CFL best bets: Prolific passer looks to stay hot

Until the CFL expands to 10 teams with its planned addition of a franchise in Eastern Canada — Halifax and Quebec City are the leading contenders — byes will remain a weekly part of the schedule. Only two teams that have played two games remain undefeated, and they are squaring off on Thursday night in Winnipeg. While the Blue Bombers delivered a nice plus-money winner for us last week, it’s a player on the other side who gets our backing in this spot:

The bet: Over 260½ passing yards for BC Lions quarterback Vernon Adams (FanDuel)

Fans of Pac-12 football likely remember Adams from his days at Oregon. He immediately became the Ducks’ starter in 2015 after spending three years at Eastern Washington, and he went on to lead the nation is passing efficiency and yards per attempt, throwing 26 touchdown passes versus just six interceptions.

This is Adams’ first full season at the helm of the Lions, and he’s averaging an even 300 yards per game through the first two. He comfortably cleared this number in both of them despite some egregious drops by his receivers. Although top wideout Dominique Rhymes will miss this game with a foot injury, Adams gains a speedy weapon in former Dallas Cowboys playmaker Lucky Whitehead.

Adams is facing a Winnipeg pass defense that ranks last in the league, surrendering 307 yards per game. It was just torched for 400 by Saskatchewan Roughriders QB Trevor Harris, the subject of our future bet, and now the Bombers will be without defensive back Demerio Houston.

As touchdown underdogs, the Lions will need to throw to keep pace — and that spells opportunity for “Big Play VA.”