Week 3 brings the first full slate of CFL football thanks to the world cup, and it provides us a multitude of fascinating questions.

We are six games into the CFL season, and there are still very few things we can be certain about. One of those is Montreal Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander is one win away from setting a league record for consecutive regular-season wins to start a career.

Heading into Week 3, only the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a bye week, meaning we have four games this weekend, including a tripleheader on Saturday. That brings a lot of questions going into the weekend. Let’s break it down.

BC’s major injury issues

The BC Lions hung in there with the defending Grey Cup Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders last Saturday, but a poorly surrendered Rouge ended up costing them a chance at tying the game in a 31-27 loss. In that loss, the Lions lost three wide receivers in Stanley Berryhill III, Seven McGee, and Jevon Cottoy. That raises a real concern about what they will do moving forward.

It doesn’t help that star wide receiver Keon Hatcher is dealing with a thigh injury, but he is expected to play on Friday night. They will be relying on some serious youth in the wide receiver room, with Jermaine Jackson, Nick Cenacle, and Silas Bolden stepping in. We know that Hatcher and Justin McInnis are both superstars, but the Tiger-Cats, even sans cornerback Jamal Peters, will have an easier job stopping them both with a lack of depth. Luckily for the Lions, they have last year’s Most Outstanding Player in Nathan Rourke and star running back James Butler. They will need to weather the storm, and with Bo Levi Mitchell capable of putting up a lot of points, it could prove crucial toward getting home-field advantage in the Western Division.

Edmonton’s free agency haul

The Edmonton Elks knew they needed to build on their big finish at the end of 2025 with quarterback Cody Fajardo. Despite starting 1-7, the Elks finished 7-11 and even flirted with a playoff spot. Under first-year head coach Mark Killam, the second half finally looked like a team that the Elks had hoped for.

The biggest thing with the Elks was their massive free agency haul. They revamped their offensive line with Brendan Bordner, Jordan Murray, and Coulter Woodmansey, along with star defensive lineman Malik Carney from the Roughriders, and wide receiver Brendal O’Leary-Orange. They paid major dividends in an Ottawa rainstorm, but bad weather paired with it being the season opener didn’t tell us much. The Alouettes will be a major litmus test for the Elks, and give us more information on where they slot in a very deep West.

Saskatchewan’s potential dominance

We didn’t just see a good Roughriders team on Saturday against the Lions, we saw dominance. Quarterback Trevor Harris looked like a version 10 years younger, dominating the Lions with a completion percentage of 83.3%, 417 yards, and three touchdowns, all of which to Samuel Emilus. The Lions tried to blitz him with cover-0 looks, and Harris torched them.

How are you supposed to stop the Roughriders? They have a trio of great wide receivers in Emilus, Kian Schaffer-Baker, and KeeSean Johnson, along with running back A.J. Ouellette. You can’t blitz them consistently, otherwise Harris will torch you, but you can’t let him sit in the pocket and dissect your defense. You have to get home with four, and that’s difficult to do. It’s the only way right now, and that’s a problem for the rest of the CFL.

Greg Bell’s Ottawa debut

Ryan Dinwiddie’s Ottawa Redblacks debut didn’t go as well as he had hoped, but there were some positives. They had a chance to tie the game with less than three minutes left, but quarterback Jake Maier made poor throws and decisions leading to the loss. It’s evident that the Redblacks still have a ways to go, but there was enough there to give fans some hope, especially since high-priced free agent signing, running back Greg Bell, missed the game due to injury.

With him likely playing on Saturday afternoon, it adds another dynamic to the Redblacks’ offense. They need to have him in the backfield to attack defenses laterally in the passing game and on the ground. With him healthy, it could point the arrow of the Redblacks’ season straight up.

This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 4 big questions highlight Week 3 of the CFL, from maximizing Cody Fajardo to BC's developing issue

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