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Sports Online's 2005 All-Stars

After 162 regular-season games chock-full of broken records, milestones, crushing tackles, highlight-reel catches, big-time drives and nail-biting finishes, CBC Sports Online presents its picks for the top performers in the CFL:

Battling a sore ankle for most of the season, the 42-year-old Allen surpassed the 5,000-yard passing mark (5,082) for the first time in his illustrious 21-year career. The league's career passing leader also tossed 33 touchdowns against 15 interceptions in leading Toronto to an 11-7 record and first place in the East Division for the first time since 1997. Allen's best month was October when he averaged more than 380 yards over a four-game period, throwing nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. A first-time finalist for the CFL's most outstanding player award, Allen also was named an East all-star.

Honourable mention:
Anthony Calvillo – Montreal Alouettes
Dave Dickenson – B.C. Lions

The 26-year-old workhorse won his second rushing title in three years. Roberts ran for a career-best 1,624 yards on 290 carries, both league highs, and topped the CFL in yards from scrimmage with 2,098. His 12 rushing touchdowns were second only to Antonio Warren of the B.C. Lions. Roberts, who played in all 18 regular-season games for the third straight season, also caught 49 passes for 474 yards. He was the Bombers' nominee for the CFL's most outstanding player award.

Honourable mention:
Joffrey Reynolds – Calgary Stampeders
Robert Edwards – Montreal Alouettes

Edmonton's big-play wideout thrived with quarterback Ricky Ray back in the starting role, finishing first in receiving yardage (1,411) ahead of Calgary's Nik Lewis (1,379). The durable Tucker topped the 200-yard mark once this season – 217 reception yards against Montreal on Aug. 26 – and surpassed 100 yards five times. His 105-yard pass-and-run against Winnipeg on June 30 was the longest touchdown reception in the CFL this season. It also set an Eskimos record for longest TD catch.

Over in Winnipeg, Mr. Consistency didn't rack up the most reception yards in the CFL in 2005, but Stegall was second to none in touchdowns (17) and yards-per-catch (22.8). The 35-year-old slotback picked up 1,184 yards on 52 catches to lead all Bombers receivers. Stegall also reached the 1,000-yard mark in receiving for the eighth time in his 11-year career, tying him for the fourth most 1,000-yard seasons all-time with Ray Elgaard and Donald Narcisse. The league's premier playmaker had a career game on Oct. 10, hauling in four passes for a personal-best 234 yards.

Honourable mention:
Kerry Watkins – Montreal
Nik Lewis – Calgary

O'Day, the relative unknown of the Roughriders' front five, was a big reason Saskatchewan allowed the fewest quarterback sacks in 2005 (23) and averaged the most rushing yards per game (135.3). In his ninth CFL season, the 31-year-old O'Day started 13 games at centre and earned his second Western Division all-star nomination in the last three years.

Honourable mention:
Gene Makowsky – Saskatchewan
Scott Flory – Montreal

While the Lions struggled late in the season, Johnson turned his play up a notch. He counted four quarterback sacks in the regular-season finale against Saskatchewan to give him 16, tops in the CFL and six more than Johnson posted in 2004. The fifth-year defensive end also forced two fumbles in 16 games this season. Johnson, a two-time West all-star, is this year's division finalist for most outstanding Canadian.

Honourable mention:
Gavin Walls – Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Anthony Collier – Ottawa Renegades

White teamed with Scott Coe, Brian Clark and John Grace to form what some believe is the most effective linebacking corps in the CFL. A two-time all-Canadian, White made 113 defensive tackles to share the league lead with Toronto's Kevin Eiben. The third-year Stampeder also tied Edmonton's Joe Montford and B.C.'s Tyrone Williams with four forced fumbles. White also registered three quarterback sacks and topped Calgary with 20 special-team tackles.

Honourable mention:
John Grace – Calgary
Michael Fletcher – Toronto

Despite another tough season for the Renegades, Banks did give fans something to cheer about. The 26-year-old defensive back was named Ottawa's top defensive player this season after making 44 defensive tackles, knocking down 12 passes and delivering 44 hits in 18 games. A two-time CFL defensive player of the week, Banks led the league with 10 interceptions, returning two for touchdowns.

Honourable mention:
Richard Karikari – Montreal
Barron Miles – B.C.

As versatile as they come, the five-foot-eight-inch Holmes will battle Toronto quarterback Damon Allen for outstanding player honours. He was also named outstanding special teams player in the West Division. The running back-receiver-kick returner amassed a whopping league-best 3,455 yards in total offence, the third-highest regular-season total of all-time. Holmes finished ninth in CFL rushing (899 yards) and was second in both punt returns and kickoff returns. The 29-year-old also was a favourite target of quarterbacks Nealon Greene and Marcus Crandell, catching 56 balls for 523 yards.

Honourable mention:
Keith Stokes – Winnipeg
Tony Tompkins – Edmonton

The five-foot-11-inch, 205-pound Prefontaine is probably one of the few CFL kickers who enjoys a 50-yard field goal as much as delivering a bone-crunching hit. In his eighth year with Toronto, Prefontaine was third in scoring among kickers with 160 points. He finished second only to Winnipeg's Jon Ryan in punting average (45.2 yards) and led the East with a 75 per cent field-goal success rate (33 of 44). Prefontaine, a seven-time East all-star nominee as a punter, averaged 61.1 yards on kickoffs, converted 49 touchdowns and added 12 singles.

Honourable mention:
Damon Duval – Montreal
Jamie Boreham – Hamilton