3DownNation CFL power rankings: Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders hold top spot
By 3Down Staff -January 1, 2026
2026 is officially upon us, which means it’s time to take stock of how all nine CFL teams rank as we embark on a new year. Things will obviously change by the time the regular-season starts on Thursday, June 4, but this is how the team stack up right now.
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. Usually, we list the previous week’s rankings in brackets, though there are none at the moment as these are our first rankings of the year.
Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on social media for anything you think we got wrong.
1) Saskatchewan Roughriders
It’s a great time to be a member of Rider Nation. The team is coming off a Grey Cup win, franchise quarterback Trevor Harris signed a team-friendly contract extension, and award-winning offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick thinks the team has a chance to repeat, just as he did years ago as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. There are still several key free agents to re-sign, but the Roughriders have a great core, a coaching staff that seems universally beloved, and the vibes are immaculate.
2) Montreal Alouettes
The Alouettes only had their franchise quarterback available for seven regular-season games in 2025, yet the team came close to winning the Grey Cup with him hobbling in the playoffs. Between the bright future for Davis Alexander, fat new contracts for Canadian standouts Tyson Philpot and Pier-Olivier Lestage, a super consistent defence, and top-ranked special teams units, it stands to reason that Montreal will be a force to be reckoned with once again in 2026 — especially if Alexander plays all 18 regular-season games.
3) B.C. Lions
Nathan Rourke became only the fifth Canadian ever to win Most Outstanding Player in 2025 and it feels inevitable that he’ll win more accolades in the years to come. Keon Hatcher, his favourite receiver, will be sticking around for two more years on a massive contract extension, while Justin McInnis and Stanley Berryhill are already under contract for 2026. The offensive line overcame some serious injuries in 2025 and the defence steadily improved over the course of the season. B.C. feels like a team on the rise.
4) Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Tabbies momentarily appeared destined to end their league-worst Grey Cup drought but fell just short in the East Final. Kenny Lawler was unstoppable all year, Julian Howsare was borderline unblockable off the edge, and Bo Levi Mitchell continued to flourish under Scott Milanovich. It seems likely that Hamilton will be back in the playoffs in 2026, especially if its defence can lead the league in takeaways again, though they’ll have to find a way to get past the Alouettes if they hope to reach the CFL’s championship game.
5) Calgary Stampeders
Though the team ultimately fell just short in the West Semi-Final, this was a big bounce-back year for Calgary. Vernon Adams Jr. piloted the offence well, Folarin Orimolade was excellent in his return to the city, and Jaylon Hutchings, Jacob Roberts, and Adrian Greene all had breakout years on defence. After falling behind in recent years, the Stampeders have worked hard to offer improved amenities for players including a new playing surface, upgraded food, and an improved weight room.
6) Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The once-mighty Blue Bombers took a step back in 2025, which saw the offence struggle, Dalton Schoen and Chris Streveler suffer second-straight ACL tears, and Dillon Mitchell and Peyton Logan bust as free-agent signings. Jason Hogan has been demoted from offensive coordinator with Tommy Condell taking over and being reunited with Zach Collaros. The pair had a lot of success together with the Tiger-Cats in 2014 and 2015, though it seems fair to question if that magic will have dried up over the last decade or so.
7) Edmonton Elks
The Elks have signed Cody Fajardo to a one-year contract extension, giving the franchise an accurate day-one starter for 2026. It stands to reason that the team will look to provide him with more weapons this year as he and star running back Justin Rankin were a two-man show at times in 2025. On defence, however, there are plenty of reasons for optimism in Edmonton with players like Joel Dublanko, Chelen Garnes, Kenneth Logan Jr., and J.J. Ross coming off breakouts years and remaining under rookie contracts.
8) Ottawa Redblacks
Ryan Dinwiddie is the new man in charge in the nation’s capital after jumping from the good ship Argo to join the Redblacks as their new head coach and general manager. There’s a ton of work to be done with Ottawa coming off a 4-14 season during which the team scored a league-low 417 points. The biggest key for Dinwiddie will be seeing if he can maximize the potential of franchise quarterback Dru Brown, just as he did with McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Chad Kelly, and Nick Arbuckle in Toronto.
9) Toronto Argonauts
It’s hardly a surprise that the Double Blue are bringing up the rear, considering they’re coming off a five-win season and lost their two-time Grey Cup champion head coach to an East Division rival. It’s not all bad in Toronto, however, as new head coach Mike Miller has a close relationship with a finally-healthy Chad Kelly and new director of player personnel Jim Barker wants to upgrade the offensive line. The odds are stacked against this team with 12 road games scheduled for 2026 but this is the CFL and anything can happen.
