Rankin double offensive threat for Elks with Argonauts their Friday foe

Montreal Alouettes' Marc-Antoine Dequoy (24) misses the tackle on Edmonton Elks' Justin Rankin (5) during first half CFL action in Edmonton, on Thursday June 19, 2025.

Justin Rankin led the Edmonton Elks in yards gained in their most-recent Canadian Football League game, a one-point win over the Montreal Alouettes.

And every single yard the running back gained came on a receiving play.

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The Alouettes defence neutered the Elks’ ground attack last Friday, holding Rankin and fellow rusher Javon Leake to zero yards in a combined six attempted carries while quarterback Cody Fajardo managed 14 yards on three scampers.

For Rankin, it didn’t matter.

The 28-year-old, who’s been on the team’s active roster for a little more than a year now, caught four of Fajardo’s 27 completions for 88 yards, including a 43-yard catch in the second quarter that stood as the longest Elks offensive play of the eventual 23-22 win.

The leading Elks rusher has carried the ball 61 times in eight games this season, averaging five yards per carry, for 308 yards — good for seventh in the CFL — and two touchdowns. He’s third on the Elks in receiving yards with 340 — 249 of them yards after catch, best on the team by 123 yards — and two more TDs.

Rankin told media Tuesday after practice at Commonwealth Stadium, where the Elks are slated to host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night starting at 7 p.m., that he’s accustomed to being part of a team’s passing game.

“I already think it’s nothing new. Everybody knows I was brought in as a receiver,” said Rankin, a three-year veteran of U.S. arena football before he joined the Elks last year.

“It was just something I’m used to, even before the CFL. I’ve always run routes. I’ve always been a receiving back, and I take pride in that. If the run game isn’t working, give it to me through the air. I don’t want to just be a one-way, one-trick pony ...

“I’m just glad that everybody trusts me and believes in me to be able to throw me those balls and put me on routes.”

Fajardo described Rankin as tenacious and as the Elks’ “flint on offence.”

“He’s the guy that gets the fire started, and to tell you the truth, most running backs — if they had five carries for zero yards (like Rankin last Friday in Montreal) — they’re shutting down mentally, and that guy came out,” Fajardo said on Tuesday. “He protected his butt off. He ran great routes. He caught the ball, and he finished forward. He just punished dudes on the field every time he caught the ball.”

Argos better than their record, says QB

Fajardo said while this Friday’s foe might have a record that mirrors his own team’s (2-7 compared to 2-6), he’s wary of the reigning Grey Cup champions, pointing out the Argonauts have a prolific offence (second in league points scored).

“We don’t think our record indicates our team and how good we are and how talented we are, they’re going to feel the same way,” said the 33-year-old signal-caller who took over as starter from Tre Ford three games ago. “They’re going to give us everything they have. This is a team (that has) an offence that scored a lot of points (and) a defence that has done a great job of turning the ball over.”

Elks head coach Mark Kilam said it’s important for his team “to start fast” against the Argos.

“We’re at home. (Toronto) is on a short week; we’re on a regular week. We want to get out of the gate,” the first-year coach told media on Thursday after walk-through.

Punter on long-term injury list

Punter Cody Grace is on the six-game injured list after suffering a knee injury last week in the Elks’ win over the Alouettes.

Vincent Blanchard will handle punting duties along with his regular kicking responsibilities.

The Elks added punter Ethan Duane to their practice roster on Monday.