KeeSean Johnson emerging as a top Riders receiver

Despite spending five games on the practice roster, KeeSean Johnson is emerging as a CFL receiver — something that’s not surprising to the Saskatchewan Roughriders brass.

“We saw the potential of the player he could be and he got familiar with the game and game speed. None of that kind of stuff shocks us around here, we see it every day,” said head coach Corey Mace. “We’re happy he’s making the plays that are coming to him.”

The first-year CFLer played in Week 1 of the regular season for the Green and White but then missed the next couple of games due to injury. He was then back for a Week 5 game against the Toronto Argonauts but then was put onto the practice roster. He would be on the practice roster until joining the active roster again in Week 8 against the Montreal Alouettes.

Since then, the 27-year-old has appeared in nine straight games and now is tied for the Riders lead with five receiving touchdowns (Sam Emilus and Shawn Bane Jr. also have five). This season as a whole, Johnson also has 51 catches for 688 yards including back-to-back games with over 100 receiving yards.

Johnson said the opportunity has allowed him to emerge over this last stretch of games.

“My coach putting up a great game plan, (quarterback) Trevor (Harris) making the right reads and just trusting us as a unit and I feel that’s what it is,” Johnson said. “Just me going out there and being the competitor I am and trying to execute.”

Johnson also made a big play in the team’s 28-24 win over the Edmonton Elks last week. He went over top of a Elks defender to haul in a touchdown pass in the contest.

“I saw his positioning and I was like, ‘I’m just going to put this in a spot for him to get a rebound,’ and it felt like we had a size mismatch and so I put it up in a spot where he could get a rebound off the rim,” Harris said. “I knew from early on I was going to have a great working relationship with KeeSean … He’s a guy that when you play with him, it makes the game easy and it looks easy.”

Johnson admitted it felt good to make a play like that.

“As a competitor and a football player, those are plays you want to make against whoever is out there. Even if it’s in practice, I want to make the play against my teammate.”

The win over the Elks has punched the Riders’ ticket to the CFL postseason. Saskatchewan take on the B.C. Lions on Saturday. If the Riders win, the club will clinch a home playoff game.

Ouellette, offensive linemen return, Bane Jr. out for season

The Riders once again got some good news and bad news when it came to injuries.

Running back AJ Ouellette logged a full practice after missing six games with a hip injury. He could return to the lineup this week. Running back Ryquell Armstead was limited in practice with a shoulder injury.

Offensive linemen Zack Fry (elbow) and Jacob Brammer (knee) both returned to practice this week.

Defensive back Amari Henderson (illness), linebacker C.J. Reavis (knee), linebacker Adam Auclair (knee) and defensive end Lake Korte-Moore (knee) all didn’t participate.

Wide receiver Shawn Bane Jr. announced on Instagram his season is over after suffering a knee injury against the Ottawa Redblacks.