2023 Fantasy Hockey OnlyFans: Defensemen Sleepers
We have one more position to review for the sleepers after already hitting the goalies and forwards. I’ve always found that the best strategy in fantasy hockey is to wait on defensemen until the middle portion of the draft and hammer away at it. The OnlyFans post will accomplish just that to give you an inside track on the blue liners you want. Without further ado, here are your fantasy hockey defensemen sleepers for the 2023-24 NHL Season!
* I am only considering players ranked outside of the top 100. Anyone ranked inside the top 100 isn’t a real sleeper. It’s harder to find a late-round defenseman so this list will be a bit expanded compared to the forwards.
Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks) D27, 103rd overall
Younger brother Jack Hughes has stolen all of the attention. I would argue that Quinn Hughes isn’t done getting better. Quinn Hughes is actually only ranked three spots ahead of his youngest brother Luke. I think that’s a big mistake. Luke has big-time potential, but Quinn is already an established NHLer and just got named the captain of the Canucks.
Hughes will head into his age-24 season and is coming off a 76-point season. I don’t think 90 points is out of the question. Realistically, Hughes should be a top 50 play in fantasy. He’s been over 25 minutes of ice time in two consecutive years. It’s also been two straight years of at least 31 assists on the powerplay. This is a no-brainer pick at this spot.
Vince Dunn (Seattle Kraken) D29, 109th overall
Vince Dunn was really good last year and I don’t see why it can’t continue. It was a mega breakout campaign for Dunn posting a career-high 64 points in 81 games. Dunn is established as the PP guy in Seattle and his ice time was over 23 minutes. Heading into his age 27 season, Dunn should be in his prime. Ranking Adam Larsson higher is just comically wrong. Does Allen pay attention to who puts up the points? You don’t even have to watch the games for that! We already know he doesn’t watch the games.
Brent Burns (Carolina Hurricanes) D34, 124th overall
I normally am hesitant to take older players and Burns will head into his age 38 season. Still, Burns is built different. Burns is a bearded warrior who will find a way to produce. He’s in a great situation with Carolina too and was still over 23 minutes of ice time last year. Maybe you won’t get elite production but I don’t see any reason why his 61 points from a year ago aren’t repeatable. Last year if you wanted Burns, you had to take him in the top 50. The new car smell has worn off and now you’re getting Burns as a value. Even if Tony DeAngelo steals the top-end PP duties, we know Burns is on the ice to put up points. He’s a converted forward.
Thomas Chabot (Ottawa Senators) D36, 129th overall
Sean Allen seems to think that Jakub Chycrun is the guy you want in fantasy. I don’t feel that way. If anything, the Chycrun add is good news for Thomas Chabot. Things could change but Chabot is established as the top PP guy in Ottawa. If you read my Sens preview, I think this team is going to take off this year and that includes Chabot.
Chabot posted 55 points in 2018-19 but hasn’t matched it since. Heading into his age 27 season, I think this is the year Chabot clears that mark. The price point is worth the risk.
Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights) D39, 141st overall
This is some disrespectful cheese right here. Theodore didn’t have his best season a year ago but it mostly was due to injury. Theodore still posted 41 points in 55 games and largely runs the Vegas PP. Sometimes Alex Pietrangelo does, but it’s mostly Theo’s job. You’re telling me I get Theodore at this price while he gets to skate with the Stanley Cup champs? Tell me where to sign.
Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche) D42, 144th overall
Part of me worries about Bowen Byram taking over as the secondary guy behind Cale Makar. I’m also not sure it matters. Sean Allen is already ranking it as if that’s going to happen. Maybe it does. However, at this current moment, Toews is still the second-best defenseman in Colorado and is in a contract year. Toews had 37 even-strength assists a year ago. That’s what happens when you play for the Avalanche. He’s also a top-20 player in fantasy when Makar isn’t healthy. At this spot, I’ll take Toews without hesitation.
Tony DeAngelo (Carolina Hurricanes) D45, 151st overall
It does not matter if DeAngelo is one of the worst defenders in hockey. His ability to run the powerplay is walking fantasy value. The best part is that now he’s back in Carolina. After a one-year hiatus in Philly, the last time DeAngelo played for Carolina he posted 51 points in 64 games. If I get that kind of production over a full season? He’s way under-ranked then. The question is if he produces enough with Brent Burns still on the team. That wasn’t the case when DeAngelo played in Carolina the last time. I just don’t think it will matter. You acquire DeAngelo for him to run an offense. This team is really, really good too.
Morgan Rielly (Toronto Maple Leafs) D50, 163rd overall
I know John Klingberg is in town now but I just can’t see Rielly relinquishing the PP duties here. He’s been here for so long and this is what he’s good at. Two years ago when Rielly played a full season he posted 21 PP assists. Last year Rielly missed 17 games and he still posted 41 total points. We can doubt this Leafs team but they always have regular season success. To get the Toronto PP guy at this spot is stealing.
