‘The best I’ve ever scouted’: The talent and work ethic that make Marvin Harrison Jr. special
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The tall tales of Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s work ethic have followed him throughout his Ohio State career.
They began with the predawn workout sessions as a freshman, which often were bookended by return trips to the facility that led to Buckeyes coaches tossing him out after midnight.
They continued with a practice temperament so fierce he once threatened to boycott team workouts after slipping in a speed workout and losing the top spot in an offseason competition. (He returned the next day and went 17-0 in his races to reemerge as No. 1.)
The crown jewel of Harrison Jr.’s competitiveness anecdote compilation came at the hotel lobby of a bowl site, when the staff set up a Jugs machine for him to get extra work.
Halfway through what’s presumed to be Harrison Jr.’s final season at Ohio State, he has taken his prototype wide receiver frame and the Hall of Fame tutoring from his father, Marvin Harrison Sr., and nurtured those gifts in the Ohio State wide receiver room, the country’s best incubator for future NFL pass-catching stars.
The confluence of raw talent, unmatched mentorship and elite collegiate coaching isn’t the reason Harrison Jr. is considered a generational NFL prospect, however. What has impressed throughout his three seasons in Columbus is the way he has maximized all the raw talent and inherent advantages of his father being one of the best receivers of all time.
“Many times, the more talented you are, the harder it is to develop discipline and skill,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day told ESPN. “And when you take somebody who has a lot of talent, who has a lot of discipline, that’s when you have Kobe Bryant. And you look at this kid, he’s got a lot of talent. He’s got a tremendous amount of discipline.”
Harrison Jr.’s 31 receptions and 604 yards so far in 2023 have lived up to the lofty expectations, and he’s expected to be the highest drafted wide receiver since Calvin Johnson went No. 2 in 2007.
His 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame cuts the archetype of a classic NFL outside receiver such as Julio Jones, an outsized version of his Hall of Fame father’s 6-foot, 185-pound frame. But his father’s genetics showed up in his hips, scouts and OSU coaches say, giving him the quick-twitch traits of a slot receiver in an outside receiver’s body.
That has all been honed by Harrison Sr. forcing his son to play against older kids growing up, orchestrating a high school transfer to a better program and steering him to be surrounded by the best wide receiver room in college football.
“Some kids are bigger and stronger and faster,” Harrison Sr. told ESPN. “Determination and competitiveness is the difference in him.”
How far can Harrison Jr.’s Mamba Mentality take him? Younger scouts don’t flinch when they say he’s the best receiver they’ve ever scouted, a full package of speed, hands, circus catches and smooth jazz routes aided by those loose hips.
“I think he’ll be with his dad in Canton,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, referencing the site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, told ESPN before the College Football Playoff last year. “I’ve told people that, and there’s no point in keeping it a secret. That’s just reality.”
Harrison faces the reality of perhaps the biggest challenge of his career on Saturday — Penn State’s No. 1-ranked pass defense (121.2 yards per game) — when the No. 3 Buckeyes host the No. 7 Nittany Lions.
Those who’ve witnessed his rise remain confident: Marvin Harrison Jr. is built for these moments.
As the cacophony of Ohio State’s pro day unfolded around him, Harrison Sr. sat on a bench in the Ohio State football facility. He still found bracket coverage, even 15 years after retiring — old-timers came with items to sign, agents came in for a quick greeting and half-hug, and scouts and general managers paid their respects.
He watched his son put on a show in front of scouts. Even though Harrison Jr. wasn’t draft-eligible, he ran routes for C.J. Stroud to tease the dozens of NFL personnel gathered about what they could look forward to the following year.
When Harrison Sr. reflected back on his own rise at Syracuse to a first-round pick in 1996, he didn’t even remember the school holding a Pro Day. But he does recall every deliberate and calculated step to help hone his son into the top receiver in college football.
“You have to go where the competitiveness is,” Harrison Sr. told ESPN.
