CFL best bets: Premier back leads the attack

One of the unique aspects of the CFL is that you only get three plays to gain 10 yards and a first down, which puts an emphasis on passing. But running backs are counted on to keep defenses honest, and those who are fed carries tend to offer good betting value. A prime example is provided by the subject of our top prop in Friday night’s matchup between the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats:

The bet: Over 62½ rushing yards for Montreal Alouettes running back William Stanback (FanDuel)

Because his team had a bye in Week 2, Stanback isn’t anywhere near the top of the rushing leaderboard. The Ottawa Redblacks, who are holding opponents under four yards per carry, limited him to 42 yards in the opener. But an encouraging sign is that he was given 20 touches, and he currently shares the league lead in attempts per game.

In the 2021 season, Stanback was easily the CFL’s best running back. His 1,176 rushing yards were more than 300 better than anyone else, and even when receiving yards are included in players’ totals, he bested his peers by more than 200 yards. Then he suffered a broken ankle in last year’s first game, costing him most of the season.

The Ti-Cats own the league’s worst run defense, giving up 128 rushing yards per contest. Each of their first two opponents topped the century mark, and Alouettes coach Jason Maas recently stressed the importance of remaining committed to the ground game.

That’s good news for Stanback, who gashed Hamilton for a career-best 203 rushing yards back in 2019. Just posting a third of that total will do the trick for us tonight.