The Ottawa Redblacks have been the easiest team to fade in the CFL all season.
The problem is they’ve been so thoroughly bad of late that it’s impossible to find value betting against them.
The Redblacks are +530 to upset the Montreal Alouettes on CFL Thursday Night Football at FanDuel.
For perspective, the Alouettes are +190 as the favourite to win the Grey Cup at FanDuel this morning.
With Ottawa inching towards the first winless season in CFL history, Montreal is a 12.5-point favourite for tonight’s game – the largest spread so far this season.
The Alouettes have won and covered five straight games.
Ironically, the last time Montreal didn’t cover the spread was in Week 4, when they beat the Redblacks 37-35 as a 9.5-point favourite at FanDuel.
Will Ottawa keep tonight’s game close enough to cover the spread at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium?
Or will the CFL regular season MOP favourite Davis Alexander continue his torrid pace in a lopsided win?
Our CFL betting guru Drew F. Morrison will be back this afternoon with his FanDuel Best Bets for Week 11 right here on the TSN betting hub.
South of the border, the NFL preseason continues with a pair of games tonight in Houston and Los Angeles.
We’ll get another look at rookie first overall pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Houston Texans.
Later, Justin Herbert should see some work for the Los Angeles Chargers as they host the San Francisco 49ers.
The Chargers lost their biggest free agent addition centre Tyler Biadasz long term to a knee injury on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have dealt with some injury issues of their own during training camp, including the loss of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who will miss the season.
Despite the injury setbacks, LA and San Francisco are both among the top 10 choices to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel this morning.
Which California contender is the better bet to win it all?
Let’s dive into the numbers and lock in a FanDuel Best Bet for tonight’s NFL preseason contest in this Morning Coffee column for Thursday August 20th, 2026.
Kurtis Rourke Sidelined As 49ers, Chargers Navigate Key Injuries Ahead Of NFL Preseason Clash
Back in March, I told you to keep an eye on both LA-based NFL teams as legitimate contenders that were primed to improve this offseason.
The Los Angeles Rams won the offseason with the additions of Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson and emerged as the Super Bowl favourite.
The Chargers were much quieter during the offseason, but the moves they made improved their outlook.
Biadasz signed a three-year, $30 million deal as LA’s biggest splash in free agency.
Unfortunately, it looks like he won’t play this season.
A year ago, the Chargers made right tackle Rashawn Slater the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.
11 days later, he suffered a season-ending injury.
Starting left tackle Joe Alt suffered a high-ankle sprain early in the season, aggravated the injury, and eventually needed season-ending surgery.
Alt played four games from start to finish last season.
The Chargers went 4-0 in those games, including victories over the rival Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.
The return of two potential Pro Bowl tackles combined with the addition of Biadasz meant LA’s offensive line play was due for a major upgrade in 2026.
Add second-round pick Jake Slaughter plus the arrival of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and there was plenty of reason for optimism on that side of the ball.
Unfortunately, that optimism took a hit when Biadasz suffered a significant knee injury at practice on Tuesday.
Biadasz’s injury could force LA to turn to the rookie Slaughter at centre.
While he was excellent at Florida, it’s a tough ask to plug Slaughter in to replace the veteran Biadasz.
Meanwhile, Slater experienced a flare up in his surgically repaired left knee, and there is no clear indication that he will be ready Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chargers open the season with games against Arizona and the Las Vegas Raiders, before a brutal stretch that includes the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, and the Baltimore Ravens.
LA will host the New York Jets in Week 11 before another tough test against the New England Patriots in Week 12.
From Week 3 through Week 12, eight of their nine games are against teams that are among the top 12 choices to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel.
If the Chargers are going to succeed this season, they’ll need improved offensive line play.
With a difficult schedule and some early injury concerns, I may have to temper my expectations for the Bolts.
Meanwhile, the 49ers are dealing with injuries of their own this preseason, including the loss of Pearsall.
Tight end George Kittle is currently on the PUP list as he works his way back from a torn Achilles.
Running back Christian McCaffrey has been sidelined with hamstring and calf tightness.
The 49ers are looking up at the Super Bowl favourite in the Rams and the defending champion Seahawks in the loaded NFC West this season.
With a veteran roster that includes several notable injury concerns already, I’m lower on San Francisco than most.
I’d circle the Chargers at +1700 over the 49ers at +1900 as the better bet to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel.
Transparently, I have concerns about whether either team can hold up over the course of a long season – specifically San Francisco with so many key veterans.
Meanwhile, third-string QB Kurtis Rourke – brother of BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke – is dealing with a chest injury.
That’s notable for tonight’s preseason game because Brock Purdy and Mac Jones aren’t expected to get much playing time against the Chargers.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday that Purdy is likely to start, but I can’t imagine the Niners will want to play their healthy veterans any more than they must with the injured McCaffrey and Kittle both out.
Rourke went 12-of-14 for 101 yards and added 14 rushing yards in last week’s exhibition loss to the Tennessee Titans.
With Rourke out, fourth-string QB Adrian Martinez could see the bulk of the snaps for San Francisco.
We should get another look at rookie second round pick De’Zhaun Stribling, who is down to +1500 to win AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year as the fifth choice at FanDuel after an impressive training camp and preseason debut.
Stribling led the Niners with seven catches for 63 yards on eight targets against the Titans.
For the Chargers, Justin Herbert and the starters could also play a series or two, before handing the ball over to Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei.
That tandem led LA to a 27-7 win over the Texans in Week 1 of the preseason, with Lance throwing for 167 yards and rushing for 27 more.
LA opened -1.5 for tonight’s eason contest, but that number has flipped to San Francisco -1.5 after Shanahan confirmed Purdy will get the start.
Still, the Niners are dealing with several injuries, and with Rourke sidelined I think we’re likely to see a lot of Martinez in the second half.
Meanwhile, Lance is a former third overall pick of the 49ers back in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he gets another chance to audition his skill set against his former team.
Lance and Uiagalelei led LA to 27 points against the Texans, and that combination should score enough against San Francisco to emerge with another win.
I’ll lock in the Chargers +1.5 -108 as a FanDuel Best Bet.
Hopefully, the home team delivers in the second half of tonight’s NFL preseason doubleheader.
Have a great day, everyone!
