Now that a third of the CFL season has passed, there's a baseline of where each organization is at as we move further into 2024.
The latest: The hottest team in the league, the BC Lions, lost for the first time last week. On the flip side, the Edmonton Elks are the only winless squad remaining.
Check out our CFL power rankings for Week 8.
CFL Week 8 power rankings
Visit our full CFL betting markets.
1. Montreal Alouettes
Record: 5-1 | Grey Cup Odds: +275
Last week's ranking: 1 (+0) | Last game: 37-18 loss vs. Toronto
Up Next: July 25 vs. Saskatchewan
The buzz: Montreal stays in the No. 1 spot coming out of the bye week.
It's hard to take the Als out of the top spot after the main contenders underneath them either lost or didn't win convincingly.
There is concern for Montreal moving forward, however, after their 13-game win streak was snapped before the bye and quarterback Cody Fajardo picked up an injury.
Regardless of how long Fajardo is out for, the defence is still elite. The unit tops most of the major defensive categories and has only allowed more than 23 points twice since Week 14 of 2023.
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Record: 5-1 | Grey Cup Odds: +350
Last week's ranking: 3 (+1) | Last game: 19-9 win vs. Winnipeg
Up Next: July 25 vs. Montreal
The buzz: The Riders move up a spot after taking down their cross-prairie rivals.
Shea Patterson looked the most comfortable he has ever been last week since taking over for the injured Trevor Harris, but Sask's remarkable defence it what's guiding the team's success.
The Riders' defence has been especially dominant at defending the run, allowing the fewest rushing yards through the first six games in franchise history (302). They've also held their opponents under 100 rush yards in each of the first six games for the first time ever.
3. BC Lions
Record: 5-2 | Grey Cup Odds: +200
Last week's ranking: 2 (-1) | Last game: 25-24 loss vs. Calgary
Up Next: Aug. 1 vs. Winnipeg
The buzz: The Lions drop down a spot after their five-game win streak was snapped.
BC looked like a different team last week — and not in a good way. Prior to their recent loss, the Lions had won five games in a row while averaging 31 points per game. MOP candidate Vernon Adams Jr. was in a groove, throwing for 367.2 yards per game.
Calgary did a phenomenal job against the CFL's most explosive offence, only allowing 24 points and limiting Adams to only 192 yards.
4. Toronto Argonauts
Record: 3-3 | Grey Cup Odds: +600
Last week's ranking: 4 (+0) | Last game: 27-24 loss vs. Hamilton
Up Next: July 27 vs. Winnipeg
The buzz: The Argos sit in the middle of the pack with a 3-3 record.
Toronto has had an interesting last couple of games. Two weeks ago, the Argonauts snapped the Alouettes' 13-game win streak in dominant fashion. Last week, however, they failed to get anything going against the worst team in the league, gifting Hamilton with its first win.
Nick Arbuckle came into relief for Cameron Dukes midway through the fourth quarter and nearly finished with the same production. Toronto's QB1 going forward could be up for debate until Chad Kelly returns.
5. Ottawa Redblacks
Record: 4-2 | Grey Cup Odds: +1,600
Last week's ranking: 6 (+1) | Last game: 20-14 win vs. Edmonton
The buzz: Ottawa has a 4-2 record but it's difficult to call this team a contender.
The Redlbacks' four wins have come against some of the worst teams in the league. They enter Week 8 after back-to-back wins against the Elks (0-6), and their other wins came against the Ti-Cats (1-5) and Blue Bombers (2-5).
Winnipeg has since beaten Ottawa in a rematch. And when the Redblacks faced a true contender in last year's Grey Cup champion Alouettes, they were blown out of the water, 47-21.
Moving forward, it'll be interesting to see how Ottawa handles a schedule that grows increasingly tougher.
6. Calgary Stampeders
Record: 3-3 | Grey Cup Odds: +2,000
Last week's ranking: 7 (+1) | Last game: 25-24 win vs. BC
Up Next: July 26 vs. Ottawa
The buzz: The Stamps jump a spot after their best performance of the year.
After losing three of its last four games, Calgary stumbled into its matchup against the Grey Cup favourite Lions. The Stampeders had a wonderful defensive performance, however, allowing only 274 yards of offence — becoming the first team to hold BC under 300 yards.
7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Record: 2-5 | Grey Cup Odds: +1,200
Last week's ranking: 5 (-2) | Last game: 19-9 loss vs. Saskatchewan
Up Next: July 27 vs. Toronto
The buzz: Things were looking up for the Blue Bombers before last week, and now they are trending down once again.
After starting 0-4 for the first time since 2012, Winnipeg won back-to-back games and had seemingly solved its offensive woes. The Bombers put up 41 points against the Stamps in Week 6, before only mustering nine points last week and failing to score a touchdown.
The defence has been solid in Manitoba all year long, but offensive inconsistencies continue to plague this squad.
8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Record: 1-5 | Grey Cup Odds: +8,000
Last week's ranking: 9 (+1) | Last game: 27-24 win vs. Toronto
Up Next: July 28 vs. Edmonton
The buzz: Hamilton is winless no more after claiming its first victory in a nail-biter against Toronto.
The problem all year for the Ti-Cats has been its defence, which ranks in the bottom two in a handful of major defensive categories: yards, first downs and passing touchdowns.
Hamilton turned things around last week, however, only allowing 24 points in its first win against Toronto.
9. Edmonton Elks
Record: 0-6 | Grey Cup Odds: +12,500
Last week's ranking: 8 (-1) | Last game: 20-14 loss vs. Ottawa
Up Next: July 28 vs. Hamilton
The buzz: Edmonton sits aloneat the bottom alone as the only remaining winless team in the CFL.
After what's been a brutal start for the Elks, they fired head coach and general manager Chris Jones ahead of last week's matchup
Under new coach Jarious Jackson, the result was the same. Edmonton dropped to 0-6 after losing, 20-14, to Ottawa.
For anyone seeking a silver lining, consider this: Despite losing six straight games, the Elks only have a point differential of -26 and have come close to beating the Alouettes, Lions and Roughriders.
