Here are the center value rankings for Saturday, December 12:
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Lindberg (NYR) | at CGY | 10 |
| Calle Jarnkrok (NAS) | vs. COL | 9 |
| Alex Galchenyuk (MTL) | vs. OTT | 8 |
| Anze Kopitar (LA) | at BUF | 8 |
| Frans Nielsen (NYI) | at CLB | 7 |
| John Tavares (NYI) | at CLB | 7 |
Lindberg has been promoted to the Rangers' top line, though he continues to be priced like a low-end second-line player. Grab a piece of him while his price is still deflated because his new role comes with more opportunities to fill the stat sheet.
Galchenyuk and Jarnkrok are in a similar situation, recently elevated to top-line status. Galchenyuk can lean heavily on Max Pacioretty taking the bulk of the shots when they're on the ice together. Jarnkrok is a lesser-known commodity but it's impossible to deny the value that comes with playing alongside the likes of James Neal.
Best of the Rest
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Johansen (CLB) | vs. NYI | 7 |
| Matt Duchene (COL) | at NAS | 7 |
| Tyler Seguin (DAL) | at STL | 7 |
| Joe Pavelski (SJ) | vs. MIN | 6 |
| Kyle Turris (OTT) | at MTL | 6 |
| Nathan MacKinnon (COL) | at NAS | 5 |
| Jeff Carter (LA) | at BUF | 5 |
| Jason Spezza (DAL) | at STL | 5 |
| Steven Stamkos (TB) | vs. WAS | 4 |
It's hard to go wrong with any of the centers from this elite group but pricing and opposition does come into play. Stamkos is having a down season but is still priced as a top-five player at center. It's probably a good idea to fade him against G Braden Holtby and the Capitals.
Seguin is not having a down season; he's arguably the frontrunner for the Hart Trophy at this time. With a DFS salary that challenges Alex Ovechkin for top billing, Seguin could still have a decent outing against Jake Allen and the Blues, but there might not be the required huge return on investment.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Eichel (BUF) | vs. LA | 4 |
| Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS) | at TB | 3 |
| Tomas Plekanec (MTL) | vs. OTT | 3 |
| Sean Monahan (CGY) | vs. NYR | 3 |
| Nicklas Backstrom (WAS) | at TB | 2 |
| Eric Staal (CAR) | at ARI | 2 |
Kuznetsov and Backstrom have both had good seasons to date but will face a surging Ben Bishop in Tampa; Bishop has a 1.57 GAA in his last 10 outings.
Staal has just one goal and four assists in his last 10 games and despite occupying expensive real estate as a well-known first-liner, he simply doesn't have the offensive chops to be a major contributor in DFS, even against middling goaltending.
