Begelton, Roberson among team nominees for CFL’s outstanding player awards

TORONTO — CFL teams have released their picks for outstanding players for the 2019 CFL Awards.

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo and Hamilton Tiger-Cats receiver Brandon Banks were their teams’ selections for the CFL’s outstanding player award Wednesday.

Voting was conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada and nine CFL head coaches.

Fajardo has been a key figure this season for Saskatchewan (12-5), having completed 71.5 per cent of his passes for a league-best 4,302 yards with 18 TDs and eight interceptions.

If Fajardo, who began the year as the backup quarterback, can lead his team to victory Saturday against the Edmonton Eskimos, the Riders will finish atop the West Division for the first time since ’09.

The fleet-footed Banks — whose nickname is “Speedy B” — has a club-record 112 catches for Hamilton (league-best 14-3 record) with 1,550 yards and 13 TDs. All three are CFL-high numbers.

Also joining Fajardo and Banks as unanimous top player selections were Montreal Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., receivers Bryan Burnham of the B.C. Lions and Reggie Begelton of the Calgary Stampeders.

The other nominees include Edmonton quarterback Trevor Harris, Winnipeg defensive lineman Willie Jefferson, Toronto receiver Derel Walker and Ottawa linebacker Avery Williams.

Jefferson and Williams (defensive player) were both double nominees. So too were Toronto’s Cleyon Laing (Canadian, defensive player), Calgary’s Nate Holley (unanimous as special teams, rookie), Winnipeg’s Mike Miller (Canadian, unanimous as special teams), Montreal’s Henoc Muamba (defensive, Canadian) and Ottawa’s Nolan MacMillan (Canadian, lineman).

A notable absentee was Winnipeg running back Andrew Harris, who ran for 1,380 yards to earn a third straight CFL rushing crown. Harris, the league’s top Canadian in 2017, served a two-game suspension this season following a positive drug test.

Hamilton linebacker Simoni Lawrence and Saskatchewan’s Charleston Hughes were both nominated for the top defensive player honour along with Edmonton linebacker Larry Dean and defensive backs T.J. Lee from B.C. and Tre Roberson of Calgary.

Calgary linebacker Cory Greenwood, Cameron Judge of Saskatchewan and B.C. receiver Lemar Durant were unanimous selections as top Canadian. The other nominees included Edmonton’s Kwaku Boateng and Hamilton’s Brandon Revenberg.

Winnipeg’s Stanley Bryant was a unanimous pick as top lineman, an honour he’s received the last two years. Edmonton’s David Beard, Saskatchewan’s Dan Clark and Toronto’s Sean McEwen were also unanimous selections while Joel Figueroa (B.C.), Kristian Matte (Montreal), Shane Bergman (Calgary) and Chris Van Zeyl (Hamilton) were nominated.

The division finalists will be announced Nov. 7. The CFL will honour its top performers Nov. 21 in Calgary.

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