries teams have had to deal with so far this year ranked from fewest to most.

Not every team in the league has played the same number of games — Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa have played eight, while the rest have played nine — so the number of man games lost has been averaged out on a per-game basis. Enjoy.

B.C. Lions — 45 man games lost (5.0 per game)

The Lions has been by far the healthiest team in the league this season, though they’ve been hit at the receiver position as Keon Hatcher, Dominique Rhymes, and Lucky Whitehead have all missed time. B.C. has had 31 healthy scratches over nine games, which is over twice as many as any other team in the league. Francis Bemiy, the team’s first-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft, has yet to dress for a game this year.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 79 man games lost (8.8 per game)

Winnipeg has remained relatively healthy overall with their most costly injuries affecting defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat, defensive back Winston Rose, star returner Janarion Grant, and special teams ace Mike Miller. Franchise quarterback Zach Collaros left last week’s win against Edmonton, though his status for Week 11 remains unclear. As Kenny Lawler was out due to a suspension and not an injury, the six games he missed to start the year aren’t reflected in these numbers.

Photo: Timothy Matwey/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Edmonton Elks — 92 man games lost (10.2 per game)

The Elks have struggled mightily this season, though they’ve suffered fewer injuries than most teams in the CFL. Their most costly injury occurred in Week 3 when star receiver Eugene Lewis went down with a knee injury from which he’s yet to return. Other starters who have missed significant time include receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux, offensive lineman Josiah St. John, defensive tackle J-Min Pelley, strong-side linebacker Enock Makonzo, and defensive backs Ed Gainey and Aaron Grymes.

Toronto Argonauts — 84 man games lost (10.5 per game)

The Argos avoided disaster as Chad Kelly bounced immediately back from an ankle injury he sustained in Week 9, though other players haven’t been quite so fortunate. Two key Canadians, offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek and linebacker Henoc Muamba, have yet to dress for a game this year, while breakout star receiver Damonte Coxie has been out recently with an ankle injury. Toronto has had 15 healthy scratches so far this season, which ranks second league-wide behind only B.C.

Montreal Alouettes — 91 man games lost (11.4 per game)

Montreal has listed players on the one-game injured list 21 times this season with 13 being healthy scratches, meaning almost all of their injuries have been long-term ailments. Greg Ellingson has yet to make his debut with the team after signing as a free agent this past off-season, while offensive lineman Sean Jamieson has yet to return from a torn ACL he suffered last season. Canadian offensive linemen David Brown and Philippe Gagnon have also missed considerable time, as has defensive back Nafees Lyon.

Photo courtesy: Scott Grant/CFLPhotoArchive.com

Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 94 man games lost (11.8 per game)

Hamilton’s most notable injuries have come at the quarterback position as Bo Levi Mitchell and Matthew Shiltz have missed a combined eight games. Left tackle Joel Figueroa has missed the past six games due to a rib injury, while defensive tackle Dylan Wynn has yet to play this season due to an issue with his knee. Others who have missed significant time include running back Sean Thomas-Erlington, offensive lineman Kyle Saxelid, and defensive end Cedric Wilcots II.

Saskatchewan Roughriders — 109 man games lost (12.1 per game)

The Riders have faced a number of short-term injuries as the club has listed players on the one-game injured list 45 times, only seven of which were healthy scratches. The club’s two most notable injuries affected a pair of key Canadians in offensive lineman Philip Blake and receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker, the latter of whom should return to the lineup soon. Canadian receivers Brayden Lenius and Juwan Brescacin have also missed significant time, as have defensive backs Rolan Milligan and Godfrey Onyeka.

Calgary Stampeders — 124 man games lost (13.8 per game)

The Stampeders have had to fight through a number of key injuries this season, most notably to star running back Ka’Deem Carey, who missed seven games with a toe injury before returning for the team’s loss to the B.C. Lions this past week. Other impact players who are currently out of the lineup with long-term injuries are receivers Jalen Philpot and Malik Henry, defensive end James Vaughters, returner Peyton Logan, and special teams ace Silas Stewart.

Photo: Bob Butrym/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Ottawa Redblacks — 127 man games lost (14.1 per game)

The Redblacks have lost quarterbacks Jeremiah Masoli and Tyrie Adams for the year, while receiver Bralon Addison and defensive back Money Hunter have yet to dress for a game this season. Shaq Evans and Jovan Santos-Knox recently entered the lineup after completing stints on the six-game injured list, though star returner DeVonte Dedmon remains out. Ottawa has been the most injured team in the CFL this season and it shows as they sit at the bottom of the East Division with a 3-6 record.

John Hodge
John Hodge is a Canadian football reporter based in Winnipeg.