- The CFL’s top receiving corps blend star power with depth, and Hamilton and British Columbia set the standard: With elite playmakers like Kenny Lawler and Justin McInnis leading the charge and strong supporting casts behind them, these teams boast the most well-rounded and dangerous groups heading into 2025.
- Injuries, inconsistency and unproven depth define the rest: Teams like Saskatchewan and Edmonton have high-upside talent but face big question marks around health, development, and top-end production.
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Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
With the 2025 CFL regular season fast approaching, teams are finalizing their depth charts and solidifying their cores on both sides of the ball. We’re continuing our look at how every team’s position groups stack up across the league. Today, we’re focusing on the wide receivers.
If you missed it, be sure to check out our 2025 CFL Quarterback Rankings to see how each team’s passing game is shaping up. And don’t forget to review our CFL Rushing Attack Rankings to see which teams boast the strongest ground games heading into the new season.
1. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
- Projected Starters: Kenny Lawler, Shemar Bridges, Tim White, Kiondre Smith, Drew Wolitarsky
The rich got richer this offseason. Hamilton already boasted one of the CFL’s top receiving groups, led by three-time All-Star Tim White, who posted his third consecutive 1,000-yard, eight-touchdown season in 2024. Rookie Shemar Bridges came close to hitting the 1,000-yard mark himself and finished with a 69.5 receiving grade, 14th-best in the league. Kiondre Smith continued his ascent, setting career highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns, while also ranking top-13 in both forced missed tackles (16) and explosive receptions (20).
Then the Tiger-Cats made a major splash, signing former Blue Bombers standout Kenny Lawler, one of the league’s premier receivers. Despite missing half the 2024 season with an injury, Lawler earned the third-highest receiving grade (77.7) and averaged 2.21 yards per route run, good for fourth among qualified wideouts. Hamilton also added Lawler’s former teammate Drew Wolitarsky, a reliable veteran who would be a No. 3 option on many other teams.
If all five receivers stay healthy, Hamilton’s passing offense has the potential to be one of the most explosive we’ve ever seen.
2. BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS
- Projected Starters: Justin McInnis, Keon Hatcher, Jevon Cottoy, Ayden Eberhardt, Stanley Berryhill
The Lions’ receiving corps is anchored by the two highest-graded wideouts from the past two seasons. Justin McInnis led the league in 2024 with an 82.2 receiving grade, while Keon Hatcher topped the charts in 2023 with an 81.9. Both averaged over 2.30 yards per route run during their respective league-best campaigns and consistently threatened defenses at every level of the field. With Hatcher entering 2025 fully healthy, the duo forms arguably the best one-two punch in the CFL.
Behind them, Jevon Cottoy brings size and physicality, coming off a career-best 73.0 receiving grade. Ayden Eberhardt emerged as a dependable third or fourth option last season, tallying 17 explosive receptions on just 46 catches. Stanley Berryhill adds another layer of big-play potential, capable of making key contributions each week. While this group is undoubtedly top-heavy thanks to McInnis and Hatcher, the supporting cast is strong enough to keep them near the top of the league.
3. OTTAWA REDBLACKS
- Projected Starters: Justin Hardy, Eugene Lewis, Bralon Addison, Kalil Pimpleton, Keelan White
There may not be a better wide receiver duo in the CFL heading into 2025 than Justin Hardy and Eugene Lewis. Hardy finished last season with the second-highest receiving grade in the league (80.2) and ranked top-five in yards per route run (2.14). Lewis, a three-time CFL All-Star, has posted at least 800 receiving yards in six straight seasons. He led the league with 10 touchdown receptions in 2024 and earned a 70.9 receiving grade, good for 12th among qualified receivers.
Bralon Addison provides a steady presence as the third option, with reliable hands and a knack for moving the chains in key situations. Kalil Pimpleton adds explosiveness, averaging 6.4 yards after the catch per reception last year, fifth-best in the CFL. With sophomore Nick Mardner sidelined for the season, first-round pick Keelan White should factor into the rotation early.
The only concern for Ottawa’s receiving corps is age, as Hardy and Lewis enter the season at 33 and 32 years old, respectively. Still, neither has shown any signs of decline, and this group remains one of the most complete and dangerous units in the league.
4. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
- Projected Starters: Dalton Schoen, Nic Demski, Dillon Mitchell, Jerreth Sterns, Keric Wheatfall
As long as Dalton Schoen stays healthy, Winnipeg will continue to rank near the top of CFL receiving units. The two-time All-Star has caught 141 passes for 2,663 yards and 26 touchdowns across his first two CFL seasons (2022–2023). Since entering the league, his 90.9 receiving grade and 2.55 yards per route run both lead all CFL receivers. Not far behind on the three-year receiving grade leaderboard is Nic Demski, who ranks third at 86.8. The veteran has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and continues to perform at a high level.
While the Bombers lost key pieces this offseason, they’ve added solid reinforcements in Dillon Mitchell and Jerreth Sterns. Mitchell brings sure hands, having dropped just 2.2% of his targets over the past three seasons. Sterns adds explosiveness, with 28 receptions of 15-plus yards on just 89 catches over the past two years. If sophomore Keric Wheatfall takes a meaningful step forward, this group could push for the top spot once again in 2025.
5. CALGARY STAMPEDERS
- Projected Starters: Reggie Begelton, Dominique Rhymes, Malik Henry, Tevin Jones, Jalen Philpot
Over the past three seasons, Reggie Begelton has been one of the CFL’s most productive receivers. He leads the league with 278 receptions, ranks second in receiving yards (3,408) and sits fifth in receiving grade (82.7) over that span. He remains a cornerstone of Calgary’s passing attack. Dominique Rhymes has slowed slightly in recent seasons but still ranks third in explosive receptions (83) over the past three years, providing a valuable vertical element.