That began in high school. Harrison Jr. began his career at La Salle College High School in Philadelphia and transferred to St. Joseph’s Prep after his freshman year, in part to play with current Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord.
Harrison Jr. chuckles at the memory of La Salle students chanting “Overrated” at him before a game during his junior year. He took notice, and he happily recalls a performance that rendered the chanting observation incorrect.
“I was like, ‘Oh, all right, that’s not cool,” he said of the sing-song chants in pregame. “I think I only played a half a game and had like 222 yards and four touchdowns. So, I don’t think that’s overrated.”
Early on in his son’s high school career, Harrison Sr. got a call from then-OSU assistant coach Ryan Day. He was in charge of recruiting Philadelphia and claims no scouting genius when the coaches at La Salle gave an early scouting report. “They said, ‘You know, we have Marvin Harrison Jr.’ I said, ‘We want to check on that one.'”
Day laughs at the obvious interest because of the bloodline, but the early call to Harrison Sr. meant a lot. Day had been the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback coach in 2015 and was a familiar name when he first got on the phone with Harrison Sr.
“The biggest portion of the recruiting process was two words — Ryan Day,” Harrison Sr. said. “I’d heard of him, through multiple sources.”
Day was also recruiting McCord, who was one of the first big commitments after he took over the head coaching job in December 2018. And that meant the two eventual high school teammates took recruiting trips there and developed a comfort level.
To Harrison Sr., the big allure was the program’s NFL pedigree. He loved that wide receiver coach Brian Hartline played in the NFL and was in the process of developing six NFL draft picks at the position since 2019, including three first-round picks the past two years — Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Harrison Sr. appreciated Day’s NFL pedigree from his time with the Eagles and 49ers in 2015 and 2016, and chuckled like an old receiver when he noted his appreciation for a “greedy” offensive coach. (He compared Day to former Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore.)
Harrison Sr. also appreciated that Ohio State produced a steady stream of high-end defensive backs. The opportunity to get pushed by his coaches, his teammates and in practice every day provided the biggest allure for Harrison Sr.
“It’s a competitive development,” Harrison Sr. said. “He had skills when he got here. He knew the game before he got here. He’s enhanced it and got better as you get older. But it’s, ‘Are you going to get here and get in the back of the f—ing line? Or are you going to go in the front of the line and say, ‘I’m going to kick your ass.’
“That’s a credit to the university and the school. The better competition they recruit, the better the kids are going to make each other. That’s the difference.”
Harrison Jr. showed up in January 2021 after the COVID-19 lockdown having grown three inches and put on significant weight, because he’d had extra time to work out. Mickey Marotti, Ohio State’s veteran strength coach, chuckled as he recalled him “showing up like a different person,” the physical changes were so stark.
The stories of the work ethic came soon after, as Harrison Jr. ended up being so dedicated that his work ethic pushed the veterans in the wide receiver room. Marotti said Harrison Jr. would bring groups in to catch balls before 6 a.m. lifts.
Harrison Jr. earned a small role as a freshman, broke out as arguably the country’s top receiver last year with 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns and likely would have been the first wide receiver picked in the NFL draft last year. (His teammate, Smith-Njigba, went No. 20 to the Seahawks with the first receiver off the board.)
And on pro day in March, Harrison Sr. smiled when he pointed out the full-circle nature of the relationship that started nearly six years earlier. He sought out Day for a simple message: “I want to thank you from Day 1 for recruiting my kid. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me and my family.”
Bill Polian vividly remembered Harrison Sr.’s private workout with the Carolina Panthers in spring 1996.
At Manley Field House at Syracuse, Harrison Sr. lined up in front of Panthers officials for a crew that included Polian, then the Panthers’ general manager, and coach Dom Capers. An assistant drilled Harrison Sr. in a drill called “Around the World,” where he fired the ball at “full throttle” from 10 yards away at every point on Harrison Sr.’s body.
“Our mouths were agape,” Polian recalled in a phone interview this week. “We’d never seen anyone with hands that fast. I certainly hadn’t.”
