MOP Watch: Where does Rolan Milligan Jr. rank?

10/18/2024 03:00 PM

19 weeks down and two to go until the real fun begins.

These final two weeks are much more than just the closing stages of a month’s long football marathon though. They also serve as an opportunity to make a closing argument for any player dreaming of a major award nomination from their club. 

You remember the old paper writing structure format from high school English class right? Make three arguments, put your weakest in the middle paragraph, the next best concept in the introduction, and save your strongest points for last.

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Well, Week 20 and 21 will see a handful of non-playoff teams sorting out their roster and making a bevy of decisions on how to approach the end of their year, but it will also give playoff teams a chance to maximize their momentum and establish themselves as Grey Cup contenders.

There’s nothing better for the 10 players on this week’s MOP Watch than to help their clubs close out the season on a high note with performances that just might make them an MOP.

10. EUGENE LEWIS | RECEIVER | EDMONTON ELKS 

While he is very much on the outside looking in, this season has been a major improvement for the Eugene Lewis Edmonton experience. Last season, his first year with the team, saw the former Alouettes standout collect 48 catches for 844 yards and just three touchdowns. 

Now Lewis is up to 69 catches, nearing 1,000 yards for the third time in his career and closing in on double digit receiving touchdowns. He's been great through quarterback turnover and a head coach change. All of which makes you wonder what he could've done this season with consistency at either.

9. TREVOR HARRIS | QUARTERBACK | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Trevor Harris isn't going to win the MOP, or even be the team nominee thanks to a certain defensive standout we'll get to shortly, but his play this year when healthy has been stellar and deserves recognition as one of the CFL's best.

In eleven games played, Harris has 20 passing touchdowns (third), 72.4 per cent complete rate (third) and leads the CFL in quarterback rating (108.4).

MOP? No. Outstanding? Yes.

8. SAMUEL EMILUS | RECEIVER | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS 

A big part of Trevor and the Riders' success this season is Canadian receiver Samuel Emilus.

While Justin McInnis and Brady Oliveira got the shine all season, Emilus plucked away to the tune of 1,064 receiving yards to date (fourth) while garnering 132 targets (first) and 87 catches (second). This was a truly special season for a receiver who WILL come up big in the next month if Saskatchewan makes noise in the playoffs.

7. JUSTIN MCINNIS | RECEIVER | BC LIONS

Speaking of McInnis, after a lacklustre Week 18 effort, he bounced back to the tune of six catches for 119 yards this past week against Saskatchewan, despite the team faltering in a 39-8 trouncing.

Justin now has the CFL lead in receiving yards (1,363) over Justin Hardy by 122 yards heading into the final two weeks of the season.

6. JUSTIN HARDY | RECEIVER | OTTAWA REDBLACKS

While McInnis has more yards per catch and total yardage, Justin Hardy still leads the CFL in catches with 90 and dare I say could, and likely should, be the first receiver to reach 100 grabs on the season.

Could you imagine if he did it all this Saturday at BMO Field? A big game from Hardy would certainly help the REDBLACKS chances of holding off Toronto for home field in the Eastern Semi-final.

5. BO LEVI MITCHELL | QUARTERBACK | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS 

With the Tiger-Cats officially out of the playoffs it feels like Bo Levi Mitchell's MOP run has come to an end, or has it?

He's the starter this week against his old club Calgary and remains 571 yards (4,576) ahead of second place yardage passer Zach Collaros (4,005) while owning top spot in touchdown passes (26) and remains highly motivated to end the season on a high note.

4. TYRICE BEVERETTE | LINEBACKER | MONTREAL ALOUETTES

The CFL leader in total defensive plays (128) also happens to be third in tackles (95) and second in tackles for loss (eight).

Tyrice Beverette continues to do it all and has two games left to leapfrog quarterback Cody Fajardo for the Alouettes’ MOP nomination.

3. ROLAN MILLIGAN JR. | DEFENSIVE BACK | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Rolan Milligan Jr.‘s greatest case statistically remains leading the league in interceptions outright (eight) while being tied with teammate AJ Allen for most special teams tackles (20).

That is a combo worthy of massive applause and respect, but will it be enough to hold off the more well rounded resume of Beverette as top vote getter defensively?

2. CODY FAJARDO | QUARTERBACK | MONTREAL ALOUETTES 

Cody Fajardo didn't play Monday against the Ottawa REDBLACKS and had a bye the week before. That means this week he enters against the BC Lions coming off a 20/29 for 225-yards, two touchdowns and an interception against the Argonauts in a loss.

It’s hard to move him up or down the order based on the season as a whole, unless a strong message for better or worse gets sent in the next two games against Western foes.

1. BRADY OLIVEIRA | RUNNING BACK | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Does Oliveira REALLY deserve the top spot?

That seems to be the primary point of contention in this weekly discussion. Against Toronto in a rare Bombers home loss last week, Brady had a dozen carries for 64 yards and added another 41 yards on six catches. He leads the CFL in rushing yards (1,318) by 171 over William Stanback (1,147) but his low touchdown numbers thanks to Chris Streveler's early season impact as goal line quarterback could skew the discussion. 

The question for Brady doubters is if not him, who has a more compelling case?