CFL Power Rankings: Midseason Update Reveals Four Tiers

Four Tiers: One Champion

We are approaching the halfway point of the 2022 CFL season. The CFL Power Rankings, based exclusively on the CFL Grey Cup outright odds, are straightforward. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are unchallenged at the top and the Edmonton Elks are dead-last. It’s becoming more clear that we can group these nine teams into four separate tiers with Winnipeg on its own at the top.

1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-0)
2. BC Lions (6-1)
3. Calgary Stampeders (5-2)
4. Toronto Argonauts (4-3)
5. Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-4)
6. Montreal Alouettes (2-6)
7. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-6)
8. Ottawa Redblacks (1-7)
9. Edmonton Elks (2-6)

The Blue Bombers are easily the best CFL team. They are the only unbeaten team and are 7-2 against the spread (ATS), which is also the best mark in the league. At +150 on the Grey Cup odds board, Winnipeg is strongly favored to pull off the CFL’s first “three-peat” since Warren Moon’s Edmonton team over 40 years ago.

Second Tier: The Western Rivals

Behind the Bombers are the BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders. As the second-best teams in the league, the Lions and Stamps have only lost to the Bombers. They are a combined 11-0 against everyone else – a streak that snaps this week as they face each other.

The Lions will pit their unstoppable offense, led by Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke, against the Stampeders’ stifling defense. BC has a tough schedule ahead as it faces Calgary and Saskatchewan twice while Calgary faces Toronto and then gets one final crack at Winnipeg in Week 12. The CFL Power Rankings and Grey Cup odds can move if Calgary finds a way to win these games.

Third Tier: The Wild Cards

In our last CFL Power Rankings, we listed both Toronto and Saskatchewan as the “dark horse” contenders of the CFL. That is still true as the two occupy the third tier. With Toronto, it’s hard to cap how good this team is. On any given week, Toronto can upset a team like Calgary or BC but lose to Montreal or Hamilton. Likewise, Saskatchewan is good enough to upset even Winnipeg but also inconsistent enough to lose to Ottawa.

The biggest issues plaguing the teams are at quarterback but for different reasons. The Argonauts’ McLeod Bethel-Thompson seemingly alternates great performances with subpar ones. And on the Roughriders’ side, Cody Fajardo is banged up. Turnovers are an issue for both teams although Saskatchewan is also one of the league leaders in takeaways.

Fourth Tier: The Cinderella Stories

This is the CFL. We are not putting a fork on any of the remaining four teams even if they have terrible records on the Canadian football standings. Well, except maybe Edmonton. Playing in the West Division, it would take more than a colorful imagination to pick them over the other four teams in the division.

But in the Eastern team’s cases, any of the three could go on a hot run, sneak into the playoffs, and make the Grey Cup. The Redblacks did that not too long ago; however, the team has consistently dropped the ball (literally, at times) while Montreal and Hamilton can’t get any momentum going. Both have at least two games against Toronto in the next few weeks. These will be their judgment days.