3DownNation CFL power rankings: Saskatchewan Roughriders’ second-half slide continues

Photo courtesy: Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards/Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Week 18 of the 2026 CFL regular season is officially in the books, which means we have clarity in the East and chaos in the West.

Montreal and Toronto are officially locked into their playoff seeds, while Hamilton and Ottawa can’t salvage their seasons. However, the crossover berth could still be claimed by anyone except Edmonton, who have B.C. suddenly nipping at their heels for first place. The Lions, Riders, Stampeders, and Bombers could all host playoff games, or miss out entirely.

3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having our contributors rank each team from No. 1 to No. 9 independently, then averaging out the scores. Each team’s most recent ranking is listed in brackets.

Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on social media for anything you think we got wrong.

1) Montreal Alouettes (1)

The Alouettes exploded offensively in what will be their last meaningful game until November, wrapping up first place in the East Division with a blowout of Winnipeg. The equipment staff got a workout labelling game balls, as 2026 first-round pick Rohan Jones hauled in his first career touchdown and Tyson Philpot set two single-season CFL records, plus a franchise mark to boot. He finished with 11 receptions and 207 yards, while Davis Alexander threw for 440 yards to avenge their loss to the Bombers a few weeks ago.

2) B.C. Lions (2)

Victories don’t get much uglier than the Lions’ latest, at least offensively, but you don’t need to win a beauty contest to be the hottest team in the CFL. Nathan Rourke and company failed to score a touchdown, going oh-for-four in the red zone and settling for eight field goals from Sean Whyte. However, the B.C. defence stepped up big in the clutch, as T.J. Lee snagged a red zone interception and Darnell Sankey spearheaded a goal-line stand in the dying seconds to secure their eighth victory in the last nine games.

3) Edmonton Elks (3)

The Elks enjoyed their final bye this week, though members of the organization remained hard at work behind the scenes in launching a bid for the 2028 Grey Cup. Cody Fajardo continues to defy the low expectations of his former coach, Marc Trestman, and may wind up as the West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Player. Edmonton needs just two wins — or a win and a B.C. loss — to clinch first place in the West Division.

4) Toronto Argonauts (4)

Toronto’s five-game winning streak came to an end against B.C., despite Greg Quick’s defensive unit holding the Lions’ high-powered offence out of the end zone. Nick Arbuckle played respectably after Chad Kelly was made a surprise scratch due to a hand injury, but he threw two interceptions and couldn’t get the single yard needed to tie the game late. David Ungerer III continued to be a bright spot, cracking the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.

5) Calgary Stampeders (7)

Three weeks after they were written off by many analysts, the Stampeders have forced their way back into the playoff race in a big way. Vernon Adams Jr.’s numbers weren’t as gaudy as they were against Ottawa, but he was nearly perfect while delivering four touchdown passes against Saskatchewan. All four of those majors went to different targets, while rookie Canadians Jesulayomi Ojutalayo and Ashton Miller-Melancon each came up with critical takeaways.

6) Saskatchewan Roughriders (5)

Don’t look now, but the defending Grey Cup champions have now lost three games in a row and five of their last seven. Trevor Harris threw for 453 yards and four touchdowns, but threw a critical interception and got no help from his defence. Reinforcements continue to flood back from the injured list, but now KeeSean Johnson’s status is in jeopardy. At least the team’s kicking woes should end with two misses from Dawson Hodge in the loss to Calgary, as Brett Lauther should be ready to go next week after his trade deadline acquisition.

7) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6)

The Bombers dropped to the basement of the West Division in brutal fashion, as they got their doors blown off by Montreal. Jordan Younger’s inconsistent defence had arguably its worst performance, surrendering 548 total yards, while Dru Brown led the Winnipeg offence to just 182 yards in response. Brady Oliveira was held to just 44 yards rushing, and the unit was shut out through the final three quarters.

8) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8)

Victory this week will do nothing to salvage Hamilton’s season, but there is still something to be said for restoring pride. The Tabbies put together an offensive showcase against Ottawa, led by career outing from Harrison Frost, who threw for 342 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Kenny Lawler recorded his first 100-yard game of the season, catching two touchdowns in the process, while Larry Rountree III also had his best-ever day with 128 yards on the ground.

9) Ottawa Redblacks (9)

After taking sole possession of the worst start to a season in CFL history, there was serious debate about whether to put the proposed Quebec City expansion franchise above the Redblacks on this list. Still winless after 15 games, head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie acknowledged post-game that fans want him gone, but R Nation will likely have to settle for other changes instead. That could start with rookie Bryson Barnes taking over at quarterback, after McLeod Bethel-Thompson and the offence went deathly quiet in the second half against Hamilton.