One-third mark: five front-runners for CFL Most Outstanding Player

Montreal Alouettes

The first third of the 2026 CFL season is over, which means it’s time to take stock of the race for Most Outstanding Player.

Bo Levi Mitchell got off to a brilliant start this season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, though he’s out of the running after undergoing ankle surgery.

The 36-year-old has vowed to return as soon as possible but it seems unlikely that will happen this year. It’s a real shame, too, as the two-time M.O.P. was on pace for arguably the best season of his career, having thrown for 1,107 yards, nine touchdowns, and one interception over just four games.

It also seems fair to say we won’t have a repeat M.O.P. as Nathan Rourke is set to miss time with a shoulder injury. The native of Victoria, B.C. got off to a solid but unspectacular start to the season, throwing for 1,403 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions with one rushing score.

With those two out of the way, here are the five front-runners for the CFL’s most coveted individual award.

Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Vernon Adams Jr., Calgary Stampeders

The 33-year-old has thrown 17 touchdowns passes and zero interceptions through six games this year, which is one of the best starts any quarterback has ever had to a CFL season.

The Stampeders have a disappointing record at 2-4, though that’s hardly the fault of the offence, which ranks first in points per game, tied for first in giveaways, and third in yards per play. The problem is the team’s defence, which ranks ninth in points allowed and yards allowed per play.

Sure, Adams Jr. has a few would-be interceptions dropped by opposing defenders, but that’s also true for every other quarterback in the league. He’s playing at an elite level, keeping his team in shootout after shootout. The native of Pasadena, Calif. has also been effective with his legs, rushing for 156 yards and two scores.

Davis Alexander, Montreal Alouettes

The six-foot, 210-pound passer is drawing comparisons to Doug Flutie, which is just about the highest compliment a CFL quarterback can get.

Alexander has thrown for 2,181 yards, 11 touchdowns, and zero interceptions on the season, leading Montreal to a 5-1 start. He’s on pace for 6,543 passing yards on the year, putting Flutie’s all-time single-season record of 6,619 well in reach.

The native of Gig Harbor, Wash. has only rushed nine times for 40 yards on the season, though his ability to scramble and buy time in the pocket has made him one of the league’s most entertaining players. If he manages to stay healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Alexander win M.O.P.

Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan Roughriders

The 40-year-old ticked an important box on his CFL resumé last fall when he won his first Grey Cup as a starter. The only thing he still has left to accomplish is winning M.O.P.

Harris has been sharp so far this year, throwing for 1,629 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions to lead the Roughriders to a 4-1 start. The team started talking about repeating as Grey Cup champions last fall and have lived up to the hype thus far.

The reigning Grey Cup MVP has arguably the CFL’s best receiving corps at his disposal, with Samuel Emilus, Kian Schaffer-Baker, and KeeSean Johnson all available after they missed a combined 23 regular-season games in 2025. Thus far, Harris has taken full advantage of the elite talent around him.

Tyson Philpot, Montreal Alouettes

The native of Delta, B.C. is off to the best start to a season by any receiver in CFL history. Seriously.

Philpot has caught 50 passes for 807 yards and four touchdowns through just six regular-season games, putting him on pace to shatter the single-season record set by Allen Pitts in 1994, when he caught 126 passes for 2,036 yards and 21 touchdowns.

The six-foot, 199-pound target might seem like a shoo-in for M.O.P. if he makes history, though there’s a catch: if Alexander also breaks records, only one of them can earn the team’s nomination. Right now, Philpot probably has a leg up on his quarterback. As the season progresses, that could change.

Justin Rankin, Edmonton Elks

The 29-year-old set a goal before the season began to become the first CFL player ever to reach 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same year.

The five-foot-ten, 210-pound ball-carrier is on pace to do just that, as he’s rushed for 522 yards, caught 32 passes for 343 yards, and scored seven touchdowns. If his pace holds, he’ll even break Mike Pringle’s single-season record of 2,414 yards from scrimmage.

Rankin has become the face of Edmonton’s resurgence on and off the field, which might help tip the scales in his favour. Voters sometimes look for enticing narratives, and a star player breaking a decades-old record while helping a team go from worst to first would be a pretty amazing story.