FAJARO OR HARKER?

Riders starting QB up in the air for final game

If there is even a sprinkle of doubt, sit him out.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ brass must apply that mindset with respect to franchise quarterback Cody Fajardo, who has an injured oblique muscle.

Yes, the Riders can clinch first place in the CFL’S West Division by defeating the visiting Edmonton Eskimos today.

Roughriders home games are rarely of such magnitude.

Regardless, caution should rule the day. That was the unavoidable conclusion after listening to Fajardo and head coach Craig Dickenson on Friday.

When asked about Fajardo’s status, Dickenson said: “I’m not overly optimistic, but we’re going to wait until tomorrow.”

“If the game were today,” Fajardo added, “I would not be able to play.”

Can that much change, beneficially, in one day?

Forging ahead with Fajardo would seem to be fraught with excessive risk.

Quarterback Trevor Harris is among the front-line Edmonton players who will be rested today, so the Roughriders are unlikely to find themselves in an aerial battle. So they may very well be able to get by with rookie Isaac Harker making his first professional start.

If not, well, there will be other battles — the first of which will be a home playoff game, regardless of what transpires on Saturday.

As of this writing, it does seem like a stretch to imagine that Fajardo will be behind centre in a matter of hours.

The pain, by his description, is “pretty tremendous.” That has been the case since early in Wednesday’s practice.

“I threw a deep ball to my left to Manny (Arceneaux) and found myself on my knees on the ground,” Fajardo said.

“I felt like I got stabbed.” A victory would give Saskatchewan first place in the West Division for the first time since 2009, and only the second time in a span of 43 seasons.

In a magical season for the team, the injury to Fajardo is unquestionably a blow.

But it need not be fatal, as long as all precautions are taken.