NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Players to Target - Tuesday, Dec. 5

K’Andre Miller, D, NYR at OTT (49% rostered)

Rarely is there ever a reason to stream a defenseman over a forward if you’re looking for points, but Miller has been just as productive scoring four points in his past five games. He’s also registered at least a shot in 12 straight games and provides hits and blocks in broad category coverage.

Quinton Byfield, C/LW, LA at CLB (38% rostered)

After a two-goal effort against the Avs on Sunday, Byfield’s now scoring at a 70-point pace in a low-key breakout season. He’s a fixture on one of the most underrated top lines now with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe and their chemistry is so good they even have their own goal celly. The Jackets should be an easy target with their inconsistency and allow the 11th-most goals per game.

Simon Nemec, D, NJ at VAN (25% rostered)

That Nemec is already rostered in one-quarter of Yahoo leagues despite having played just one game speaks to his potential. While, unofficially, this is known as the Hughes Bowl, Nemec belongs in the conversation and as a potential elite player. He played over 22 minutes in his NHL debut and scored two assists on 12 shot attempts, and while it’s a lofty standard to match, we can expect him to again play a lot of minutes, including QB duties with the second PP unit. 

Anders Lee, LW, NYI vs. SJ (23% rostered)

It’s absolutely not shocking that Lee starts scoring once he was promoted to the top line. Though he’s scored just eight points in 23 games this season, six of them have come in the past eight games. The Sharks are a very enticing matchup and scoring goals has not been a problem for the Isles lately with at least three goals scored in eight of their past nine games.

Gustav Nyquist, LW, NSH at CHI (22% rostered)

Nyquist is the only player on the Preds’ high-scoring top line that’s under 50 percent rostered in Yahoo leagues. He’s scored one assist in his past three games but he’s been on fire since Nov. 1, not to mention he’s shooting the puck at the highest rate in three seasons. He’s averaging well over two shots per game after finishing with 102 in 51 games last season and 122 in 82 games in the season prior.

Leo Carlsson, C, ANA at COL (9% rostered)

How about a little déjà vu? Carlsson played almost 20 minutes and scored two points against the Avs in the first game of their home-and-home series. In Denver, the Ducks won’t be able to get the matches they want with Carlsson, but he’s nevertheless going to skate a lot of minutes, as he usually does when he plays. Assuming Carlsson dresses, look for him to play on the top line with Troy Terry and he will get a lot of chances to generate offense with Mason McTavish day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Dawson Mercer, C/RW, NJ at VAN (8% rostered)

Mercer gets a chance to extend his points streak to five games, and the odds are pretty good playing on a line with Jack Hughes and Tyler Toffoli. His shooting volume has increased and he’s also helping Hughes take draws. Against the Canucks, this should be a high-scoring game.

Marco Rossi, C, MIN at CGY (7% rostered)

Rossi continues to skate on the top line with Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov, and you can’t get any better than that on the Wild. He’s scored three points in his past two games and with Jacob Markstrom day-to-day with an apparent hand injury, scoring on the Flames should be a little easier than usual. The Wild are 3-0 under new coach John Hynes and averaging a little over four goals per game.