TORONTO – Toronto Argonauts rookie running back James Wilder Jr. has once again been named a CFL Top Performer of the Week for Week 18 after capturing the honour in Weeks 13 and 14 as well. It is Toronto’s fifth Top Performer recognition in the past six weeks.
A week after sitting out a game against Edmonton to get healthy, Wilder rushed 18 times for 112 yards and the first two-touchdown game of his CFL career in a win vs. Winnipeg on Saturday night. The do-it-all running back and former Florida State Seminole also hauled in seven receptions for 85 yards, often times dragging tacklers on his back for first downs.
Over his last five games, Wilder has burst onto the scene, putting his stamp down as one of the league’s most explosive players. Over that span, he has 65 carries for 564 yards and four touchdowns, good for 112.8 yards per game and 8.6 yards per carry. Wilder has also showed soft hands in his last five contests, coming out of the backfield to the tune of 30 catches for 350 yards.
The 25-year-old currently sits sixth in CFL rushing, quite remarkable considering he has only ran the ball 104 times on the season. His 7.1 yards per rush and six runs of 20+ yards put him at the top of those respective statistical categories. Wilder also ranks third in receiving yards amongst running backs in 2017.
Six Argos players have accounted for 11 Top Performer of the Week honours so far this season:
| Player | Week | Stats |
| Ricky Ray | 1 | 32/41, 506 YDs, 1 TD |
| S.J. Green | 1 | 7 REC, 124 YDs |
| Victor Butler | 3 | 8 DT, 3 QBS |
| S.J. Green | 3 | 10 REC, 210 YDs, 1 TD |
| Martese Jackson | 4 | 191 KR YDs, 148 PR YDs, 1 TD |
| S.J. Green | 9 | 9 REC, 145 YDs, 2 TDs |
| James Wilder Jr. | 13 | 190 RSH YDs, 67 REC YDs, 1 TD |
| James Wilder Jr. | 14 | 141 RSH YDs, 77 REC YDs, 1 TD |
| Devier Posey | 15 | 7 REC, 104 YDs, 2 TDs |
| S.J. Green | 17 | 13 REC, 159 YDs, 1 TD |
| James Wilder Jr. | 18 | 112 RSH YDs, 85 REC YDs, 2 TDs |