Posted at 11:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

Edmonton +125 over Ottawa

7:00 PM EST. The Edmonton Elks enter the season with something they haven't had in a long time: stability at quarterback. After spending much of last year searching for answers, the Elks finally turned to Cody Fajardo and immediately looked like a different football team. The veteran quarterback brought leadership, poise, and professionalism to an offense that desperately needed all three. Edmonton's record didn't suddenly transform overnight, but the competitiveness did. Fajardo's experience and command of the offense give the Elks a much higher floor than they've had in recent seasons, and that's one reason we believe they're being undervalued heading into Week 1.

The market continues to focus on Edmonton's struggles over the past few years, but this organization has undergone significant changes both on and off the field. New ownership has brought renewed optimism, and the roster finally feels like it's moving in the right direction. More importantly, the Elks were far more competitive down the stretch last season than their overall record suggests. They were no longer the easy fade they had been earlier in the year. With a full offseason to build around Fajardo, Edmonton looks much closer to a legitimate playoff contender than a rebuilding team.

Ottawa has its own reasons for optimism. Jake Maier takes over at quarterback and has impressed coaches and teammates throughout camp. The Redblacks clearly believe he can stabilize the position and help establish a winning culture. The problem is that optimism in June and production in meaningful games are two very different things. Maier is still learning a new system with a new group of receivers, and Ottawa enters the opener without prized offseason acquisition Greg Bell in the backfield. That's a significant loss for a team looking to establish offensive balance from the start.

At plus money, we're happy to take our chances with the more proven quarterback. Fajardo has won big games in this league, has a Grey Cup MVP on his résumé, and has already demonstrated he can elevate Edmonton's offense. Ottawa may ultimately prove to be improved this season, but Week 1 is often about backing established commodities over offseason hype. The Elks appear to be catching more points than they should simply because of lingering perceptions from previous years. We'll gladly take the value and side with Edmonton.

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