The Toronto Argonauts face off against the Edmonton Elks in Week 21 of CFL action on Friday night.
The Argos have wrapped up home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs and my Argonauts vs. Elks predictions are betting on them to give less than a stellar performance in a meaningless road finale.
Here are my CFL picks for this October 25 clash.
Argonauts vs Elks prediction
My best bet
Elks -3.5 (-110 at Sports Interaction)
My analysis
Since this is a meaningless game for the Toronto Argonauts, they're resting several key starters including reigning MOP winner Chad Kelly. The Argos have thrown for 307.1 passing yards per game with Kelly under center but averaged a CFL-worst 210.9 ypg through the air when he was suspended during the first half of the season.
The Argos have the highest-graded offensive line in the league per PFF but left tackle Isiah Cage is on the six-game IL. They've decided to rest his replacement Ryan Hunter this week while also giving the night off to right tackle Dejon Allen and guard Dylan Giffin. Running back Ka'Deem Carey who is third in the league with 1,060 rushing yards will also sit out.
They are also resting key players on the other side of the ball and will be without end Robbie Smith, defensive backs Tunde Adeleke and DaShaun Amos, and star linebacker Wynton McManis.
The Edmonton Elks are set to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year but have shown plenty of fight. While they began the year on an ugly seven-game losing streak, the majority of those defeats came in close contests. They've won six of their last 10 games with their only defeats coming against division leaders Winnipeg (twice) and Montreal, and playoff-bound Saskatchewan.
The Elks have been eliminated from the postseason for weeks yet they still beat the Stampeders 23-18 on the road in their last game and have since enjoyed a week off. This is a team led by a first-year head coach and hungry, young players like quarterback Tre Ford and running back Justin Rankin who are trying to earn starting jobs for next year. That should result in a win at home in their season finale.
Argonauts vs Elks same-game parlay (SGP)
Elks -3.5
Under 48.5
Parlay options are limited in the final week of the CFL regular season with books unsure of starting lineups. That said, if Kelly doesn't play (and the line movement suggests he won't) it makes sense to parlay the Under alongside the Edmonton ML.
Without Kelly, Toronto's offense was extremely conservative under backup QB Cameron Dukes, who averaged just 6.5 yards per pass attempt in his last five starts. On the other side of the ball, even though the Argos are resting some key players, they still have the depth to compete on defense — especially with the Elks leaning on their ground game to chew up the clock.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Argonauts vs Elks odds
Argonauts vs Elks live odds
Argonauts vs Elks opening odds
- Spread: Toronto -2.5 | Edmonton +2.5
- Moneyline: Toronto -135 | Edmonton +115
- Over/Under: Over 49.5 | Under 49.5
Argonauts vs Elks spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Argos opened as 2.5-point favorites but money has poured in on the Elks, flipping this line to favor Edmonton at -3.5.
- While the spread moved two points after Kelly was officially ruled out, the total only ticked down one point from 49.5 to 48.5
- The Elks are 6-4 straight up and 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games.
- These teams previously clashed back in Week 3 with Toronto winning 39-36 on a last-second field goal at home.
Argonauts vs Elks trend
The Argonauts are 1-5 ATS versus teams with a losing record. Find more CFL betting trends for Argonauts vs. Elks.
Argonauts vs Elks game info
| Location: | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, AB |
| Date: | Friday, 10-25-2024 |
| Kick-off: | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN |
Argonauts vs Elks key injuries
Argonauts: Chad Kelly QB (Out), Ka'Deem Carey RB (Out), Ryan Hunter LT (Out), Wynton McManis LB (Out), DaShaun Amos DB (Out), Tunde Adeleke DB (Out) Dejon Allen OT (Out), Robbie Smith DE (Out), Isiah Cage LT (Out), Dylan Giffin OL (Out), Darius Ciraco C (Out), Gregor MacKellar G (Out), Jonathan Jones LB (Out), Quincy Mauger DB (Out).
Elks: Kurleigh Gittens Jr. WR (Questionable), Hergy Mayala WR (Out), Tomas Jack-Kurdyla G (Out), Romeo McKnight DE (Out)
Find our latest CFL injury reports.
Argonauts vs Elks weather
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