Sean Durzi (Arizona Coyotes) D53, 172nd overall
I went over this in a longer form post but I think Durzi is a total steal in fantasy. Especially now that I know he’s being criminally ranked. I don’t see any way that Durzi doesn’t claim this job as the top guy. Durzi had 15 PP assists last year while working the second unit with the Kings. Imagine what’s going to happen in a larger role when he’s working the top pair with Arizona? Buy the stock here.
Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers) D59, 193rd overall
Ekblad is going to miss the start of the season but that’s okay! Stash him on IR and reap the rewards later. Ekblad may not run the PP anymore but he still plays major minutes on a team that will score a lot of points. Ekblad will still rack in around 40 points and he shoots the puck a ton (216 last year). It’s an easy buy at this price.
John Klingberg (Toronto Maple Leafs) D64th, 200th overall
I think Klingberg stinks. He’s the worst defensive player in the sport and posted a 44 CF% rating last year. He’s not good but he can move the puck and there is a best case scenario version that may exist. What if Klingberg steals the PP job in Toronto? Is that impossible? It’s not like there is a ton of competition on the Leafs’ blue line either. At this price, I may take the shot even if I don’t think it will happen. The possible upside here is too good to pass.
Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton Oilers) D80, 237th overall
Call me crazy but I don’t really see the gap between Ekholm and Darnell Nurse. I get that Nurse is the younger commodity but neither run the PP. That’s Evan Bouchard‘s job. Ekholm posted 14 points in 21 games with Edmonton. All but one of those points came at even strength. This Oilers team is so good that I don’t see why that can’t continue. That team scores goals and all you need is for Ekholm to keep sneaking those even-strength McDavid assists. Nurse had 43 points last year doing the same thing. What’s the gap? If you want Nurse, you have to spend an arm and a leg to go get him. Ekholm is free. I don’t create the draft prices. It is what it is.
Kaiden Guhle (Montreal Canadiens) D81, 241st overall
I don’t have any feel for how the blue line is going to shake out in Montreal. Therefore, I’m just going to go with the best talent. If you watch the games, I don’t think there is any question that the answer to that question is Guhle. It wasn’t always pretty but as a rookie Guhle posted 18 points in 44 games across more than 20 minutes a game. Heading into his age-22 season, I think he spikes in pretty much every category. It’s a matter of when here, not if. If it happens next year, this is a major steal.
Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings) D97, 287th overall
The last time I checked, Drew Doughty is still alive. That’s basically all he needs to be to outscore this ranking. Doughty skated over 26 minutes of ice time and is still the alpha in that Kings blue line. WTF are we doing here with this ranking? Doughty was 17th in defensemen points last year with 52. He’s ranked as the 97th-best defenseman. Does that make any sense to you? It shouldn’t. That’s just the brain of Sean Allen.
Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres) D98, 291st overall
Last year you had to spend a top 100 selection if you wanted Power as a rookie. Now he’s free as a sophomore. He posted 35 points as a 20-year-old too. The former number one overall pick is only going to keep getting better and Buffalo is on the rise.
Jaccob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes) D101, 294th overall
Slavin is a way better real-life player than a fantasy asset. He’s never going to be a point monster. He’s more of a defensive monster. He’s still better than free. Has to be.
Jamie Drysdale (Anaheim Ducks) D102, 297th overall
This just might be the year we get the Jamie Drysdale explosion. It may have happened last year but Drysdale only played in eight games before going down with an injury. There is zero competition on this blue line outside of young guys who will likely start the year in the AHL. The former first-round pick posted 32 points in his age-19 season. Now Drysdale heads into his age 21 season and should be healthy. If the Ducks are even marginally better, Drysdale is a major value.
Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators) D106th, Outside Top 300
I have no idea how Sanderson isn’t ranked. It’s kind of a joke. Sanderson posted 32 points as a rookie and was so good that Ottawa gave him a monster contract extension after one year. Heading into his age 21 season, Sanderson will only keep getting better. I think he will outscore Chycrun in terms of total points. There is no reason why he should be free.
Brandt Clarke (Los Angeles Kings) D111th, Outside Top 300
Clarke is a bit of an unknown but he won’t be after this year. Clarke is the Kings’ former No. 8 overall pick in 2021 and will now get his opportunity this year. With Durzi gone, I think Clarke will seize that number two PP job in LA. If that happens, he’s a value given that he’s free.
Mario Ferraro (San Jose Sharks) D112th, Outside Top 300
Someone has to score in San Jose, right? With Erik Karlsson finally gone, Ferraro is the top blue liner with the Sharks. The guy already blocks a ton of shots and lays out hits. If Ferraro gets major minutes and runs the PP, he’s going to be a value. I’d expect his point total to skyrocket based on opportunity alone.
Alec Martinez (Vegas Golden Knights) D129th, Outside Top 300
Martinez is aging in dog years but the guy is a shot-blocking machine. Martinez blocked 244 shots last year and the entire VGK blue line is back in place this year. If the offense comes back even a little, Martinez is a value. I’m not joking, one year Sean Allen ranked Martinez 9th overall because of how many shots he’s blocked. Now he’s free. The rails could totally fall off this year but there is no question that he should be rostered. Especially if Brayden McNabb is going 200 some spots higher.
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