While the season didn’t turn out the way fans wanted for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, second-year receiver Kian Shaffer-Baker was a shining bright spot all year long.
Now, the 24-year-old Canadian has been named a CFL West Division all-star.
With high expectations for receivers Duke Williams, Kyran Moore and Shaq Evans coming into the season, Schaffer-Baker was largely looked at as a fourth option on the team.
But as players went down with injuries and underperformed on the field, Shaffer-Baker quickly became Cody Fajardo’s, and later Mason Fine’s, favourite target.
Schaffer-Baker set new career highs in almost every category this season.
He finished the year with 68 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns. Schaffer-Baker finished the season 11th in the CFL and second out of all Canadian wideouts in receiving yards.
One of the seemingly best qualities for the six-foot-four receiver is his ability to bounce off first contact. One of the most dynamic players on the team, Schaffer-Baker earned 412 yards after the catch.
His standout performance of the year came against none other than the BC Lions, where he had five catches for 170 yards and a touchdown in one of the Riders’ few victories.
The victory was largely due to the play of Schaffer-Baker, as talk about the Lions’ star receivers Bryan Burnham, Lucky Whitehead and Dominic Rhymes echoed throughout the stadium before the game.
The Mississauga, Ont., receiver also helped in the rushing game this season, carrying the ball 13 times for 74 yards.
The CFL all-stars will be announced on Nov. 10.