CFL Week 9: PFF Team of the Week, Player Awards

By
Bryson Vesnaver
- Saskatchewan continues run of dominance: Saskatchewan had nine players named to this week’s Team of the Week, bringing their season total to a league-high 45 selections.
- Winnipeg’s Willie Jefferson puts on an all-time performance: The edge rusher earned a 99.3 game grade, the highest single-game mark we’ve awarded since beginning CFL grading in 2022.
- The best deal of the year: Use discount code earlybird to save up to 33% on your PFF+ subscription.
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

We’re nine weeks into the CFL season, and standout performances continue to roll in. This week featured one of the most dominant single-game outings of all time from Winnipeg edge defender Willie Jefferson — a showing worthy of headline recognition in this edition of the CFL Team of the Week.
The 7-1 Saskatchewan Roughriders once again led the way with nine players selected. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers followed closely with seven selections after a statement win. Despite their own victory, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had just one player make the team, tying Edmonton and Montreal for the fewest selections this week.
OFFENSE
- QB: Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan
- RB: Justin Rankin, Edmonton
- Receiver: Kiondre Smith, Hamilton
- Receiver: Eugene Lewis, Ottawa
- Receiver: Damonte Coxie, Toronto
- Receiver: Nic Demski, Winnipeg
- Receiver: Dohnte Meyers, Saskatchewan
- LT: Payton Collins, Saskatchewan
- LG: Zack Fry, Saskatchewan
- C: Logan Ferland, Saskatchewan
- RG: Jacob Brammer, Saskatchewan
- RT: Kendall Randolph, Winnipeg
DEFENSE
- DI: Caleb Sanders, Saskatchewan
- DI: Michael Wakefield, Ottawa
- Edge: Willie Jefferson, Winnipeg
- Edge: Lorenzo Mauldin IV, Ottawa
- LB: Jameer Thurman, Saskatchewan
- LB: Wynton McManis, Toronto
- Cover LB: C.J. Reavis, Saskatchewan
- CB: Tarvarus McFadden, Toronto
- CB: Jamal Parker Jr., Winnipeg
- HB: Amari Henderson, Ottawa
- HB: Deatrick Nichols, Winnipeg
- S: Bennett Williams, Ottawa
SPECIAL TEAMS
- K: Sergio Castillo, Winnipeg
- P: Joseph Zema, Montreal
- Returner: Trey Vaval, Winnipeg
QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: QB TREVOR HARRIS, SASKATCHEWAN
It was another stellar outing for Harris, who remains the CFL’s gold standard for reading defenses and delivering the ball on time. In Week 9, he recorded four big-time throws without a single turnover-worthy play. He led the league with a 12.7-yard average depth of target and averaged just 2.17 seconds to throw. His 86.5 passing grade marked his fourth straight game above 83.0.
Through nine weeks, Harris leads the CFL in adjusted completion percentage (80.6%), big-time throw rate (7.9%) and overall grade (91.4).
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: WR KIONDRE SMITH, HAMILTON
Following up a 14-catch, 138-yard, two-touchdown performance is no easy task, but Kiondre Smith delivered in Week 9. He hauled in seven catches for another 138 yards and a touchdown, with five receptions converting first downs and four qualifying as explosive plays of 15-plus yards. Smith also forced two missed tackles after the catch and averaged an impressive 3.14 yards per route run.
His 73.9 receiving grade ranks fifth among CFL receivers with at least 100 snaps this season.
OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE WEEK: SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
If not for Winnipeg right tackle Kendall Randolph finishing as the highest-graded offensive lineman of the week, Saskatchewan would have swept the offensive line spots on this week’s Team of the Week. Right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick finished just behind Randolph but was edged out due to positional overlap.
Saskatchewan’s offensive line dominated, paving the way for a rushing attack that averaged 2.8 yards before contact and totaled a league-high 136 rushing yards. In pass protection, the unit allowed just one sack and six hurries. Hardrick didn’t surrender a single pressure — his sixth pressure-free outing of the season.
PASS RUSHER OF THE WEEK: ED WILLIE JEFFERSON, WINNIPEG
It’s no exaggeration to call Willie Jefferson’s Week 9 outing one of the most dominant defensive performances in CFL history. The veteran edge defender racked up a strip sack, a quarterback hit, six hurries, two additional pass-rush wins and an eye-popping four batted passes. He led all defenders with a 23.8% pass-rush win rate, and his 95.7 pass-rush grade was the highest of the week by a wide margin.
His 99.3 overall grade stands as the highest single-game mark ever recorded by PFF in the CFL. Even in his 11th season, Jefferson is still redefining excellence.
RUN DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: LB JOVAN SANTOS-KNOX, OTTAWA
The Redblacks earned their second win of the season by shutting down the Calgary Stampeders’ ground game. Calgary’s running backs managed just 21 yards on 15 carries, and linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox was the driving force behind that effort. He recorded eight total tackles in the run game, including a league-high four solo stops, and earned an 88.6 run-defense grade — the highest of the week. On the season, Santos-Knox ranks second with 33 total run tackles and third with 13 solo stops.
COVERAGE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: CB TARVARUS MCFADDEN, TORONTO
McFadden delivered a textbook shutdown performance in Week 9. On 29 coverage snaps, he was targeted just twice. The first was a swing pass to the slot that was wiped out by a block-in-the-back penalty. The second came late in the fourth quarter, when he stayed disciplined on a slant-and-go and intercepted Chris Streveler in the end zone — a crucial turnover with his team trailing by just six.
McFadden’s 84.7 coverage grade led all secondary players this week. On the season, the Argonauts’ field corner is allowing a reception once every 19.2 targets and leads all outside corners with a 22.7% forced incompletion rate.