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Welcome to week 1!
The 2024 CFL season starts Thursday night with our Grey Cup rematch between Winnipeg and Montreal and continues with games Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s good to be back!
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On our final MMQB before the start of a new season, we’ve got a few award predictions and some other observations as we get a brand-new campaign underway. For reference, here are our award predictions from 2023 and how things actually played out:
| Award | 2023 preseason prediction | 2023 winner |
| Most Outstanding Player | Zach Collaros, Winnipeg | Chad Kelly, Toronto |
| Most Outstanding Defensive Player | Jameer Thurman, Hamilton | Mathieu Betts, BC |
| Most Outstanding Canadian | Ben Hladik, BC | Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg |
As we went 0-3 last year, let’s see if we can do a little better this time around.
Most Outstanding Player: Vernon Adams Jr., BC Lions
We’ve known for years what Adams is capable of but 2023 saw Big Play VA truly arrive and I see no reason why he’d be going anywhere in 2024. In his first full season with the Lions, Adams set career highs with 4,769 passing yards, 31 passing touchdowns, 333 completions, 488 attempts, a 105.5 passer rating and ranked top three in each category.
Last year saw Adams prove to many he could be one of the CFL’s most dangerous passers, which some critics had been skeptical of in the past. While turning the Lions into the league’s most vaunted aerial attack, Adams didn’t lose the explosiveness that makes him so special and unique. Adams still ran for 324 yards, the second highest total of his career, and maintained his ability to make big plays in motion.
What’s even scarier is the fact BC has retained all three of their top receiving targets from last season. Keon Hatcher, Alexander Hollins and Jevon Cottoy combined for more than 3,200 yards in 2023 and are all back for another season with the Lions. The chemistry that trio built with Adams last year is likely only to grow.
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Darnell Sankey, Montreal Alouettes
They’re the defending champs so it doesn’t really matter…but what would things have looked like in Montreal had Sankey been with the team throughout the entirety of 2023? As it was, Sankey made an enormous impact upon signing in September and I’m expecting a monster first full campaign with the Alouettes.
After winning an XFL championship with Arlington, Sankey signed on with Montreal and racked up 31 tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack and one interception in the final six games of the regular season. Sankey only got more impactful as he got up to speed, as evidenced by his 22 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions in three playoff games en route to the Grey Cup.
The Als were downright terrifying on defence as they rattled off eight straight wins to finish last season and Sankey was a massive part of that. With Sankey in the middle and both Tyrice Beverette (WILL) and Reggie Stubblefield (SAM) back for a title defence, I’m expecting Montreal’s defensive unit to be just as scary in 2024.
Most Outstanding Canadian: Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
How can you go against Oliveira repeating as MOC? After signing a big, deserving contract extension with the Bombers prior to free agency, Oliveira is expected to pick up where he left off last season. Not even 27 years old, there’s no reason to expect Oliveira to be anything other than the CFL’s No. 1 rusher in 2024.
Oliveira’s 1,534 rushing yards last season not only led the league but was also the highest total we’ve seen since Jon Cornish went over 1,800 in 2013. Oliveira was an absolute workhorse last year, as evidenced by his league leading 260 carries, which could be something we see scaled back in 2024. Even so, all signs point to Oliveira battering opposing defences once again.
Quick hits
A few more bold predictions for you ahead of the season! I think Winnipeg’s Chris Streveler leads the league in rushing touchdowns for similar reasons why Dakota Prukop racked up 13 of them over the last two seasons. Knowing the options Streveler presents the Bombers, he should be beyond dangerous in short yardage.
I’ll take Adams as my MOP but Edmonton’s McLeod Bethel-Thompson to lead the league in passing yards after posting 4,731 in 2022, his last CFL season. With a receiving group comprised of Eugene Lewis, Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Dillon Mitchell and Kyran Moore, I’m expecting the Elks to be extremely dynamic through the air.
Finally, with Mathieu Betts south of the border, we’ll be looking for a new sacks leader in 2024 and I’m leaning towards Toronto’s Folarin Orimolade. Last year, his first with the Argonauts, Orimolade posted a new career-best with 10 sacks, one of just seven players to hit double digits. With Jake Ceresna now in the mix, Orimolade could very well be even tougher to defend this season.
