1. Harry Reese-QB Texas
Last year we looked on as Harry Reece put on one of the best playoff performances in recent history. With 6 TD’s and no interceptions it seemed Texas was poised to take the CFL Bowl. This incredible run was ended prematurely by eventual League Champs The Hartford Attack in a close contest. After an entire off-season to think about that painful loss Harry Reese should be ready to carry last years playoff momentum into this season. Reese has not taken his eyes off the prize even amidst trade rumors this off-season which failed to materialize.
2. Tommy Price- WR Omaha
Many believed that Tommy Price may have been a stretch for the 18th overall pick. However, with good receivers at a premium in today’s CFL the move was not altogether unexpected. He wasn’t the only stretch at WR as Death Valley also may have stretched a bit far to get Calvin Fredricks a receiver whom many saw as overrated. Tommy however, came out of the draft looking a bit green. Look for Tommy and Calvin to compete early on to show their respective teams that they were worth the first round pick.
3. Kendall McCarthy- QB Iowa City
After struggling to find his rhythm, last year’s number 5 overall pick needs to establish himself this year as an upper tier Quarterback. While most QB’s struggle to find their place in new professional systems, his 0.5 Touchdown to Interception ratio, along with his 67 QB rating didn’t exactly inspire confidence in his production in the 4 games he played in. Look for Kendall to get more starts this year as the time comes for him to prove himself as a legitimate threat from the pocket this year.
4. Junior Wolfe- RB Death Valley
After a 2033 season which saw Wolfe rack up more than 2000 yards and 20 Touchdowns it seemed he was unstoppable. However, last year saw his production drop is almost every category: Yards, attempts, YPC, and TD’s. He put up respectable numbers but failed to capture the magic of the year before. Wolfe is not getting any younger and as he enters his sixth season there is already talk that his best years are behind him. Keep a close eye on Wolfe as he comes out of training camp to see if he’s really lost a step or if his intense training regimen, has knocked off a bit of the rust.
5. Ricardo Murray, Norm Kocialski & Kelly May- Brooklyn
Brooklyn turned a lot of heads this year drafting 3 Running Backs in their first five picks, including First rounder Kelly May. With cuts coming up alongside roster reduction time, one thing is for sure, someone is going home. First rounder May is obviously the favorite to take on an important role in this year’s offense, but this early in the season nothing is certain. Look for Kocialski and Murry to fight hard for the opportunity the strut their stuff this season. Brooklyn has been known to keep 3 RB’s on his roster during the season so watch for the veterans to work hard to keep their spots.
Hey I'm not trying to dog anyone's team with this list so please do not be offended if you don't think your player should be on the list. I just thought it might be a fun way to encourage discussion and league participation. Please feel free to tell me where I'm wrong or post your own players I may have missed; it's way more fun that way.