2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Breakouts: Tiers for Smith, Fantilli, Byfield and More

Breakouts win leagues. Getting in early on the right young core can turn a good roster into a juggernaut, especially once the season gets rolling and trade markets heat up. For 2026-27, several emerging talents are stepping into bigger roles, prime power-play usage, or better supporting casts — the exact ingredients we hunt for in breakout profiles.

Below, we sort the key names into tiers and dig into what their situations mean for different fantasy formats. Use this as a roadmap for who to prioritize, who to stash, and who to monitor closely once the puck drops.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The common thread with this breakout group is opportunity. Roles are expanding, linemates are improving, and power-play deployment is trending up — all critical signals for a leap in fantasy value.

Will Smith is locked into a top-six role and top power-play unit for the San Jose Sharks, with noted chemistry alongside Macklin Celebrini. That combination of skill and deployment gives him immediate impact potential.
Adam Fantilli projects as a top-line, PP1 center for the Columbus Blue Jackets, with shot volume and physicality that play up in multi-category formats.
Zach Benson is working his way into the top six for the Buffalo Sabres. His strong playoff showing and new contract point to organizational confidence and a longer leash.
Quinton Byfield is positioned for a larger role as the primary center for the Los Angeles Kings, with more offensive responsibility available as the team transitions away from peak Anze Kopitar usage.
William Eklund moves into a plum spot with the Ottawa Senators, where his playmaking could mesh with Tim Stutzle on a scoring line and power play.
Bowen Byram lands with the Chicago Blackhawks as a top-pair, PP1 defenseman, giving him both volume minutes and prime offensive deployment.

Each of these situations combines talent plus role — the core of any breakout case. The key for fantasy managers is matching that upside to your league format and risk tolerance.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In pure scoring leagues, you care most about offensive ceiling, power-play usage, and quality of linemates. Among this group, Smith and Eklund stand out as high-end upside swings.

Will Smith (Tier 1 breakout) – Top-six usage and PP1 time on a rebuilding Sharks squad means the offense will run through him and Celebrini. Even if the team is mediocre, Smith should see heavy offensive-zone starts and plenty of puck touches.
William Eklund (Tier 1–2 fringe) – A top-line winger role in Ottawa with strong center support is a classic breakout recipe. His playmaking profile suggests strong assist potential and solid power-play production if he sticks with the top unit.
Adam Fantilli (Tier 2) – As Columbus’ offensive focal point, Fantilli’s combination of top-line and PP1 time gives him a strong scoring floor. Even if the Blue Jackets’ overall offense lags, his usage should keep him fantasy-relevant in all points formats.
Quinton Byfield (Tier 2) – Moving into a primary center role in Los Angeles opens the door to more touches, more offensive responsibility, and more ice with the team’s best wingers. He’s a strong mid-tier breakout bet with room to climb.
Zach Benson (Tier 3) – Benson’s value hinges on staying in the Sabres’ top six and seeing secondary power-play time. If he locks in with Buffalo’s core scorers, he can outproduce his cost, but he’s more volatile than the names above.
Bowen Byram (Tier 2 defense breakout) – Top-pair, PP1 deployment in Chicago gives him a clear path to strong point totals from the blue line. Even if the team is still growing, his role should drive steady offense.

In points-only, prioritize Smith and Eklund as aggressive upside swings, with Fantilli, Byfield, and Byram as strong mid-tier breakout bets. Benson is more of a calculated gamble depending on how deep your league runs.

Categories / Bangers

Multi-category leagues shift the focus to shot volume, hits, and peripheral stats, not just raw points.

Adam Fantilli is the headline name here. His combination of shots and hits, layered on top of a top-line, PP1 role, makes him a true multi-cat asset. He can help you in goals, shots, and physical categories while still pushing your scoring.
Bowen Byram offers rare two-way value from the blue line: top-pair minutes, power-play work, and the kind of usage that should yield blocks and decent hit totals. In leagues that count multiple skater peripherals, he’s a priority target.
Quinton Byfield should benefit from increased ice time and responsibility, which typically brings more shots and some physical play. He may not be a pure banger, but as his role grows, his across-the-board contributions should follow.
Will Smith and William Eklund are more scoring-focused profiles. They’re still valuable in categories leagues, especially for power-play points and assists, but they don’t project as heavy hitters compared to Fantilli or Byram.
Zach Benson is more of a finesse scorer than a banger, but if he sticks in the top six, he can chip in shots and special-teams production while boosting your assists and plus-minus in deeper formats.

In bangers formats, bump Fantilli and Byram up a tier relative to pure points leagues, and treat Smith and Eklund as complementary scoring pieces rather than category anchors.

Dynasty / Keeper

For long-term formats, the calculus shifts toward age, development curve, and organizational commitment.

Will Smith is a foundational dynasty piece. Top-six, PP1 deployment at his age on a rebuilding Sharks team means he should be a centerpiece of their offense for years. Even if the short-term environment is bumpy, the long-term trajectory is excellent.
Adam Fantilli is another cornerstone. A top-line center with multi-cat appeal is gold in dynasty, and Columbus has every incentive to build around him.
Quinton Byfield has already gone through some growing pains, but a full-time primary center role in Los Angeles could finally unlock his ceiling. In dynasty, this is a classic buy window if your league-mates are impatient.
William Eklund benefits from the move to Ottawa, where he can grow alongside a young core. His playmaking skill set should age well, and if he cements a long-term spot with Tim Stutzle, he could be a fixture on your roster.
Zach Benson is a strong stash in deeper keeper and dynasty leagues. Buffalo’s investment in him via contract and his playoff performance suggest a long runway, even if his year-to-year production is volatile early on.
Bowen Byram is a premium dynasty defenseman if he holds the PP1 role in Chicago. Top-pair, all-situations usage at his age is exactly what you want anchoring your blue line long term.

In dynasty and keeper formats, it’s reasonable to build around Smith and Fantilli, aggressively hold Byram, and treat Byfield, Eklund, and Benson as high-upside core pieces or trade chips depending on your contention cycle. Use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge market value if you’re shopping any of them.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Will Smith – Add (all leagues): Top-six and PP1 usage with Celebrini gives him immediate breakout scoring potential.
Adam Fantilli – Add (all leagues): Top-line, PP1 center with strong shot and hit volume is a multi-category building block.
Quinton Byfield – Add (standard/deep): Stepping into a primary center role in Los Angeles should unlock more ice time and offense.
William Eklund – Add (points-only, deep cats): Top-line winger in Ottawa with playmaking chemistry alongside Stutzle offers strong assist and PP upside.
Bowen Byram – Add (all but shallowest): Top-pair, PP1 defenseman in Chicago with both point and peripheral upside.
Zach Benson – Watchlist / Late Add (deep): Monitor his hold on a Sabres top-six spot; if he sticks, his playoff form hints at real breakout potential.

Fantasy Takeaways

Prioritize Will Smith as a high-upside breakout in any format where you can afford some early-season volatility.
In categories and bangers leagues, Adam Fantilli and Bowen Byram gain extra value thanks to their peripheral contributions on top of scoring.
Quinton Byfield’s expanded role as Los Angeles’ primary center makes him a strong breakout bet with room to grow in both points and peripherals.
William Eklund and Zach Benson are ideal upside swings in deeper leagues, with Eklund safer and Benson more boom-or-bust.
In dynasty and keeper formats, build around Smith and Fantilli while aggressively holding Byram and treating Byfield, Eklund, and Benson as long-term core pieces or premium trade assets.

Source: Rotowire.com. See the original for full details.