Receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker is on pace to break Saskatchewan’s single-season receiving yardage total.
Taylor Shire, Regina Leader-Post
Kian Schaffer-Baker isn’t about to let any projections satisfy him.
Through the first six games of the 2026 CFL season, the 28-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver is on pace to rack up 1,968 receiving yards, which would break the club’s record of 1,715 receiving yards set by Joe Walters in 1981.
Despite logging a one-catch, nine-yard game in Week 5, Schaffer-Baker has gone over 100 yards three times this season while recording 656 receiving yards in six games.
Still, he’s not satisfied.
“No, never,” said the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Mississauga product whose career high is 960 receiving yards in 2022. “If you’re satisfied, you’ve already lost.
“If you’re not looking to improve, you’ve already lost the battle. We’re always looking at ways to get better and go 1-0 each and every single day.”
After being selected by Saskatchewan in the fourth round of the 2020 CFL draft, Schaffer-Baker has recorded seasons of 563, 960, 430, 735 and 177 receiving yards in his first five seasons.
Last week, despite recording a career-high 185 receiving yards, topping his previous personal best of 170 yards in 2022, Schaffer-Baker’s performance was soured as his team lost 36-34 loss to the Edmonton Elks in a game that was decided on the final play, with Edmonton kicking a 57-yard field goal for the win.
“The goal each and every single week is to go 1-0,” said Schaffer-Baker, who had six 100-yard games in the first 57 games of his career. “We fell just slightly short of that goal.
“How can we go 1-0 this week? That’s all we’re thinking about. Each and every single day, every opportunity we get, 1-0.”
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This week, Schaffer-Baker and the Roughriders (4-2) will get a chance for redemption as they are set to visit Edmonton (6-1) on Saturday (5 p.m.) in the second half of a home-and-home series in Week 9.
“Most definitely,” he said. “Sometimes you’ve got to wait a couple weeks to get your lick back, but we get this lick back in a couple of days, so we’re looking forward to this.”
Schaffer-Baker isn’t the only Roughrider receiver having a strong start to the season as KeeSean Johnson and Samuel Emilus are also on pace to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark. With 567 yards, Johnson is on pace for 1,701 while Emilus is on pace for 1,344 after recording 448 yards in his first six games.
Johnson (43) and Schaffer-Baker (42) also rank second and third respectively in the CFL in receptions, which has them both on pace to beat Saskatchewan’s single-season record of 123 by Don Narcisse in 1995.
However, projections, as Schaffer-Baker points out, are only projections.
“There’s always what ifs,” he said. “What if I picked a different number? I could have won the lottery the last three weeks? I don’t leave anything up to what ifs.”
To continue the projection thread through the first third of the season, Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, with 16 passing touchdowns in six games, is on pace to beat Kent Austin’s single-season record of 35 passing touchdowns in a season. There’s no doubt he’s benefitting from the trio of receivers including Schaffer-Baker.
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“When I first got here, I didn’t get to play with him in ‘23 but during that season, I thought it’d be an opportunity for me to study the games of each of the receivers,” said Harris, who was limited to five games that season while Schaffer-Baker missed the first 10 weeks recovering from off-season hip surgery. “And after the season I said, I hope we get a full season together because I think you’ll go for 1,500 and I think maybe I lowballed him.
“But either way, that’s really not what it’s about. And Schaff will tell you the same thing … It’s not about numbers; it’s about us doing the best we can for the Saskatchewan Roughrider football club and doing what it takes to win games.”
While Schaffer-Baker ranks second in the league entering Week 9 behind Montreal’s Tyson Philpot, who is also on pace to break records as he has 839 yards and 55 receptions in seven games, he maintains his belief of wins serving as the most important stat for a football player with the ultimate goal of winning the Grey Cup, like the Roughriders did in 2025.
“That’s what it’s all about,” said Schaffer-Baker. “That’s what we all come in here each and every single day chasing.
“The goal is not to win 10 games or to have 1,500 yards or 20 touchdowns, it’s to finish with that Grey Cup in that last game of the year.”
Injury Report
Emilus (foot) didn’t participate for a second straight day however it appears there’s a chance he will still play this week.
“I think we’re pretty hopeful,” said head coach Corey Mace. “We should see him out here tomorrow.”
Defensive back Nelson Lokombo (ankle) logged a second straight full workout while halfback Rolan Milligan Jr. (knee) left the workout early. His status is unknown.
Linebacker Ryder Varga (knee) appears poised to make his Roughrider debut this week after starting the season on the six-game injured list while guard Zack Fry (knee) and running back A.J. Ouellette (knee) are destined for the injured list.
tshire@postmedia.com
