Courtesy Regina Leader Post:

The status of Saskatchewan Roughriders running backs Wes Cates and Josh Ranek remains questionable for Sunday’s West Division final against the B.C. Lions.

Cates, who was the Roughriders’ main tailback until missing three games with an injured foot, was expected to have an MRI and CAT scan Tuesday to determine the extent of his injury. Ranek, who was added as insurance for the regular-season finale for the Roughriders, suffered a concussion in Sunday’s 26-24 victory over the Calgary Stampeders during a special teams play. Ranek said Tuesday that he had not suffered any symptoms from the hit but was still waiting to be cleared for duty.

“We’re just going to have to wait and see,” Cates said when asked about his chances of being able to play Sunday.

Cates made it through one practice last week before being sidelined with the lingering injury. Cates wouldn’t say if the injury was a sprain or, as has been speculated, a hairline fracture.

“It’s one of those quirky injuries that is in a rough spot,” said Cates, who led the Roughriders with 866 yards and five touchdowns on 152 carries. “I just have to make sure that the rest of my body is as healthy and as strong as it could be by the time we get to B.C. I have to be in the best physical shape that I can be in to not put too much stress on my foot.”

Ranek didn’t remember the hit that knocked him out of the latter stages of the game. He talked to the Roughriders training staff and told them he didn’t suffer any nausea or headaches, which are good signs.

“I’m supposed to see the doctor (Tuesday) and hopefully everything goes well,” said Ranek. “There seems to be some sort of injury bug floating around (the running backs). That is the nature of the position but there are guys who play that position who have shown that they are willing to play through the pain.”

Corey Holmes, who added the starting tailback position to his role as the Riders’ primary returner Sunday, showed that when he suffered an apparent shoulder injury. He missed one game with a tender right shoulder and missed some plays on Sunday.

“The shoulder is doing well and it’s not anything that is going to keep me out of the lineup,” Holmes said. “I still finished the game, so I expect to be in the next game. It was one of those injuries that don’t happen a lot, but they do. You just have to rest and it goes away.”

The return of fullback Chris Szarka doesn’t look likely. He has been sidelined since Oct. 15 after partially severing the thumb and forefinger on his left hand during a table saw accident at his home.

“He looks iffy,” Roughriders head coach Kent Austin said. “We should know more about him (on Wednesday).”

Austin hopes to learn more about the availability of his running backs today.

“We’re comfortable with the guys that we have,” Austin said. “If we’re down that deep (to Ranek) then it becomes a bit of an issue.”