CFL Week 3 Offensive Line Rankings: Roughriders hold steady at No. 1

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• Saskatchewan holds firm atop the rankings: Despite featuring two new starters, the Roughriders once again led the league in pass protection, allowing just five pressures and earning a 72.7 PFF pass-blocking grade in Week 2.

• The Stampeders’ line continues to ascend: Calgary moves into the No. 2 spot thanks to strong performances from rookie center Christopher Fortin and right tackle Joshua Coker, who combined for just two pressures allowed on 73 pass-blocking snaps.

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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

These post-Week 2 rankings lineups include players who played the most at each position. Stay tuned each week for updated CFL offensive line rankings.

1. Saskatchewan Roughriders (No Change)

LT Daniel Johnson
LG Trevon Tate
C Logan Ferland
RG Jacob Brammer
RT Jermarcus Hardrick

The Roughriders hold down the top spot yet again ahead of Week 3, boasting the same unit grade (69.4) as in Week 2. Despite featuring two new starters this past week, Saskatchewan’s offensive line was the top pass-protecting group for the second week in a row. The group earned a 72.7 PFF pass-blocking grade with only five pressures allowed on 38 snaps.

Right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick was the CFL’s highest-graded tackle in Week 2. He finished with a 74.4 PFF overall grade, a 73.1 PFF run-blocking grade and a 73.4 PFF pass-blocking, with no pressures allowed on 38 pass-blocking snaps.

Left tackle Daniel Johnson and right guard Jacob Brammer both got their first starts of the season in Week 2 and were positive factors for Saskatchewan. Both earned 60.0-plus PFF overall grades.

2. Calgary Stampeders (Up 1)

LT D’Antne Demery
LG Zack Williams
C Christopher Fortin
RG Christy Nkanu
RT Joshua Coker

The Stampeders’ offensive line climbs one spot from last week after earning a 61.2 PFF overall grade in Week 2 and improving in pass protection (68.2).

Rookie center Christopher Fortin entered the game midway through the second quarter after starter Bryce Bell went down with an injury and continued his hot start to his inaugural CFL campaign. Across 38 snaps, Fortin was the Stampeders’ highest-graded lineman of the game (65.5). He logged a 77.1 PFF pass-blocking grade with only one pressure allowed.

After a blip in Week 1, right tackle Joshua Coker returned to stellar pass-blocking form in Week 2. He was the third-highest-graded tackle, earning a 76.3 PFF pass-blocking grade on 35 snaps and allowing only pressure. 

3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (New to Rankings)

LT Stanley Bryant
LG Micah Vanterpool
C Chris Kolankowski
RG Patrick Neufeld
RT Kendall Randolph

The Blue Bombers’ offensive line enjoyed a stellar start to the season. The unit earned a 70.9 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowed no pressure across 26 pass-blocking snaps.

The left side of the unit was the star of the show. Left tackle Stanley Bryant (83.6) and left guard Micah Vanterpool (82.9) graded above 80.0 in pass blocking. Bryant was the second-highest-graded pass-protecting tackle in Week 2, and Vanterpool was the highest-graded guard.

Winnipeg still has room to improve in run blocking, where the unit’s 51.9 PFF grade leaves something to be desired. A Blue Bombers offensive lineman lost a run-blocking rep on 82.9% of the team’s 35 run plays. Winnipeg’s running backs still dominated, earning an 80.8 PFF rushing grade and racking up 179 yards.

4. Montreal Alouettes (Down 2)

LT Des Holmes
LG Pier-Olivier Lestage
C Justin Lawrence
RG Donald Ventrelli
RT Jamar McGloster

A poor showing from the Alouettes’ offensive line in Week 2 pushes the group outside the top three. The unit failed to have a positive impact in either area of the game, posting a 58.3 PFF run-blocking grade and a 53.9 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Left guard Pier-Olivier Lestage is trying to put this unit on his back. He was the CFL’s highest-graded offensive lineman in Week 2, despite the unit’s overall struggles. Lestage earned a 76.6 PFF overall grade, a 78.0 PFF run-blocking and a 70.6 PFF pass-blocking grade across 55 snaps. 

Rookie left tackle Des Holmes secured his first CFL start in Week 2 for the injured Nick Callender, and it was a mixed performance. Holmes was the only other Alouettes offensive lineman to finish with a PFF overall grade above 60.0, helped by his solid performance in run blocking (68.1 PFF run-blocking grade). However, he struggled mightily in pass protection, finishing with a 42.2 PFF pass-blocking grade.

5. British Columbia Lions (Down 1)

LT Jarell Broxton
LG Kory Woodruff
C Michael Couture
RG Chris Schleuger
RT Dejon Allen

It was a tough week for the Lions’ offensive line against a rested Blue Bombers defensive front. The front-five gave up a week-high 13 pressures and allowed a league-high 30.9% pressure rate.

Left tackle Jarell Brown’s solid performance was overshadowed by the unit’s poor showing. Broxton was the CFL’s highest-graded pass-blocking tackle in Week 2, earning an 86.0 mark after allowing zero pressures across 42 such snaps.

6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (No Change)

LT Brendan Bordner
LG Brandon Revenberg
C Coulter Woodmansey
RG Liam Dobson
RT Quinton Barrow

The Tiger-Cats are a frustrating film study. The offensive line was getting stellar movement on almost every run play in Week 2, earning an 82.6 PFF run-blocking grade — and an even better 85.8 mark without sneaks — but they do not utilize the ground game at all. Hamilton has run only five non-quarterback-sneak runs on 51 total plays.

The offensive line did not have as much success in pass protection, earning a 56.8 PFF pass-blocking grade on 42 snaps and allowing six pressures.

7. Edmonton Elks (No Change)

LT Martez Ivey
LG Mark Korte
C David Beard
RG Gregor MacKellar
RT Mark Evans II

The Elks were on a bye in Week 2 and remain at No. 7.

8. Toronto Argonauts (Down 3)

LT George Moore
LG Sage Doxtater
C Peter Nicastro
RG Anthony Vandal
RT Ryan Hunter

It was another abysmal week for the defending Grey Cup champions’ offensive line. This unit once again posted a sub-50.0 PFF pass-blocking grade below 50.0 (46.2) and allowed 12 pressures, resulting in a 26.7% pressure rate.

The pass-protection problems are largely at the tackle spots, where Toronto recorded a league-low 22.1 PFF pass-blocking grade with nine pressures allowed in Week 2.

Center Peter Nicastro was a bright spot, finishing as the top-graded center of Week 2. He earned a 71.2 PFF overall grade, a 64.2 PFF run-blocking grade and an 85.2 PFF pass-blocking grade.

9. Ottawa Redblacks (Down 1)

LT Dino Boyd
LG Drew Desjarlais
C Jacob Ruby
RG Dariusz Bladek
RT Darta Lee

The Redblacks own the CFL’s lowest-graded offensive line for the second straight week. The unit earned a 56.2 PFF overall grade, a 55.7 PFF run-blocking grade and a 45.8 PFF pass-blocking grade in Week 2.

Across 37 pass-blocking snaps, Ottawa’s offensive line surrendered two sacks, three quarterback hits and six quarterback hurries, which resulted in a 29.7% pressure rate.

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