Depending on how your fantasy league is set up, it is possible that this is your first week of fantasy playoffs or the final week before they begin. That means that the stakes are high, and if you need help to fill out your roster, look at the forwards below who could provide you with upside this week.
Joel Eriksson Ek – Minnesota Wild – 47% Rostered
Erikkson Ek assumed the top-line center role for most of the season but was recently demoted to the third line alongside Jordan Greenway and Marcus Foligno. He may not be getting the exposure to top offensive players like Mats Zuccarello or Kirill Kaprizov but he is beginning to get hot again.
He has points in three straight games with two of them coming on the power play and played over 19 minutes in each of his last three contests. The Wild are riding a six-game win streak so taking advantage of the player and team’s recent hot streak is a solid play with a favorable four games week on the schedule.
Adrian Kempe – Los Angeles Kings – 39% Rostered
The Los Angeles Kings forward is another example of a streaky player who has played well of late. He went on a cold streak for a portion of 2022 but looks to be back and contributing to the team’s top line. Kempe has five points in his last five games and provides a significant boost to any team looking for extra shots on goal coverage.
He remains on the team’s top line with Anze Kopitar and Alex Iafallo and is still on the team’s top power play. He is having a career season with 28 goals and 41 points on the year and his exposure to first-line duties and power play is an added bonus. Double-check to see if he is floating around your waiver wire because he can provide a significant offensive boost with four opportunities to put up points this week.
Kailer Yamamoto – Edmonton Oilers – 25% Rostered
For a player who is playing alongside arguably the best fantasy producer in Connor McDavid to be 25% rostered is criminal especially considering the tear Yamamoto is on. He was placed on McDavid’s line when Jesse Puljujarvi went down with an injury and looks to have found a home on that line. Evander Kane is his other linemate who is also on fire of late.
Yamamoto has 7 goals in his last 9 games and 12 points in that same span. He can especially help in deeper leagues because of his exposure to both special teams units and ability to contribute some hits category coverage. If you need a winger, there is probably no better player to turn to. Considering two of the Oilers’ four matchups this week are against the Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks, who have trouble keeping the puck out of their net, the juicy matchups make him a top waiver add.
Roster percentages courtesy of Yahoo
