Canada Sports Betting takes a look at three players to target in Week 17 of the CFL regular season to score a touchdown.
With only five weeks remaining in the CFL regular season, bettors have had a chance to really get to know the nine teams and their players over the last 16 weeks of play. There’s plenty of data to analyze and varying motivation levels of teams with the playoffs on the horizon, giving bettors an edge when it comes to handicapping player props.
Remember, you can always find the best CFL betting sites and Grey Cup odds here at Canada Sports Betting.
Let’s take a look at three players with good value to find the back of the end zone in Week 17 of the CFL season.
James Butler (BC Lions): -150
James Butler has scored a touchdown in three straight games and five of his last six, as he continues to be a focal point of BC’s top-ranked offence (averaging 30.7 points per game). In his previous matchup against Toronto in Week 12, Butler recorded a pair of rushing touchdowns and 83 yards on just 11 carries.
Toronto owns the worst defence in the league, allowing 31.3 points per game and 102.1 rushing yards per game.
This matchup has the highest game total on the board this week at a consensus 56.5 points, so oddsmakers are expecting plenty of scoring. There are serious playoff implications for both teams heading into this matchup, so motivation will be high on both sides of the ball.
The juice is worth the squeeze on a Butler anytime touchdown this week, so don’t shy away from the steep -150 price (FanDuel).
Nathan Rourke (BC Lions): -130
We’re going to recommend a second Lions player to score a rushing touchdown this week.
BC quarterback Nathan Rourke has been calling his own number in the red zone plenty over the last couple of weeks, recording five rushing touchdowns in that span. He’s up to seven total on the season, and he’ll be using his legs against Toronto’s wonky defence to get the job done again in Week 17.
Rourke had just one rushing attempt for a whopping 47 yards against the Boatmen back in Week 12, but he should carry the ball much more in this week’s rematch, perhaps around five times closer to his per-game average.
Back Rourke to scramble his way to paydirt at -130 odds (FanDuel).
Greg Bell (Hamilton Tiger-Cats): +105
Bell has become the bell cow running back in Hamilton over the last three weeks, as the Tiger-Cats have made a conscious decision to run the ball much more since Week 13 to balance out their potent air attack.
Bell has averaged just under 20 carries per game over the last three weeks, amassing an impressive 386 yards and two rushing touchdowns in that span. He also caught seven passes for 39 yards last week against Edmonton and even hauled in his first receiving touchdown of the year in Week 15 against Winnipeg.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have done a solid job at stopping the run this year, allowing the opposition to rush for just 94.5 yards per game (third in the league). However, the defence has three defensive backs questionable for this contest due to various injuries, which could throw off their typical game plan. Hamilton’s new balanced approach on offence could be a very stiff test for Winnipeg on Saturday, and you can bet Bell will get his carries and a few passes thrown his way in this critical game in the standings for both of these likely playoff-bound teams.
Most online sportsbooks are offering plus money on a Bell TD, so lock it in!