Polian, who became the Colts general manager in 1998, recalls someone in the group remarking: “He looks like a major league shortstop with those hands, the quickness, agility and softness. That’s Derek Jeter.”
Harrison Sr. crafted a comparable career in a different sport, as he went No. 19 overall to the Colts and finished his career with 14,580 receiver yards and 128 touchdowns. The yards put him No. 9 all-time in NFL history, and the touchdowns place him No. 5 in league history. So it’s revealing that he views his son as well ahead of where he was at this stage in his career.
“Absolutely, not even close,” Harrison Sr. said. “Obviously, things get better in time. Everything is more technical. More of this. More of that. More of everything now than it was in 1996.
“He’s been blessed to be around myself, Ohio State and Coach Day and Coach Hartline.”
Harrison Jr. recalled his father drilling in the nuances of the position from an early age. He said young receivers tend to want the ball to fall “in front of you” on routes, but he grew up understanding that the key to ball tracking is not necessarily running under it.
“You need to track the ball on the outside shoulder,” Harrison Jr. said. “You have to adjust the route not only to catch it, which is hard, but to catch it at a very specific spot.”
Hartline said a part of Harrison’s game that goes unseen is his “mad scientist” ability to learn a concept or see something executed on film and immediately apply it to the field. “Marv’s ability to apply his mental makeup to his physical mechanics is awesome,” Hartline said.
That translates to a prospect scouts say could end up as a top 5 pick in the NFL draft, with the third spot behind USC’s Caleb Williams and UNC’s Drake Maye a possibility.
One veteran NFL scout compared his body type to former NFL star A.J. Green and said he’s the best receiver he has scouted since Johnson went to the Lions No. 2 in 2007.
“What the fan wouldn’t notice is that when he runs his routes, he can really sink his hips and get out of breaks and cut without losing speed,” the scout said. “It may look like he’s blowing by someone, but corners can’t read his hips and doesn’t turn on the blink, as they say, to signal where he’s going.
“It’s not as good as someone like Tyreek Hill, but it’s the same thing. They don’t have to gear down to cut. He separates very easily for a tall receiver, which you don’t see.”
Another NFL scout called Harrison Jr. a “once-in-every-10-years-type” player. He noticed the same thing about the receiver’s hips and called his torso “long,” which gives him a “special change of direction and agility.”
Polian said he notices Harrison Jr.’s loose hips, which are the key to changing direction. A third scout summed up Harrison’s unique movement for his size this way: “He’s the best I’ve ever scouted,” he said. “That guy should be 5-11, but he’s 6-3. You don’t see guys that big do that. Ever.”
At some point this spring, a struggling NFL franchise is going to have a pre-draft workout with Harrison Jr. and likely come away with a similar impression Polian had of his father in 1996.
As Harrison Jr. hits the back half of what’s assumed to be his final season in Columbus, he’s aiming to get the ending right.
The consummate competitor finished last season with the ultimate motivator — sitting on the sideline as the Buckeyes squandered a 38-24 fourth-quarter lead and lost to Georgia 42-41 in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Harrison Jr. took a vicious hit from UGA’s Javon Bullard, suffered a concussion and has spent the offseason pondering what could have been.
“I definitely wish I could have been out there,” he said. “I think I definitely could have made a big difference — rewrote history if you look back at that game. If I don’t get hurt, I think Ohio State wins that game.”
Instead, the Buckeyes came achingly close to spoiling Georgia’s back-to-back title run with Harrison Jr. on the bench for the comeback. Harrison lobbied to return, but he is appreciative of Day and the medical staff looking back. “They’re looking at my best interests, not just as a football player, but as a person,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough for that, as bad as I wanted to be out there.”
Harrison Sr. said the first call he received the next day was from Day: “I said, ‘Coach, for not allowing him to go back in the game, I want to thank you again for protecting my son as if he was your own.'”
The close loss to Georgia, which wasn’t sealed until a missed field goal near the stroke of midnight on New Year’s, set the tone for Ohio State this past offseason.
