Rankin believes he's capable of becoming CFL's first 1,000-yard rusher and receiver

Edmonton Elks' Justin Rankin (5) celebrates a touchdown against the Montreal Alouettes during second half CFL football action in Edmonton on Saturday, June 20, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Codie McLachlan

Justin Rankin believes he can do what’s never been done before in the CFL.

No player in league history has ever registered 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. Rankin flirted with the achievement last year, rushing for 1,013 yards while adding 56 receptions for 713 yards.

“It’s definitely something I was thinking about last year, doing something nobody has ever done before and making history,” Rankin said. “It would definitely be pretty cool to achieve that but it’s not something I’m actively thinking about this year.

“I just want to win. I could care less if I have 300 all-purpose yards or zero each game, if we leave the facility with a win, I’m good.”

However, Rankin believes he’s capable of registering the elusive milestone.

“I think it’s very attainable,” he said. “To be honest, I think I could’ve done it last year.

“It just didn’t happen but I was right there.”

The five-foot-10, 205-pound Rankin is off to a flying start to the season. He leads the league in rushing with 281 yards (9.1-yard average) and three touchdowns while being Edmonton’s leading receiver with 10 catches for 145 yards.

On Thursday night, Edmonton (2-0) visits Winnipeg (1-1).

Andrew Harris, now an assistant coach with the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders, came close to achieving the historic double in 2017. He had 1,035 rushing yards and 857 receiving yards with Winnipeg.

So did Toronto’s Robert Drummond in 1997 when he had 1,134 rushing yards and 85 catches for 840 yards.

Roger Craig of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, became the first player in pro football history to achieve the milestone in 1985 (1,050 yards rushing, 1,050 yards receiving). Marshall Faulk of the L.A. Rams (1999) and Christian McCaffrey, then of the Carolina Panthers (2019), are the only others to do so.

Rankin, 29, is in his third season with Edmonton, and immediately showed his rushing prowess. He ran for 765 yards (7.8-yard average) and five TDs on 98 carries over 11 regular-season games in 2024 but only had nine catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.

“I was a third-string running back just trying to fit in but they (Elks) brought me in as a receiver so (catching passes) wasn’t something new to me,” Rankin said. “I’ve always prided myself on being versatile so being able to do all of that (run, catch and block) is huge because those things help a team win, especially pass protection.

“Cody (Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo) is someone I look up to, want to protect and play hard for. The more you can do the more you’ll stay on the field and I always want to be on the field to help the team and do whatever it is we’re trying to accomplish.”

Rankin also spent time as a receiver at Kent State and the Indoor Football League before arriving in Edmonton.

On Thursday night, Edmonton will attempt to go to 3-0 for the first time since 2017. The franchise last made the playoffs in 2019 and is coming off consecutive 7-11 campaigns.

So starting the season on a winning note is huge, Rankin said.

“It’s contagious, especially early on,” he said. “The more you can win early, especially within the division, that can really help you a lot down the road.”

Then again, it’s not like Edmonton is sneaking up on anyone. After losing six of their first seven regular-season games in 2025, the Elks went 6-5 in their final 11 under rookie head coach Mark Kilam.

“I think we set a foundation that last half of the season and we’re just stacking bricks at this point,” Rankin said. “I don’t think there’s any sneaking up on anybody.

“I think people saw what we had last year and this is us just continuing to show that.”

Rankin credits Edmonton’s early success to the combination of familiarity between returning players and coaches and some solid off-season moves by GM Ed Hervey. Among Hervey’s free-agent acquisitions were defensive lineman Malik Carney and offensive linemen Coulter Woodmansey, Brendan Bordner and Jordan Murray.

“I think we just have guys who believe in each other and what we’re trying to do as an organization and team,” Rankin said.

Over his first two CFL seasons, Rankin listed various personal goals he wanted to achieve. In 2026, he has just one.

“Win a Grey Cup and do whatever it takes to accomplish that,” he said. “That’s all that matters.

“If that’s me having 500 yards rushing on the season or 2,000, I just want to hold the Grey Cup at the end of the year.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press