This article is part of our CFL Picks series.
We're headed for the penultimate week of the regular season in the CFL, and all six playoff spots are now spoken for. While personnel usage and motivation could be in question for certain teams as a result, we still have some betting opportunities we can potentially exploit to our advantage.
We'll dive into a case for a pair of potential upsets this weekend while also highlighting one player for which conditions may be ripe for a breakout performance.
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Ottawa Redblacks at 
Toronto Argonauts
Saturday, 3:00 p.m ET
Both of these teams have sewn up postseason spots, and the presumption is the Argonauts will be at least narrow home favorites in this spot.
Neither squad did anything of note offensively in Week 19. Toronto was able to squeak by Winnipeg, 14-11, despite it being a must-win game for the Argos, while Ottawa mustered a meager 12 points on Thanksgiving Monday against the Alouettes. However, Dru Brown, who threw for 349 yards and a touchdown in his one prior game against the Argonauts, was able to get back under center late in the game versus Montreal after missing time with an ankle injury.
Crum should get the starting call for this matchup in order to get him some reps before the postseason. Meanwhile, Justin Hardy, the Redblacks' top offensive weapon, missed Week 19 with an ankle injury but could potentially return to the field this week. Hardy had six receptions in the one prior meeting with Toronto this season, a 41-27 rout by the Redblacks in Week 14 at TD Place.
The Redblacks have the ability to run a balanced offence with emerging halfback Khalan Laborn helming the ground game. The Argonauts have been notoriously difficult to run against this season, but Laborn managed a 33-yard TD run and averaged a solid 4.7 yards per carry overall in that Week 14 meeting. Meanwhile, Ottawa's defence has been stingy while allowing the second-fewest yards per play (6.26), which gives the Redblacks a chance to stay within striking distance of a win in any given game, especially if Brown is in a rhythm.
Toronto's Chad Kelly did light up the Redblacks' secondary for 463 passing yards in Week 14, but he was also picked off four times and sacked on six occasions. Therefore, the prospect of an unpredictable game where Ottawa pulls off a road win is within the range of outcomes, especially if Hardy can return and join the explosive Kalil Pimpleton (who wasn't available last time the two teams met) and Dominique Rhymes to form a dangerous pass-catching trio.
Montreal Alouettes at 
BC Lions
Saturday, 7:00 p.m ET
As just alluded to, the Alouettes were able to muster a rather unremarkable Thanksgiving victory over Ottawa on Monday. That came with Davis Alexander at the controls of Montreal's offense, as Cody Fajardo had missed time during the week for family reasons. The defending Grey Cup champions have the league's best record at 12-3-1 and have sewn up the East Division as well, so they're on a form of cruise control as they approach their final two games.
That leaves an opening for the inconsistent Lions to potentially pull off an upset win at home. B.C. already managed one win against Montreal at Percival Molson Stadium back in Week 14, a 37-23 victory. In that game, the Lions enjoyed a sensational 472-271 advantage in total yards and averaged 7.2 yards per play to the Als' 4.7. They also punted only once while sacking Fajardo on four occasions and picking him off once.
Meanwhile, the Lions' William Stanback took full advantage of the Alouettes' one defensive weakness, that being against the run. Stanback rushed for a season-high 128 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries while adding two receptions for 28 yards. Montreal comes in allowing the second-most rushing yards per game (120.3) at 5.6 yards per carry, so the vulnerability is still there to exploit. Meanwhile, the Als are ill-equipped to run a balanced attack against B.C., as they're averaging the second-fewest rushing yards per contest (81.5).
Factoring in the Lions will be at home – where they're 5-3 this season – and will want to put an ugly Week 19 loss to the Riders behind them, an upset could be in the works.
Week 20 Player To Pop
Greg Bell or James Butler, Tiger-Cats: Bell cleared the injury report Wednesday and will be available for Hamilton's Week 20 matchup against the Stampeders. Whether it's him or Butler serving as the Ti-Cats' lead back, they'll draw an enviable matchup against a Stampeders defence that's been the CFL's worst against the run. Butler eviscerated Calgary for 119 rushing yards on just 13 carries back in Week 1, and the Stamps check into Week 20 surrendering 122.3 rushing yards per game at 6.4 yards per carry, both league-high figures. Both backs can be factors in the passing game as well, with Bell already having recorded three tallies of at least five catches in six games. With Hamilton out of the playoff picture and therefore having nothing to lose, I look for whoever of the two backs helms the ground game to be afforded a heavy workload.
