If you follow the NHL, you already know all of the top players. Obviously, when playing DFS, those players will come at a high cost. In this article, we are looking to find the cheaper value plays to help you afford the superstars.
Lars Eller, Center, Washington Capitals
FanDuel Price: $4,800
Once again, while Nicklas Backstrom is out, Lars Eller will play on the Washington Capitals' second line at even strength as well as playing on the second power-play unit. In all honesty, he hasn't been that great in this role, but he still remains cheap and gets you nice exposure to some of the Capitals' best players.
The matchup against the San Jose Sharks is relatively neutral, but there is certainly some hope that Eller can capitalize from his spot on the power play.
Josh Anderson, Winger, Columbus Blue Jackets
FanDuel Price: $3,000
Josh Anderson has really struggled this season with a measly one goal and two assists in 20 games. It's been a nightmare season for Anderson after he scored 27 goals and 47 points in 82 games last season. Well, his price tonight coincides with his play this season as he is the stone minimum at $3,000.
Anderson is expected to play with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Sonny Milano, which is solid, and he'll also spend time on the second power-play unit as the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Arizona Coyotes.
Ilya Mikheyev, Winger, Toronto Maple Leafs
FanDuel Price: $4,500
With Mitchell Marner on the shelf and Sheldon Keefe taking over as the Toronto Maple Leafs' head coach, there has been an increased offensive role for Ilya Mikheyev. He is playing on the Leafs' second line at even strength along with John Tavares and Zach Hyman right now, with the expectation that once Marner is back, Hyman will be the one bumped off this line, not Mikheyev.
Marner will not play tonight, and while this matchup is a tough one on the road against the Philadelphia Flyers, Mikheyev has produce five points in the five games since Keefe has taken over the coaching duties.
Matt Dumba, Defense, Minnesota Wild
FanDuel Price: $3,700
Mathew Dumba is another player I'm recommending tonight who has actually struggled this season compared to his career numbers. He has just nine points in 27 games despite putting up 22 in 32 games last year and 50 in 82 the season before. But he is the night's top point-per-dollar play among defensemen, per our projections.
The matchup is against the Florida Panthers, and they're rolling out goaltender Chris Driedger -- a goalie with just one NHL start since the 2016-17 season. However, he has been solid in the AHL this year, putting up a 2.09 goals against average and a .938% save percentage.
Quinn Hughes, Defense, Vancouver Canucks
FanDuel Price: $4,500
The thing about Quinn Hughes is that if he doesn't get on the scoresheet, he does not provide the shots and blocks that one would hope to give him a high floor. However, that may not be as big of an issue tonight as the Vancouver Canucks host the Ottawa Senators in a very solid matchup.
The Senators are allowing a 59.52 CA/60, which is the fourth-worst in the NHL. Hughes also plays on the Canucks' top power-play unit, which produces at a 26.4 percent clip, the fourth-best in the NHL. While the Sens penalty kill has been solid, this is still a great opportunity for Hughes to put up some points.
Ryan Sheppard is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ryan Sheppard also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username donkshow_. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.