Elks set for first home Western Final since 2015 as depth chart drops for Lions matchup

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks have released their depth chart and game notes for Saturday's Western Final against the BC Lions at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium.




Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. ABT, with a berth in the Grey Cup on the line. The game can be watched on TSN or CFL+ and heard on 880 CHED.




Cody Fajardo starts at quarterback for Edmonton. It will be his seventh career playoff start, and his third with a different club after Saskatchewan and Montreal. Fajardo is 3-3 in the playoffs with 1,537 career yards and eight touchdown passes.




Justin Rankin starts at running back behind an offensive line of Brendan Bordner, Carter O'Donnell, David Beard, Coulter Woodmansey and Jordan Murray.




Austin Mack and Zach Mathis line up outside at receiver, with Joshua Cephus and Joe Robustelli in the slot. Brendan O'Leary-Orange starts at receiver, Kaion Julien-Grant is listed behind Mack, and Montrell Washington handles kick and punt returns.




On defence, Silas Hubert and Malik Carney start at end, with Noah Curtis and Tomari Fox inside. Joel Dublanko starts at middle linebacker, flanked by Dariel Djabome and Nick Anderson.




JJ Ross and Tyrell Ford start at cornerback, Kordell Jackson and Chelen Garnes at halfback, and Benjamin Sangmuah at safety.




Vincent Blanchard handles the kicking after leading the CFL in scoring this season with 211 points and a 93.1 per cent field-goal mark. Jake Julien punts, and Brad Hladik is the long snapper.




Defensive lineman DK Bonhomme and offensive lineman Brett Boyko are on the injured list, matching the club's final injury report earlier this week. Defensive back Ladarius Tennison is listed on the practice roster.




Saturday marks Edmonton's first home playoff game since the 2015 Western Final. The Elks beat Calgary in that 2015 game, their last Western Final win.




Edmonton closed the regular season on a 7-2 run to finish first in the West, capped by a five-game home winning streak. The Elks were 8-1 at home in 2026.




The clubs split their two regular-season meetings. Edmonton won 19-17 at home on July 17, after BC won 36-24 in Vancouver on July 4.




It is the first Edmonton-BC playoff meeting since the 2011 Western Final, which BC won. Edmonton holds a 9-4 edge in 13 all-time post-season meetings with the Lions, and a 3-1 edge at home in Western Finals.




BC arrives off a 33-26 Western Semi-Final win over Saskatchewan, a game the Lions took after trailing 17-3. Nathan Rourke threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns in the win.




This preview is brought to you in part by Animas Painting — interior and exterior painting in Calgary. Reach Rafael at 403-604-5529.