Day emphasized the inches of the game, staying consistent because you never know where inches will show up. For Ohio State, they won at Notre Dame with a Chip Trayanum 1-yard plunge to secure a thrilling win, which personified Day’s focus.
With Penn State and its top-ranked pass defense coming to town in what’s expected to be another close game, the determining factor will again manifest itself in the smallest details. And for Harrison, it’s the type of stage he has been built for.
“Look at the inches,” he said. “We lost that [Georgia] game by inches on the kick, obviously. It’s just inches away from the [championship game]. How do we find those inches everywhere? Everything is coming down to the smallest of details.”
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
NEW ORLEANS — Considering that half-century in the college football netherworld, Tulane is amid what can only be considered a football renaissance. Spearheaded by former coach Willie Fritz and perpetuated by first-year coach Jon Sumrall, Tulane has won the American Athletic Conference (2022), beaten USC in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and is ranked No. 25 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Few could have projected Tulane’s place in the national conversation before the recent surge, as Tulane (8-2) looms as an improbable contender — along with No. 13 Boise State and No. 24 Army — for the CFP bid that goes to the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion.
“They were a beached whale for a lot of years and decades,” former Tulane athletic director Kevin White told ESPN. “The schizophrenia from the campus community was real, relative to college athletics. You’d put on a helmet and shoulder pads when you went to the board meetings.”
These days, the helmets and shoulder pads are saved for the games.
And Tulane has a coach in Sumrall, 42, who is considered to be one the most promising in the sport and embodies the institution’s grander ambitions that come with the taste of success.
And that puts Tulane in a compelling place as a university, as it’s seeing the benefits of recent football relevance and pondering the investments required to stay in the mix and, someday, position itself for a power conference.
“To be able to sustain success is really rewarding, I think, for everybody involved,” Sumrall said in his office last week. “Our players, our staff and the university as a whole, the challenges that come with mid-major football Group of 5 football if you will. Anytime right now you feel like a coach leaves, you’re like, ‘All right, this could go really bad.’ But we’re very fortunate to, things have stabilized.”
Tulane is undefeated in the AAC and a win at Navy (7-2) on Saturday (noon ET on ESPN2) would clinch a spot in the program’s third consecutive conference title game. Tulane beat UCF two years ago, lost to SMU last season and would play Army with a win Saturday.
That type of consistent success — as often happens at the mid-major level — has led to turnover. Athletic director Troy Dannen left for Washington (then soon again for Nebraska) after hiring Fritz in December 2015 and building the program with him. Fritz left for Houston after going 23-4 his final two seasons and beating USC in the Cotton Bowl following the 2022 season.
And Tulane has found itself institutionally trying to both sustain and maximize the success. It hired Huron Consulting, of which White is a senior adviser, to do what COO Patrick Norton calls a “basic diagnosis” of the athletic department.
“[Athletics is] really important to our brand,” Norton said. “Now, how do we capitalize on that? That’s still, I think, in some ways to be determined. I mean, this is fairly recent for us, success from the Cotton Bowl, which was really an amazing experience for the university. One that we hadn’t gone through in a very, very long time.”
One of the clearest signs of Tulane’s football aspirations came immediately after last season. In the wake of Fritz’s departure to Houston and in essentially athletic director David Harris’ first week on the job, they lured the hottest coach in the Sun Belt. Sumrall had won back-to-back league titles at Troy while going 23-4, and drew interest in the last cycle from Texas A&M and Mississippi State.
Sumrall agreed to a six-year deal that’s believed to be near the top of the AAC. For a place that lagged behind so far and for so long, Harris’ immediate aggression and commitment showed that Tulane didn’t want to drift off the map for another half-century.
“Jon has had a great impact on us,” Harris told ESPN. “I think his name and his success coming in the door gave what we were continuing to try to build here at Tulane, immediate credibility because people knew his background, his success, what he had been able to do at Troy, the connection that he had had here [as a former assistant].”
