NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 22 Waiver Wire: Rasmus Sandin explodes offensively for Washington
Welcome to another edition of the Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Report. The only way to win a championship in any fantasy league is to be active on the waiver wire. If you aren’t checking the wire at least once a week, then you’re doing it wrong. Each week, we’ll look at some players you should be adding to your watch list, or adding right away. Let’s take a look at who we are keeping an eye on for this week.
Jakub Vrana - St. Louis Blues - Winger
Since joining the St. Louis Blues, Jakub Vrana has two goals and 14 shots on goal in four games. We know that he has a ton of skill, but for whatever reason, he just didn’t find his place in Detroit. Now he’s on a bad St. Louis team and is getting a chance to see quality minutes. There’s a ton of upside here for Vrana and for fantasy owners as long as he stays in the top six.
Barrett Hayton - Arizona Coyotes - Center
I don’t know what Barrett Hayton has been eating over the last two weeks, but it’s turned him into a goal-scoring machine. The Arizona centerman has three goals and five assists in the last five games, including four against Minnesota on Sunday. We know the Coyotes are a mess of a franchise, but Hayton has been red hot of late and he’s entering the conversation as a player who needs to be on a fantasy roster down the stretch. He’s going to cool off at some point, but right now, he should be owned in deeper formats.
Tyler Bertuzzi - Boston Bruins - Winger
Tyler Bertuzzi only has one point since joining the Boston Bruins, but he’s seeing over 16 minutes of ice time and is playing on the second line with some pretty good players. With Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno out of the lineup, Bertuzzi was brought into Boston to contribute, and he’s capable of doing so. The Bruins are elite in every offensive category, so it’s only a matter of time before Bertuzzi starts to rack up some points. I’m willing to take a risk on him in deeper formats.
Rasmus Sandin - Washington Capitals - Defence
It’s amazing what a little confidence will do for a player. Since being traded from Toronto to Washington, Rasmus Sandin has a goal and seven assists in four games. He’s finished with three assists in two of those contests and is playing well over 24 minutes a night. Sandin has a ton of skill, but for whatever reason, the Leafs just didn’t give him the ice time or consistent playing time. Now he’s in Washington and he’s producing on an elite level. That might change should John Carlson make a return to the lineup at some point, but for now, the young defenseman needs to be on EVERY fantasy hockey team.
Cam Fowler - Anaheim Ducks - Defence
Cam Fowler continues to be a defenseman that provides a limited amount of fantasy value. He doesn’t shoot the puck much, doesn’t block shots and doesn’t get too many power play points, but he has seven assists in the last five games, which is better than nothing. His upside will always be limited considering the team he plays for but in leagues where points matter, he a nice depth add. He’s still going to see a ton of minutes every night, so, at some point, he’s going to be able to get better in those other categories, right?
All stats provided by NHL.com
Player News
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed 22 times for 67 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ Week 3 win over the Ravens, adding 32 yards on five receptions.
Gibbs handled 22 carries and six targets to the 13 opportunities of David Montgomery, but it was the latter back that stole the show while amassing 151 yards and two scores on the ground. Even so, the 28 opportunities were the most in a game in which Montgomery also was on the field during Gibbs’ three-year NFL career - a solid sign for what is to come for the talented back. Gibbs could find the sledding difficult again in Week 4 against a Cleveland defense leading the league in yards allowed per carry through three games.
David Montgomery rushed 12 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ Week 3 win over the Ravens, adding 13 yards on one reception.
Montgomery played well behind backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs as far as snap rate and opportunity count are concerned. He put the Lions on his back when it mattered most, however, with carries of 72 yards and 31 yards in the fourth quarter, the latter of which put the Lions up by 14 points with under two minutes to play as he found paint for the second time. The bulk of Montgomery’s fantasy value remains tied to his high touchdown expectancy in one of the league’s top offenses, making him a more difficult weekly start than others drafted around him this offseason.
Jared Goff completed 20-of-28 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown in the Lions’ 38-80, Week 3 win over the Lions, adding six yards on four carries.
Goff’s 28 pass attempts were a product of the team’s successes on the ground, with David Montgomery (151 yards and two touchdowns) and Jahmyr Gibbs (67 yards and two touchdowns) taking over the game in the second half. The veteran signal caller made numerous elite throws, the highlight of which came on fourth down with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when he dropped a dime into the bread basket of alpha wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. That drive would eventually culminate in a 31-yard Montgomery touchdown to push the lead to 14 points, a lead the Lions would not relinquish as they vault into a tie atop the NFC North with the Packers and Vikings. Up next for Goff and the Lions is a matchup against the surprisingly stout Cleveland defense in Week 4.
Ronald Acuña Jr. walloped his 19th home run of the season and walked three times, leading Atlanta to an 11-5 blowout win over the Nationals.
Acuña has caught fire down the home stretch following a prolonged slump coming out of the All-Star break, homering four times in his last 11 games. The 27-year-old generational talent took Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore deep in the opening frame and wound up reaching base safely in four of his six plate appearances in the one-sided affair. He’s looked like a fantasy superstar again of late, batting an absurd .346 (18-for-52) with four homers, 13 RBI and two steals over his last 15 games.
Nasim Nuñez went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in Monday’s blowout loss to Atlanta.
Nuñez walloped his first career leadoff homer when he took Atlanta ace Chris Sale deep to right field. It was his fourth round-tripper since returning to the big leagues back in early September. He came a few feet shy of his second big fly on the night a couple frames later and finished the one-sided affair with a season-high three hits, reaching base safely in four of his five plate appearances. He’s shown enough down the home stretch to be considered a serious contender for an everyday role next spring.
Michael Harris II went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three stolen bases in Monday’s lopsided win over the Nationals.
Harris kicked off an impressive three-hit performance with a 109-mph line-drive to right field that brought home Ha-Seong Kim from second base in the second inning. He scorched a run-scoring single as part of Atlanta’s five-run outburst in the ensuing frame. He wasn’t done yet as he drove in another run on a fielder’s choice in the fourth before adding a sixth-inning single. The three steals matched his previous career-high mark set back on July 16, 2022 during his stellar rookie campaign. It also puts him one theft shy of reaching the 20-steal threshold for the third time in the last four seasons.