Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders Week 1 CFL Picks: Tabbies Make Bid for Opening Upset

The reigning East Division champions take on the West Division runner-ups as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats travel to Regina to face the Saskathcewan Roughriders in a Week 1 CFL affair. We break it down with our top Tiger-Cats vs Roughriders picks. 

The last time the Tiger-Cats took the field, they were hoping to become Grey Cup champions. This week, they start their season on the same field where they hope to end their season, only this time with a trophy.

Each of these teams made several changes to its roster in the offseason and will be without some important names. Week 1 will be a test of which team can adapt to its new make-up faster. There are still several exciting players left on these teams that will put on a fantastic show right out of the gate at Mosaic Stadium.

https://twitter.com/sskroughriders/status/1533845004153651201

Here are our Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders CFL picks for Week 1 (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders Game Info

Date: Saturday, June 11, 7 p.m. ETTV: ESPN+, TSNLocation: Mosaic Stadium, Regina, SKWeather: 76 degrees, 40% chance of precipitation, 11-mph winds

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders Odds

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders Odds Analysis

The books are in agreement on every aspect of this game. Only FanDuel has any fluctuation with a single point added to both the moneyline and spread odds. Oddsmakers are expecting a close contest as well with just about every book offering +/- 2.5 at the same price of -110 for this game. The total has soared as high as 47.5 from an opening line of 43.

As of Thursday morning, the market is aligned on the host Roughriders and the Under.

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders Picks

Moneyline:Tiger-Cats (+116 via FanDuel)????Spread:Tiger-Cats +2 (-110 via FanDuel)????Over/Under:Over 47.5 (-110 via DraftKings)????

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders ML Pick

Tiger-Cats (+116)

Both of these teams will have to adjust to losing some key players this offseason. Hamilton will look for its receivers to pick up the slack after watching star wideout Brandon Banks move to Toronto. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is also gone, leaving Dane Evans under center. Evans threw for 3,754 yards and 21 touchdowns in relief of an injured Masoli in 2019.

Saskatchewan will be at a disadvantage without running back William Powell in the backfield. Powell accounted for 733 rushing yards, and 299 receiving yards in the Riders offense last season. Cody Fajardo remains the starting quarterback for the Riders. In 2019, Fajardo amassed 4,302 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes in his first season with the Roughriders. He stepped back last season with 14 TDs against 11 interceptions while limited to 13 games due to injury.

This game will come down to which defense can take advantage of its opponents' losses. The Ti-Cats should be that team with veteran linebacker Simoni Lawrence back to lead the group.

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders ATS Pick

Tiger-Cats +2.5 (-110)

This is a narrow spread. But as we work under the assumption that Hamilton will win this game outright, it makes sense to take the points as well. 

The Tiger-Cats defense features several veterans of both the team and the league. Outside of Lawrence, there is fellow linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox and defensive back Tunde Adeleke. These three will be a problem for Fajardo who is prone to mistakes after throwing 11 interceptions last season. 

The CFL scoring system allows for some unconventional final scores, so even without a win, the Tabbies should keep this game close enough for a cover.

Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders O/U Pick

Over 47.5 (-110)

Only two opening games in the CFL over the last two seasons have finished with fewer points than this total. One of them was the 2021 season opener between Hamilton and Winnipeg which ended with 25 total points. However, the Ti-Cats combined with the Riders for 50 points in Week 1 of the 2019 season. Last season, Saskatchewan and the B.C. Lions combined for 62 points in their Week 1 matchup.

Several rule changes have been put in place this season in the hopes of opening up offenses across the league. Expect these to show up in the Week 1 scoring and for this Over to cash.

Where to Bet on Tiger-Cats vs Roughriders Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

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Tiger-Cats vs Roughriders picks made 6/8/2022 at 6:45 p.m. ET.