To remain in the conversation for the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, Tulane will need to keep winning and get help from some of Boise State’s Mountain West foes. But it’s entirely viable, and a testament to the school’s ability to maintain through significant turnover.
Tulane’s place in the national conversation is a fitting dividend from it’s increased investment in football. It was an object of the desire of the Pac-12 and continued success could vault it into conversations as leagues remain in flux.
Norton said that the travel in the Pac-12 loomed as an issue for Tulane and the school didn’t see a certain financial benefit from a move.
“We were leaving something that is more certain to less certain,” Norton said, “and frankly, it’s not the Pac-12 that we always knew, that we grew up with that John Wooden and UCLA and USC. It just wasn’t the same. I’m not saying that these schools aren’t solid, very good schools, but it’s not the same. And it was different than what we wanted, and so I think the decision wasn’t that hard, but we listened.”
But being courted by a league is a sign of Tulane’s evolution and success in athletics. And Sumrall said he has felt the support.
“I think that the readiness and the commitment is real,” Sumrall said. “I think that the university is seeing what football can do for the university. It’s galvanized so many people and I think it’s created a lot of exposure, and I think that that only empowers the desire to maybe help it grow even further.”
Sumrall spent three as an assistant coach at Tulane from 2012-14. He loved the city, watched guys like Leonard Fournette and Odell Beckham Jr. play high school ball. He loved the culture of the city — his favorite steakhouse is Mr. John’s down on St. Charles Avenue, and he has dabbled with the alligator cheesecake at Jacques-Imo’s. He always thought the collision of local talent and the city’s uniqueness could yield big dividends for a program stuck in neutral so long.
“So to me, that mixture of things was something that stood out to me when I was here previously,” Sumrall said. “And then the moment that’s been created with the most recent success the last few years really showed, I think, that there was an opportunity to maybe capture some positive things that have happened.”
Sumrall’s final season as an assistant coach coincided with the move to Yulman Stadium on campus and to the AAC in 2014. That marked a move out of the SuperDome, a cavernous dark hole for Tulane games that Sumrall likened to “playing in a cave.”
Since he has returned, Sumrall has seen the team being on campus and the success under Fritz energize Tulane football in New Orleans. He complimented Dannen’s decision to bring back the Angry Wave logo — fitting for a quirky city like New Orleans — and said the excitement felt today can be linked to the campus hosting football games.
“Ten years ago when I was here, I don’t think anybody here gave a damn. The city didn’t care,” he said. “There was no connection. Now you feel like a real connection. So that part’s really cool.”
Sumrall values that connection. He and his wife, Ginny, live nearby and take frequent walks on campus. She joins him when he traverses campus on Thursdays and checks in on the players classes, something Sumrall likes to do as a way to connect with the players. His presence there also stresses the academic component, which is critical at Tulane.
The roster that Sumrall as assembled is a modern mosaic of what roster building looks like, as he brought in 58 new players, including 53 transfers. He also has benefited from holdovers at quarterback and tailback who’ve both emerged as stars.
Tailback Makhi Hughes leads the AAC in rushing yards with 1,209. He averages 5.7 yards per carry and has scored 13 rushing touchdowns and two more receiving.
Quarterback Darian Mensah has thrown for 2,059 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has completed 65.6% of his passes and has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the Group of 5.
Mensah has led a balanced offense under veteran coordinator Joe Craddock that is No. 4 nationally in scoring with 41.0 points per game. Tulane is also Top 20 in scoring defense and total defense under coordinator Greg Gasparato.
Sumrall’s teams at Troy had a knack for winning close games, as Sumrall joked they went a “modest 12-2” his first year there. So far at Tulane, his team has lost only to then-No. 15 Oklahoma and then-No. 17 Kansas State, and it has handled the rest of the competition. In Tulane’s eight wins, it has won by an average of more than 30 points.
