It wasn’t surprising to see B.C. Lions slotback Geroy Simon finish the ‘07 season as the CFL’s top receiver. How he did it, though, certainly raised eyebrows.

Simon had five catches for 211 yards - including TD receptions of 48 and 96 yards - in the Lions’ regular season-ending 25-24 win over Calgary to surpass Winnipeg’s Terrence Edwards as the league’s leading receiver. Simon ended up with 72 catches for 1,293 yards and six TDs, finishing just ahead of Edwards (80 catches, 1,280 yards and nine TDs).

Making big plays is nothing new for Simon, who was the CFL’s outstanding player in 2006 when he again led the league in receiving with 105 catches for 1,856 yards and 15 TDs. But his sparkling effort in the season finale came after he struggled earlier in the year, a testament to his desire and determination.

Surprisingly, Simon’s 2007 campaign was subpar - that is, by his standards. His yardage total was his lowest in five years and the six TDs ended a streak of four straight seasons of 10 or more touchdown grabs.

Over the last five years, Simon has accumulated 453 catches during the regular season for 7,908 yards and 58 touchdowns.

The six-foot, 198-pound Simon, who is entering his 10th CFL season (eighth with B.C.) is again expected to be a vital member of the Lions’ offence. Here’s a list of other players who bear watching over the 2008 regular season:

Jason Jiminez: It’s not often an offensive lineman makes headlines, but the B.C. Lions burly tackle did late last season when he was slapped with a one-game suspension for a controversial hit on Calgary defensive lineman Anthony Gargiulo. Jiminez appealed the suspension and it was ultimately lifted, allowing him to play both in the playoffs as well as the Lions’ season opener. It’s not hard to miss a player who is six-foot-seven and 325 pounds, but there will be people watching Jiminez this year.

Cameron Wake: The Lions defensive end took the CFL by storm last year, capturing the top rookie and defensive player awards after posting a league-high 16 sacks. A factor working in Wake’s favour again this year: the three other Lions defensive linemen are all-star calibre, making it tough to double them up.

Mike Labinjo: There’s no denying the Calgary Stampeders’ offensive firepower. But a key to the team’s success this year will be the play of its defence under new co-ordinator Chris Jones. Calgary figured the six-foot-one, 255-pound defensive end was such a big part of its future that it allowed the Toronto native to decide whether to play on the defensive line or at linebacker, where he played at Michigan State. Labinjo played six games last year before suffering a season-ending elbow injury.

Jason Tucker: The Edmonton Eskimos receiver played all of last season with an injured knee that forced him to miss five games. Subsequently, Tucker finished with 51 catches for 792 yards and six touchdowns. It marked the first time in four seasons he failed to surpass the 1,000-yard plateau and the six TDs were a career low.

Mike Vanderjagt: He’s the most accurate kicker in NFL history, but before heading south Vanderjagt helped Toronto win consecutive Grey Cup titles in 96-‘97. He’s back with the Argos, where he was once a triple threat (punter, kicker, kickoffs) but hasn’t played since being released by Dallas in 2006. The 38-year-old showed during the pre-season he’s still got a lot left.

Mike O’Shea: The Toronto Argonauts veteran linebacker is already the top Canadian-born tackler in CFL history and enters the ‘08 season needing just two more to surpass Alondra Johnson (1,084) and move into second place all-time behind Willies Pless (1,241). The six-foot-two, 224-pound middle linebacker turns 38 in September and is entering his 16th season but isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. He was Toronto’s second-leading tackler last season with 77, which left him tied for sixth in the CFL.

Marcus Crandell: The seven-year veteran quarterback will start for Saskatchewan after serving as the backup to Kerry Joseph, the ‘07 CFL MVP who was dealt to Toronto after leading the Riders to their Grey Cup title. But Crandell knows what it takes to lead a team to a CFL championship. In 2001, he guided the Calgary Stampeders to a Grey Cup crown and was named the game’s MVP.

Matt Dominguez: The Saskatchewan Roughrider was the CFL’s leading receiver with 45 catches for 761 yards and five TDs when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. In 2002, Dominguez’s second season with Denver came to an end with a left knee injury that required surgery. Then in 2005 he tore ligaments in his right knee that ended his season. In both instances, Dominguez was able to resume playing. Here’s hoping he’s third-time lucky.

Casey Printers: The former CFL MVP returned north late last season when he signed as a free agent with Hamilton. But all too often Printers looked more like someone who hadn’t played in two years than a former outstanding player award winner. The Ticats are hoping having Printers with the club from the start of training camp will help him regain his all-star form.

Jesse Lumsden: Despite being limited to 10 games due to injuries, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back ran for 743 yards and averaged a sparkling 7.6 yards per carry. He also added 26 catches for 348 yards and a TD. It would appear the sky is the limit for the former Hec Crighton Trophy winner from Burlington, Ont., as long as he can avoid injury.

Davis Sanchez: Injuries have plagued the Montreal Alouettes cornerback recently. He was limited to just nine games last year, missed five contests in 2006 due to toe and back injuries and had to watch Edmonton’s final six regular-season contests - as well as its Grey Cup championship run - from the sidelines. It wasn’t long ago that Sanchez was a difference-maker, a Canadian who could serve as a shutdown corner - a spot usually reserved for an American.

Kerry Joseph: The Toronto Argonauts have high hopes for the former Saskatchewan Roughriders starter. The Argos have relied heavily on their defence the last couple of years while the offence struggled with consistency. Toronto expects Joseph to inject some life into the unit, be it with his strong right arm (4,002 yards passing last year) or legs (737 yards rushing in 2007).

Bethel Johnson: A two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, the Toronto Argonauts signed Johnson as a deep threat. He certainly has the speed to be, having been clocked under 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He had 117 career catches for 1,740 yards and 11 touchdowns while at Texas A&M University but has played with New England (2003-‘05), New Orleans (2006), Minnesota (2006), Philadelphia and Houston (2007) before arriving in Toronto.

Milt Stegall: Last season all eyes were on Stegall as he chased - and eventually broke - the CFL’s career TD mark. This year, it’s partly because Stegall continues to recover from off-season knee surgery and no one’s sure when he’ll be back. But once he returns to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offence, Stegall will resume his quest to break Allen Pitts’ career receiving yards record of 14,891. Stegall is just 196 yards behind.