Fall is in full swing across North America. The CFL regular season is coming to an end and the playoffs will be upon us in just four weeks. It’s time to start singling out the players who have been the best at their positions in 2015. The Last Word on Sports CFL department takes a look at the best players in 2015, position by position. Today, we discuss who was the CFL’s best wide receiver.
Picking the best wide receiver in the CFL is like picking the best ice cream – there are so many to choose from and it’s hard to narrow your choice down to a single favourite. From one-handed catches to leaps along the sidelines while managing to keep one foot dragging inside the field, the athleticism of a wide receiver is truly amazing. Every team has their top receiver and we have no problem naming all those who deserve the accolade, but we’re picking the top three candidates in line to be crowned the CFL’s best wide receiver in 2015.
Nine Teams, Nine Candidates
- SJ Green, Montreal Alouettes
- Chris Williams, Ottawa Redblacks
- Tori Gurley, Toronto Argonauts
- Luke Tasker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Nick Moore, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Weston Dressler, Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Adarius Bowman, Edmonton Eskimos
- Emmanuel Arceneaux, B.C. Lions
- Eric Rogers, Calgary Stampeders
All of them are among the best in the league and all are very talented. Many of them have an extensive CFL career, but we’re looking at the best of 2015 and there’s only three of these receivers who deserve the honour.
Emmanuel Arceneaux, B.C. Lions
I can hear the disagreements already. Statistically, Ottawa’s Chris Williams has more receiving yards, but marginally – as of week 17 he only has four more yards. I choose Emmanuel Arceneaux because he has eight touchdowns and averages 16 yards per catch, while Williams has three touchdowns and averages 14 yards. Arceneaux also has five years of experience more than Williams’ three years in the CFL. Arcenaux has played entire CFL his career for the Lions. Nothing against Williams, but Arceneaux gets my vote.
Adarius Bowman, Edmonton Eskimos
Although technically a slotback, Bowman has six touchdowns and 1,084 receiving yards in his sixth season with the Edmonton Eskimos. What impresses me about Bowman is his consistency in play making. His number always comes up when talking about which player opposing defences need to watch and cover. He’s fast, athletic and can make a catch out of the toughest of situations. He certainly has the most CFL experience out of my top three with eight years and 63 games. Now that’s experience.
Eric Rogers, Calgary Stampeders
This season, Eric Rogers has eight touchdowns and 1,352 yards, and averages almost 17 yards per catch. While he is a newcomer to the CFL, his impact has been enormous. Rogers only played two games in 2014, but they came at a time when the Stampeders needed him the most, as a number of their top players were injured. He had a career high of 152 yards against Winnipeg this year in August, and the end zone has since been nicknamed Mr. Rogers’ Neighbourhood. He’s also the first Stampeder to break the 1,000-yard mark in just 12 games.
And the Winner is:
Eric Rogers from the Calgary Stampeders. Some of you may disagree with earning the top spot position based on his inexperience in the CFL, but that’s why I’ve chosen him – because of his impact in the few games he’s played, which demonstrates his skill and athleticism. We could debate top receivers in the CFL for hours, but the numbers don’t lie – Eric Rogers, best wide receiver in the CFL 2015.
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