As Tulane enters the finishing kick, the program will face the same micro conundrum that it faces in the macro as a university in athletics — retaining talent and spending enough money in order to remain competitive. That includes coaches, staff and players, in an era where the financial separation is distinct compared to the power leagues.
While there’s limited movement expected in Power 4 coaching this year, Sumrall’s 31-6 career record will make him coveted this year and beyond. Mensah, who has three years of eligibility left, has authored the type of season that already has quarterback-needy schools putting together bids.
The success for Tulane is real, but so is the annual challenge to maintain it. With the ambition and momentum Tulane has gathered comes the challenge of keeping it going.
“As you look at the next several years, and the changing landscape of college athletics, people feel that there’s really a place for Tulane within the college football landscape and just overall being a stronger athletics brand,” Harris said. “And so to be in this position is incredibly exciting. It’s a big responsibility because you want to be a part of keeping the trajectory going up and keeping the excitement going and keeping the momentum going.”
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Neil Paine
Hockey is a notoriously chaotic sport in which you need a large sample of games to know what’s real versus what’s just noise. For instance, it is estimated that it takes the entire 82-game NHL season to give us as much information about team quality as just 32 NBA games — or less than half the regular season — do.
So it’s always risky to draw grand conclusions from what we see over the first month of play on the ice. But that can’t stop us from finding interesting trends emerging from the early portion of the schedule.
Here are seven initial developments that have taken us by surprise in 2024-25 so far:
1. Ovechkin’s comeback against Father Time
One of the biggest storylines heading into the season was Alex Ovechkin‘s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record, with the Great 8 starting the season trailing The Great One by 41 scores.
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Sean Allen
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Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash
Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010
Another week, another No. 1 landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings. But who finishes 2-32?
Plus, it’s another fantasy hockey takeover week, with Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash identifying one player per team who is off to a slow start (relative to his teammates or expectations) and advising fantasy managers whether to have patience or panic at this time.
And as a reminder, it’s not too late to join ESPN Fantasy Hockey. Sign up for free and start playing today!
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 8. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 88.24%
Cole Perfetti, LW (28.9% rostered in ESPN Fantasy leagues): As difficult as it is to find fault with anything Jets-related these days, Perfetti isn’t quite meeting 2024-25 fantasy expectations yet. But the 22-year-old remains cemented on the Jets’ second scoring line and power play, and he has pitched in enough multipoint showings to merit another look in deeper leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 16), vs. FLA (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.33%
Brent Burns, D (69.5%): The writing had been on the wall, faintly sketched with a carpenter’s pencil, but now it’s been retraced in ink. Shayne Gostisbehere has the power play on lock, and Burns doesn’t put up the points without it now. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 16), vs. STL (Nov. 17), @ PHI (Nov. 20), @ NJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.65%
Gustav Forsling, D (68.8%): Playoff heroics can inflate rostership numbers even this far into the future, but Forsling isn’t a must-have fantasy contributor. You can find a defenseman with a higher ceiling among your league’s free agents. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 16), @ WPG (Nov. 19), @ CHI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 78.13%
Marc-Andre Fleury, G (51.8%): As long as Filip Gustavsson continues to perform dependably well, the veteran No. 2 isn’t going to play much. There are other lesser-rostered backups in the league — Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind — who offer more fantasy punch than Fleury. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 16), @ STL (Nov. 19), @ EDM (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%
Matt Roy, D (45.6%): After a breakout fantasy campaign with the Kings last season, cut Roy some slack. He has had only a handful of games to get used to his new teammates, and the minutes are there to get the job done. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ COL (Nov. 15), @ VGK (Nov. 17), @ UTA (Nov. 18), vs. COL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%
Mika Zibanejad, C (95.6%): Zibanejad has had slow starts before — 1.78 FPPG in 2021-22 and 1.93 FPPG last season — yet still finished over 2.00 FPPG. His current 1.58 FPPG isn’t alarming. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 17), @ VAN (Nov. 19), @ CGY (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 68.75%
