The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be without reigning Most Outstanding Rookie wide receiver Dalton Schoen for Saturday's West Final against the BC Lions due to an ankle injury.
Schoen, 27, had not participated in practice leading up to the West Final alongside fellow wide receivers Nic Demkski and Rasheed Bailey.
#Bombers West Final lineup notes: Dalton Schoen is out; Nic Demski and Rasheed Bailey will be game-time decisions. #CFL #BCLions @TSN_Edge @CFLonTSN
— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNWpg) November 10, 2023
The Overland Park, Kan., native followed up his award-worthy 2022 season with 1,233 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games.
Schoen last played in Week 18 against the Lions, catching five passes for 86 yards.
Demski and Bailey, who were both limited participants on Thursday with respective ankle and knee injuries, enter Saturday as game-time decisions.
The 29-year-old Demski played in 17 regular-season games for the Blue Bombers. The Winnipeg native caught 67 passes for 1,006 yards and six touchdowns.
TSN's John Lu reported earlier in the week that Bailey, 30, took part in position drills but no formations. The Philadelphia, Penn., native played in 18 regular-season games this year, making 46 receptions for 508 yards and six touchdowns.
While the Bombers might be missing some key pieces of their league-leading offence pioneered by two-time Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros, Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea isn't concerned.
"I think what's most important is a balanced offence that on that particular day is going figure out very quickly what it's going to take to win," said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea Thursday about potentially being without his top wideouts.
"You have three phases of football [offence, defence, special teams], and you have to win games differently every single week depending on what the other team trots out and the situations you get put in."
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bombers will have defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat, who was listed as questionable with a hip injury.
