We have a seven-game slate tonight, so there will be plenty of options at each position. There are some big home favorites according to Vegas, so target those for goalies and games with high goal totals for our skaters. Still early in the season, so we don’t have a ton of stats to work with, but we’ll get into what we can.
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Center
Ryan Johansen (NSH): $6,800 vs. PHI
The Nashville Predators are having their home opener tonight, and after their Stanley Cup run last year, you can bet that place will be rocking, and they will do everything to come away with the win. Johansen opened the year strong with two goals in his first game, but none in his second. He is the first part of a stack we are going after, and the reasons are pretty straightforward. He plays on the top line, is on the first power-play unit, sees plenty of ice time, and his point potential is huge.
Jason Spezza (DAL): $6,100 vs. DET
The Stars have started the season 0-2, and as one of the favorite picks to make the playoffs this season, we know they will turn around. They are at home and a -185 favorite against a Detroit team who was one of the worst in the league last year. Spezza heads up the start of our second stack for similar reasons as always: He plays on the second line and the second power-play unit. Again, plenty of ice time for him, and in a game where they are this much of a favorite they should be able to pour it on.
Wing
Filip Forsberg (NSH): $7,200 vs. PHI
Forsberg had the second most points on the Predators last season, and that wasn’t by accident. He can score goals, move the puck, and truly provides openings for his teammates to shine. He is the next part of the stack we are rolling with, again for the same reasons. Top line, a big home favorite, and plays on the first power-play unit. He has one goal so far this season with five shots on net. Multi-goal upside for him.
Brett Ritchie (DAL): $3,300 vs. DET
Ritchie may seem like an off the board pick, but he plays on the second line and the second power-play unit. He may not be an elite goal scorer, but he had 24 points last season and is surrounded by a good offense. Ritchie is also very cheap considering the team he is on and the goal scoring potential we know they have. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small slate or big slate, you have to take the savings where you can find them.
Vladimir Tarasenko (STL): $7,700 @ NYR
Whenever I take a player who isn’t on one of my stacks, that player must have goal scoring upside, and oh boy is that there with Tarasenko. He is always one of the most expensive wingers in DFS, but when you spend up for him, you have the shot at a hat-trick any night. He is coming off a two-goal, four-shot game, which is good for 32.5 FanDuel points. That is the level of production you can expect from him any given night.
Rick Nash (NYR): $5,600 vs. STL
As I mentioned with Tarasenko, players who aren’t apart of my stacks need to have goal scoring potential. Now, Rick Nash may not be the same type of elite scorer he once was, but 23 or more goals in three of the last four seasons is no fluke. He has yet to score this season, and tonight he might get his first one since the Blues are starting their back up goalie, Carter Hutton.
Defense
P.K. Subban (NSH): $5,700 vs. PHI
Subban will be rounding out the Predators stack we having going, for some reasons you might be able to guess at this point. He plays on the second defensive pairing, and on the first power-play unit. One thing about Subban which makes him a great DFS play, he LOVES to shoot. This guy has one of the most powerful shots from the blue line, and he will hammer it any chance he gets, especially on the power-play. He’s yet to light the lamp this season, but six shots in two games is great for us fantasy players.
Esa Lindell (DAL): $3,700 vs. DET
Lindell may not be a household name yet, but this young player has plenty of potential. In terms of DFS, he is cheap, gets us exposure to the top defensive pairing for the Stars, and will be on the second power-play unit with Ritchie, and Spezza, who are also part of our stack. Two very solid stacks of home favorites should put this lineup in a good spot.
Goalie
Ben Bishop (DAL): $8,700 vs. DET
When I look at goalies, I want top tier goalies who are home favorites. This is the situation we find for Bishop. In his first game, Bishop stopped all 19 shots he saw but was pulled out of the game due to an injury. He took a shot off the face mask which left a nasty cut above his eye. (Check his Twitter if you want to see it.) Bishop has cleared concussion protocol and should be set to return between the pipes and help the Stars pick up their first win of the season.
Thomas Vecchio is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Thomas, check out his archive and follow him @DFS_Tom.