The biggest question mark in this group is Malik Henry, who hasn’t played since Week 3 of 2023 due to injuries. However, when healthy in 2022, he led the league with a 2.71 yards per route run average, a sign of elite efficiency. Tevin Jones also brings upside. After missing the first eight weeks of last season, he earned a 72.6 receiving grade the rest of the way, 10th-best in the league over that span. Jalen Philpot adds after-the-catch ability, ranking top-10 in YAC per reception (5.4) and top overall draft pick Damien Alford should see opportunities early.
If Rhymes can rebound and Henry returns to form, Calgary could field one of the most dangerous receiving corps in the CFL.
6. MONTREAL ALOUETTES
- Projected Starters: Austin Mack, Tyson Philpot, Charleston Rambo, Cole Spieker, Tyler Snead
Before suffering an injury midway through the 2024 season, Tyson Philpot was in the midst of a true breakout campaign. At the time of his injury, he led the CFL in receptions (56), ranked second in receiving yards (767) and was tied for second in touchdowns (5). He also led the league with 22 broken tackles and ranked second in yards per route run (2.46), elite production across the board.
Austin Mack flashed star potential as a rookie in 2023, earning a 73.5 receiving grade, one of the highest in the league, but managed just four appearances in 2024. Charleston Rambo impressed in his rookie season last year, hauling in 14 contested catches, the sixth-most in the CFL. Cole Spieker and Tyler Snead provide valuable depth. Spieker has improved each season and nearly cracked 1,000 yards in 2024, while Snead continues to be a reliable secondary target.
Ultimately, the strength of this unit hinges on its top trio. If Mack can return to his 2023 form, Philpot stays healthy, and Rambo builds on his rookie success, the Alouettes could once again boast one of the CFL’s most formidable receiving groups.
7. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
- Projected Starter: Samuel Emilus, Kian Schaffer-Baker, KeeSean Johnson, Shawn Bane, Dohnte Meyers
The Roughriders have a clear No. 1 option in the passing game, but several questions beyond that. Samuel Emilus has firmly established himself as a top-tier receiver, leading the CFL with 255 targets over the past two seasons. He ranks top-six in receptions (169), receiving yards (2,310), first downs (103) and explosive receptions (55) during that span, elite production by any standard.
Kian Schaffer-Baker and KeeSean Johnson offer solid upside, finishing 2024 with receiving grades of 79.3 (fourth-highest) and 72.0 (12th), respectively. However, both played roughly two-thirds the snaps of Emilus. Shawn Bane took a step back last season before a knee injury cut his year short, but his 2023 numbers — 93 catches for 1,104 yards — highlight his potential impact if healthy. Rookie Dohnte Meyers didn’t log enough snaps to qualify, but his 2.49 yards per route run would have ranked second league-wide.
If Johnson and Meyers continue their development and Bane returns to his 2023 form, Saskatchewan could quietly field one of the most well-rounded receiving corps in the league.
8. TORONTO ARGONAUTS
- Projected Starters: Damonte Coxie, DaVaris Daniels, Kevin Mital, Dejon Brissett, Hergy Mayala
The Argonauts may not have a true No. 1 receiver, but they feature a deep and versatile group, with several players excelling in different areas. Damonte Coxie is the closest to a top target, finishing last season with a 68.8 receiving grade and a league-leading 40 broken tackles, a staggering number that underscores his physicality after the catch.
DaVaris Daniels remains a big-play threat, turning 20 of his 55 receptions into explosive gains. Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (Brissett) battled injuries in 2024 but posted 17 explosive receptions and 10 broken tackles on just 45 catches in 2023, showing the kind of impact he can make when healthy. Hergy Mayala adds veteran stability, having carved out a reliable third-or-fourth-option role over the past five seasons.
The wild card in this group is second-year receiver Kevin Mital. The Canadian played just 106 receiving snaps last year but flashed serious upside with six explosive receptions, five forced missed tackles, and an average of 2.64 yards per route run — a mark that would have led the league if it had qualified. If Mital takes the next step in 2025, Toronto could quietly have one of the CFL’s more dangerous receiving corps.
9. EDMONTON ELKS
- Projected Starters: Alexander Hollins, Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Steven Dunbar Jr., Tre Odoms-Dukes, Kaion Julien-Grant
The Elks’ receiving corps is full of potential but also uncertainty. Several players have delivered high-level seasons in the past, though not all have maintained that form recently. Alexander Hollins was a marquee addition, coming off a standout 2023 campaign in which he earned a 72.0 receiving grade and logged 34 explosive receptions. However, he regressed in 2024 with a 63.2 grade and nine dropped passes.
Kurleigh Gittens Jr. had a respectable season last year, but it didn’t come close to matching his 2022 breakout when he posted 94 receptions, 1,254 yards, and a 73.8 receiving grade. Steven Dunbar Jr. crossed the 1,100-yard mark in 2024 but finished with a modest 64.6 receiving grade. Tre Odoms-Dukes showed promising growth in his second year, notching 62 catches for 733 yards and a 65.1 grade.
At his best, Kaion Julien-Grant brings elite elusiveness. He’s forced 55 missed tackles over the past three seasons — third-most in the CFL — but his overall receiving grade during that span sits at just 63.8 (45th). If everything clicks, Edmonton could field one of the league’s most dangerous receiving units. But they’ll need several bounce-back performances to realize that potential.
This news was originally published on this post .
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