CFL Receiver Efficiency - Wk 3

If you already read my piece today on the Argos passing attack taking shape, then you've seen the graphic this article is based on but I thought it was such fascinating visual through three weeks that it needed some exclusive love.

On each play through the CFL season I track production grade, an explanation of which can be found HERE and the amount of workload a player gets (targeted touch %). Through three weeks here is how it looks.

My jaw usually drops when I produce this graphic, but never more than this time for multiple reasons listed below.

* Brayden Lenius is a star. The 2nd year receiver has undergone an impressive body transformation to be lighter on his feet and crisper in his routes leading to the best production grade amongst eligible receivers (minimum 10% of team pass targets). Now if we could just find him some more targets to reward that excellence.

* Kenny Lawler and Kyran Moore are the class of the league. In 2019 the Riders and Bombers were playing shot-for-shot on how much each other could run the ball on first down with William Powell and Andrew Harris respectively. In 2021 it's all about the air show with Moore and Lawler serving up Burnham and Banks like seasons.

* Speaking of Burnham and Banks, they could not be going in anymore different directions through three weeks on the CFL schedule. Burnham is the second most productive receiver in the entire CFL behind only the aforementioned Lenius and deserves more targets, while Banks has been a symptom of Hamilton's slow start, getting more targets than anyone but producing less positive plays than Ticats teammate Jaelon Acklin and Ottawa rookie Ryan Davis.

* Montreal's Jake Wieneke continues to impress with highlight grabs and pass catching consistency, he is on pace to snatch the Als top receiver crown from Eugene Lewis in short order here in 2021, producing at Greg Ellingson type levels.

* Before the season BC Lions REC Shaq Johnson tweeted below.

Unfortunately for Johnson he lands in the bottom left corner alongside fellow Canadians, Riders REC Mitchell Picton and Stampeders REC Hergy Mayala. All three have been impacted by stars (Burnham, Moore, Jorden) taking away targets but the production begs for more through three weeks.

---

Marshall Ferguson is a former U SPORTS Quarterback at McMaster University now serving as CFP Founder, Host & Director of Content, play-by-play for the CFL on TSN, analyst for CFL.ca and dad to Noah.