The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 2026 season has really been a tale of two halves.
To start the year, this team looked almost unbeatable. They were finding ways to win football games, putting up points, and looking like a team that could defend its Grey Cup championship.
Just look at their first six games of the season.
Four wins in their first six games, including victories over BC and Calgary. Even in their two losses, Saskatchewan was competitive. But then something changed. Multiple injuries started piling up, and the next-man-up mentality that worked so well for Saskatchewan last season just hasn’t worked this year. So what’s the cause? Why can’t this team overcome the same kinds of problems they were able to overcome last year?
Let’s break it all down.
The Receiver Room Just Isn’t as Strong
When we look at Saskatchewan last year, they dealt with plenty of injuries in their receiving corps, but they had other strong receivers who could step in and get the job done. Guys like Tommy Nield and Dohnte Meyers were huge for this team last season. Now both are gone, with Meyers heading to the NFL and Nield joining the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Just look at their numbers from last season.
Between Meyers and Nield alone, that’s 1,591 yards of offence Saskatchewan lost. Add Joe Robustelli, who is now in Edmonton, and that’s over 2,100 yards of receiving production. Those are three players this team desperately could have used this season. And it doesn’t stop there. You also had Ajou Ajou, who left for reasons off the field. Even though he had a quieter season last year, he was another option who could step in when needed. Go back to 2024, and Saskatchewan also had guys like Shawn Bane Jr. and Jalen Stearns. It just seemed like whenever someone went down, another receiver could step in and make plays.
This year? Not so much. Dhel Duncan-Busby has had some decent moments, but the other guys being asked to step in, like D’Sean Mimbs and the rest of the receiving depth, just haven’t been able to produce the same kind of numbers Saskatchewan was getting from its secondary receivers last year. And honestly, I think letting so many of those receivers go has clearly been a mistake.
You can’t expect to deal with the same amount of injuries every season while continuing to lose the players who helped you overcome them in the first place.
The Defence Has Taken a Major Step Back
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defence this year, to say the least, has been lacking. Let’s start with the defensive line. Outside of guys like James Vaughters, Caleb Sanders, and Mike Rose, Saskatchewan just hasn’t been getting enough consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Now compare that to last year.
You had Malik Carney, Micah Johnson, Shane Ray, and A.J. Allen, among others, all contributing to the pass rush. Carney alone had eight sacks last season, while Saskatchewan finished with 43 sacks as a team. You start looking at all those players who are no longer contributing to this defence, and it makes a humongous difference. But the problems don’t stop at the defensive line.
The secondary has also been struggling, and again, you have to look at the players Saskatchewan had last year. A.J. Allen was very good for this team, C.J. Reavis was another important piece, and then you look at the injuries to Rolan Milligan Jr. and Tevaughn Campbell. Campbell was one of the best defensive players in the CFL last season, while Milligan has already shown what kind of impact he can have when healthy.
Those are not easy players to replace.
When you combine a defensive line that isn’t getting enough pressure with a secondary that has been dealing with injuries and struggling in coverage, you’re going to have problems. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing with Saskatchewan.
The defence that helped this team win the Grey Cup last year just hasn’t looked the same.
Special Teams Have Been Underwhelming
Special teams have been another area where Saskatchewan has struggled this season, especially when it comes to field-goal kicking. Brett Lauther struggled with Saskatchewan last year, but funny enough, he went to Ottawa and was absolutely dynamite. He made 32 of his 34 field goal attempts with the REDBLACKS before Saskatchewan brought him back. Meanwhile, between Alex Hale and Dawson Hodge, the field-goal kicking just hasn’t been good enough.
Hale made only 75% of his attempts, while Hodge was at 77.8%. And when you’re fighting for a playoff spot, those missed field goals can make a massive difference. There have been games this season where Saskatchewan desperately needed those points, and the kicking game just wasn’t able to deliver. You have to wonder how different things might look right now if Saskatchewan had been able to make a few more of those field goals. Now, with Lauther back in Saskatchewan, maybe this is one area where the Riders can finally find some consistency.
But at the end of the day, when you’re already struggling on offence and defence, you really can’t afford to have your kicking game letting you down too.
So How Can the Saskatchewan Roughriders Turn Things Around?
Luckily for Saskatchewan, they still have a chance to turn things around and make the playoffs.
The Roughriders have two games remaining, while Calgary only has one.
Here’s how the playoff race looks heading into the final two weeks.
Saskatchewan’s final two games are against Montreal and Edmonton, and neither one is going to be easy. If Saskatchewan wins both games, they’re in the playoffs. Plain and simple.
However, if they split their final two games and Calgary wins its final game, Saskatchewan would miss the playoffs because Calgary owns the season-series tiebreaker. And then there’s Winnipeg, which has suddenly found some life and is right there in the playoff race as well. The Blue Bombers also own the tiebreaker over Saskatchewan. The Edmonton game could also be interesting depending on whether the Elks have locked up first place in the West and decide to rest some starters. But at the end of the day, Saskatchewan can’t depend on other teams doing them favours.
They need to start playing better football. They need to create more first downs, finish drives with touchdowns instead of field goals, and their secondary can’t keep getting burnt the way it has been. And here’s my biggest question. Can this team actually turn things around? And I don’t just mean making the playoffs. I mean going on a deep playoff run. Because with the way Saskatchewan is playing right now, if they make the playoffs, they could potentially be facing BC, Edmonton, or even Toronto if they end up crossing over to the East.
And honestly, I just don’t see this Saskatchewan Roughriders team, with the way they’re playing right now, being able to beat any of those teams.
Final Thoughts
It’s pretty amazing how quickly things have changed in Saskatchewan. This was a team that looked like it could defend its Grey Cup championship earlier in the season. Now we’re sitting here wondering if they’re even going to make the playoffs. Yes, injuries have played a major role, but I also think the players Saskatchewan lost during the offseason have hurt this team more than people realize. The receiver depth isn’t the same, the defence has struggled, and special teams haven’t been consistent enough. The next-man-up mentality that worked so well last year just hasn’t worked this season. But there are still two games left, and maybe Saskatchewan can find a way to turn things around. Only time will tell.
What do you think has been the biggest problem for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season? Is it injuries, the players they let go, or something else entirely?
Let us know in the comments, and make sure to follow The Analyst Desk, where every day feels like game day!
