Unlock top fantasy defensemen with the Jets' Josh Morrissey and the Hurricanes' K'Andre Miller. Find undervalued defensemen poised to make an immediate fantasy impact for Thursday's games.
On every game day this season, THN Fantasy will highlight players and goalies for fantasy managers to stream or roster for the rest of the season. The recommended players and goalies are rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues and can be selected in standard fantasy leagues and/or for daily fantasy games.
Josh Morrissey, D, WPG vs. SEA (98% rostered) – FanDuel $5,300
The salary seems just too low to pass on Morrissey in this matchup for DFS games. He’s off to a slow start but the points will eventually come; the Jets power play has been effective, the Kraken PK has been very poor, and dating back to the franchise’s inception have not been good on the road. This will be the Kraken’s sixth road game and third game in four nights while the Jets are coming off two days’ rest.
K’Andre Miller, D, CAR at COL (47% rostered) – FanDuel $5,700
This should be a tough matchup between two teams that can dominate puck possession. The Avs have been really stingy on defense, thanks to Scott Wedgewood’s strong play, but I do like the setup for Miller, who’s playing on the top pair and taking over PP1 for Shayne Gostisbehere. With consistent shot volume and blocks, Miller has a high floor.
Sam Rinzel, D, CHI at TB (37% rostered) – FanDuel $5,200
Rinzel’s production has been a little uneven – typical for rookie defensemen – but retains his role as PP1 QB and carries a two-game assists streak into this game. I think Alex Vlasic averages more ice time because he’s more experienced and better in matchup situations, and he should see more ice time than Rinzel against such a tough opponent, but if the Hawks are looking for offense, Rinzel is still their top option. The Lightning have been uncharacteristically bad defensively and in net, allowing the fourth-most shots and seventh-most goals per game.
Dmitry Orlov, D, SJ at NYR (16% rostered) – FanDuel $5,000
The Sharks can’t win but they certainly can score. The Rangers are playing well and Igor Shesterkin has been excellent, but I do like the value for Orlov, who’s been their flavor-of-the-week PP1 QB. This role is by no means set in stone for Orlov, but it does give him a boost in fantasy value with more offensive situations, and so far he’s scored five assists and 10 shots this season.
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