A desperate Toronto Argonauts squad heads west to face a BC Lions team that just lost its franchise quarterback for the season.
This Week’s CFL Schedule
WhenSaturday, July 25 at 7:00 PM ET
WhereBC Place Stadium, Vancouver
TVTSN, CBS Sports Network
StreamWatch live on CFL+
LineToronto Argonauts -3 | O/U 58
Two teams heading in opposite directions of the standings but somehow both stuck in the basement. Toronto sits 2-4 and has dropped three straight, including last week’s heartbreaker to Hamilton, 23-24. BC is 1-4 and just watched a winnable game slip away in a 17-19 loss to Edmonton, but the bigger story out of Vancouver is who lines up under center now that Nathan Rourke is done for the year.
The Lions shipped Rourke to reserve roster this week with a left shoulder injury, and BC signed Tyrie Adams to the active roster as a direct response. That’s a massive swing for a team already banged up across the secondary and receiving corps, with Stanley Berryhill III, Jevon Cottoy and Nate Demontagnac all out. Toronto isn’t exactly healthy either — this feels like a game decided as much by who’s left standing as who’s playing better football.
Players to Watch:
Chad Kelly (Toronto Argonauts, QB) — 147/212 for 2,126 yards and 15 TDs this year, but nine picks means one bad read can flip the game.
Tyrie Adams (BC Lions, QB) — Freshly added off the street after Rourke’s shoulder injury, and gets thrown right into a home start against a team that just lost three straight.
Janarion Grant (Toronto Argonauts, WR) — Cleared from a knee issue and back on the active roster, giving Kelly another weapon after a rough stretch through the air.
Injury Watch:
Nathan Rourke (BC Lions, QB) — Out, moved to reserve roster with a left shoulder injury, ending his season.
Cameron Judge (Toronto Argonauts, LB) — Doubtful with a hamstring issue, a blow to a Toronto front seven that’s already without Andrew Chatfield Jr.
Dymere Miller (Toronto Argonauts, WR) — Out, shifted to six-game injury, thinning Toronto’s receiving group further.
Stanley Berryhill III, Jevon Cottoy, Nate Demontagnac (BC Lions, WR) — All out, leaving BC’s passing attack in tatters no matter who’s throwing it.
Pick: Toronto Argonauts 26-20. Toronto is just 2-4 against the spread this year and has lost three in a row outright, but a first career start for Adams behind a Lions offense missing three receivers is too much to overcome. Both teams have hit the over in four of their last five games, so don’t be shocked if this one climbs past that 58-point number late.
CFL Standings
TeamWLPFPA
Edmonton Elks61203172
Montreal Alouettes51208186
Saskatchewan Roughriders42204169
Winnipeg Blue Bombers43185208
Hamilton Tiger-Cats33149159
Calgary Stampeders34278244
Toronto Argonauts24194207
BC Lions14140156
Ottawa Redblacks06153213
Quick Hits
BC scrambled to reload the roster this week, adding Tyrie Adams, Joshua Donovan, Chase Henning, Colby Taylor and Ralen Goforth while shipping Rourke, Ben Hladik and Dawson Pierre to injury lists.
Toronto also got active roster help back with Janarion Grant and Nolan Ulm returning from injury designations, even as Dakoda Shepley and Cameron Judge go the other way.
Fantasy players should stash Chad Kelly for touchdown upside against a BC secondary down Cristophe Beaulieu, Ben Hladik and Garry Peters — but temper expectations given his nine interceptions.
The QB change in Vancouver is the storyline of the week — Adams gets thrown into the fire against a divisional-style road test with almost no notice.
Standings | Full Schedule | League Leaders
Who wins this week? Drop your picks in the comments.