CFL best bets: League leader still undervalued

Coming off their second bye in five weeks of action, the 3-0 Toronto Argonauts remain the league’s only undefeated team. But if the defending champs are going to keep their record unblemished, they’ll need to earn a road win against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night. A key newcomer hoping to deliver that first loss has already done enough to merit our backing for top prop:

The bet: Over 73½ receiving yards for Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Austin Mack (FanDuel)

When you ply your trade at a wideout factory like the one Ohio State has built, getting overshadowed can come with the territory. As a senior with the Buckeyes in 2019, Mack was competing for passes with a trio of eventual top-12 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft: Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams.

Now playing his first CFL season, Mack leads the league with 388 receiving yards. He has averaged 97 over his team’s four games, and the only time he fell short of this number was by just two yards last Sunday. He still caught eight passes in that game and has seen double-digit targets in the last two.

Although the Argos have beaten every opponent by at least a dozen points, their pass defense is the league’s worst. It has allowed a whopping 322 yards through the air per game, and enemy quarterbacks are completing passes at a 72% clip.

As the Als try to keep pace with Toronto’s high-powered offense, they will count on Mack to spearhead the attack.