Daily Fantasy Lineup Leans: Starts, Sits, PP1 Looks and Goalie Confidence

Today’s projected lines and starting goalies give us a clear roadmap for fantasy decisions. With injuries to stars like Auston Matthews and key goalie notes on Joseph Woll and Joey Daccord, there are exploitable edges in net and on the power play. Let’s break down where to lean on starts and sits, who might be auditioning for PP1, and how to handle streaming options on a busy slate.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The headline news is in Toronto. With Auston Matthews sidelined, the Toronto Maple Leafs are forced to redistribute prime offensive minutes and power-play touches. That opens the door for players like Morgan Rielly to shoulder even more PP1 responsibility and for secondary forwards to see elevated roles. From a fantasy angle, it temporarily lowers the ceiling of Toronto’s even-strength scoring but concentrates value on whoever sticks in those top spots.

In goal, Joseph Woll draws the start against a St. Louis Blues team that has struggled to generate consistent offense. That matchup makes Woll one of the more appealing plays in both points-only and categories formats, especially if your league rewards wins and save percentage. On the other side of the slate, Joey Daccord returns for the Seattle Kraken, which is important for managers tracking long-term crease battles rather than just tonight’s stream.

Up front, the Detroit Red Wings continue to lean heavily on Dylan Larkin as their offensive driver, especially in their matchup with the Kraken. For New Jersey, Jesper Bratt remains a focal point of the attack while Jack Hughes is out, keeping his usage and PP1 presence extremely secure. And in Tampa Bay, Brayden Point is centering a dangerous line with Nikita Kucherov, making that stack one of the better pure scoring bets on the board.

Finally, keep a close eye on Matty Beniers. He’s anchoring the Kraken’s top line and is in a prime spot to audition for more permanent PP1 time. If he clicks with his wingers and sees heavy offensive-zone usage, his rest-of-season trajectory changes quickly.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only formats, tonight is all about leveraging top-line and PP1 roles in favorable spots. With Matthews out, Toronto’s remaining stars consolidate touches. Morgan Rielly is the clear PP quarterback and should be locked into lineups wherever you roster him; extra shot volume and primary assists are on the table if the Leafs lean on their top unit.

Brayden Point is a strong offensive play given his deployment with Kucherov. Even in tougher matchups, that combination is capable of multi-point nights, and tonight’s context supports streaming Point aggressively if he’s somehow available. For Detroit, Dylan Larkin remains a must-start; his role as the primary offensive engine against Seattle means he’s heavily involved in any Red Wings scoring.

The more speculative upside comes from Matty Beniers. Centering the top line with a chance at PP1 work gives him a realistic path to a breakout performance. In shallow leagues he’s a high-upside stream; in deeper points-only formats he’s a viable hold if he sticks in this role. Jesper Bratt also deserves automatic activation with Jack Hughes out, as he’s carrying a large share of New Jersey’s playmaking load.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat leagues, the goalie landscape is the first place to exploit. Joseph Woll is a priority start: the matchup against the Blues gives him a good shot at strong ratios and a win, which is exactly what you want when protecting goals-against average and save percentage. His workload should be manageable if St. Louis’ offensive struggles continue.

Skater-wise, Dylan Larkin brings a strong mix of shots and scoring potential, making him a core play in categories leagues. Jesper Bratt may not be a heavy hitter, but his combination of shots and power-play points is valuable, especially while he’s leaned on as a primary creator. Morgan Rielly adds blocks and shots from the back end alongside PP production, which keeps his floor high even on quieter offensive nights.

With Auston Matthews injured, some managers in shallower categories leagues may consider a short-term drop if IR spots are full and streaming is critical. That’s format-dependent, but the key is not to let a dead roster spot cost you categorical ground if you’re in a tight matchup. Meanwhile, Brayden Point is more of a scoring and PPP play than a banger, but his offensive upside with Kucherov is high enough that he should be in lineups wherever you need goals and assists.

Dynasty / Keeper

Tonight’s slate has a few important dynasty storylines. Joey Daccord returning for the Seattle Kraken is less about tonight’s stat line and more about his long-term share of the crease. If he looks sharp, it strengthens his case as a future 1A and reinforces his stash value in deeper keeper formats. If he struggles, it may signal a more volatile path to reliable volume.

Matty Beniers is the other key dynasty watch. Top-line center usage with potential PP1 time is exactly the development step you want to see from a young pivot. Even if the production is uneven in the short term, the role itself is a strong signal that the organization trusts him in high-leverage situations. This is the type of audition that can move him from fringe keeper to core piece in a hurry.

For more established names like Dylan Larkin, Jesper Bratt, and Morgan Rielly, tonight doesn’t change their long-term valuation much; they’re already entrenched as key fantasy assets. The main dynasty takeaway is to monitor how they respond to increased responsibility while teammates are injured—sustained usage spikes can cement their status as long-term foundational pieces.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Joseph Woll – Add/Start (all but shallow): Strong matchup against a low-scoring Blues team makes him a high-confidence goalie play tonight.
Matty Beniers – Add in deep, Short-term stream in standard: Top-line center with a chance at PP1 time gives him real breakout potential if the Kraken offense clicks.
Brayden Point – Short-term stream / Start: Centering a lethal line with Kucherov; high multi-point upside in points-heavy formats.
Joey Daccord – Watchlist (dynasty/keeper): Returning from injury; tonight’s performance will hint at his future share of the Seattle crease.
Dylan Larkin – Must-start: Primary offensive driver for Detroit against Seattle, with strong shot and point potential.
Jesper Bratt – Start / Trade target: Elevated usage with Jack Hughes out makes him a strong short- and medium-term scoring asset; consider evaluating via the NHL Trade Analyzer.
Morgan Rielly – Start: Locked-in PP1 quarterback for Toronto with Matthews out, boosting his assist and PPP ceiling.
Auston Matthews – Short-term drop in shallow / IR stash: Injured with uncertain immediate return; don’t let him clog a bench spot if streaming is critical and you lack IR.

Fantasy Takeaways

Lean into Joseph Woll tonight: Favorable matchup versus the Blues makes him one of the safest goalie starts on the slate.
Treat Matty Beniers as a high-upside swing: Top-line and potential PP1 deployment justify adding or streaming him where available.
Monitor Joey Daccord, don’t force-start him: His return matters more for long-term crease share than for a must-win start tonight.
Exploit usage spikes from injuries: With Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes out, Morgan Rielly and Jesper Bratt gain even more offensive responsibility.
Be ruthless with injured stars in shallow leagues: If you can’t stash Matthews, a short-term drop can be justified to maximize streaming volume.

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