Brayden McNabb, D (52.3%): Returning to his selfless ways — highlighted by five blocked shots against the Ducks Wednesday — McNabb is already working back into his fantasy managers’ good graces. While hardly a prolific producer, the veteran should start pitching in a few more points, too. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ UTA (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 17), @ TOR (Nov. 20), @ OTT (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 65.00%
Luke Hughes, D (39.1%): He did an admirable job filling in for an injured Dougie Hamilton as a rookie last season, but unless that situation arises again, it looks as though Hughes is out of the limelight for this campaign. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 16), vs. CAR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 66.67%
Roope Hintz, C (79.8%): Some bad puck luck, illustrated by his 6.7% shooting percentage through six recent contests (career: 16.5%), is partially to blame for Hintz’s current skid. But the perennial 30-plus goal scorer is bound to get back on track soon, especially once Peter DeBoer inevitably juggles his lines again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 18), vs. SJ (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.33%
Filip Hronek, D (51.9%): He’s averaging approximately a single shot and blocked shot per game. Unlike last season, the compensatory scoring isn’t there to make up for those shortcomings. Hronek appears far more valuable to the Canucks as Quinn Hughes‘ defensive partner than to his fantasy managers. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 16), vs. NSH (Nov. 17), vs. NYR (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 58.33%
Quinton Byfield, RW (43.2%): The lack of a single power-play point is one concern, along with his removal from the top unit. Through the fantasy lens, so is Byfield’s third-line role. If all remains as is, we might be in for another season of inconsistent fantasy returns. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 16), vs. BUF (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 61.11%
Matthew Knies, LW (42.4%): He has been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak, as he gets first power-play unit access while Auston Matthews is out. The confidence boost should carry over to when Matthews returns, and they are linemates again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Nov. 16), vs. VGK (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 55.88%
Jeff Skinner, C (45.0%): Afforded the opportunity to compete alongside just about every Oiler up front, including two of the best centers in the biz, the veteran winger has nonetheless failed to offer much of a productive presence. Now Skinner appears relegated to Edmonton’s fourth line. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TOR (Nov. 16), @ MTL (Nov. 18), @ OTT (Nov. 19), vs. MIN (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.67%
Jake Guentzel, LW (98.8%): Guentzel’s overall output is fantastic already, but with just two power-play points so far, he has yet to add his usual production with the man advantage. If he does, his already strong fantasy profile could get a big boost. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 16), @ PIT (Nov. 19), @ CBJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.94%
Devon Toews, D (66.7%): While it has taken the defender time to warm up after a delayed start to 2024-25, Toews now appears back in his groove: blocking shots, contributing to the score sheet and skating more minutes than nearly everyone else. Cale Makar‘s partner hasn’t averaged 0.58 points per game throughout his career by accident. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 15), @ PHI (Nov. 18), @ WSH (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.13%
Linus Ullmark, G (84.8%): The Senators are showing signs of competing, and we know Ullmark is capable of being among the best. Patience might already be paying off with some of his recent road outings against tough division rivals. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ CAR (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 19), vs. VGK (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.88%
Nazem Kadri, C (78.4%): While no one is scoring much for the Flames these days, including their No. 1 center, this too shall pass. Perhaps it’ll play out like last season, when Kadri collected two points in October before erupting for 13 in November, then maintained that scoring pace for the duration of the season. Also, he shoots the puck a lot. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Nov. 15), vs. NYI (Nov. 19), vs. NYR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 50.00%
Charlie McAvoy, D (89.9%): The Bruins’ offense might be slower this season, but McAvoy’s 1.64 FPPG is still too low. Give him time. Not enough has changed to drop him far from his 2.29 FPPG average over the past three seasons. Verdict: Patience
Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 16), vs. CBJ (Nov. 18), vs. UTA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%
Barrett Hayton, C (17.5%): According to analysis by Evolving Hockey, the third-line center (for now) should be scoring more goals in accordance with the quality of his shots. That offers some comfort in light of his current skid. While Hayton certainly needs to play more minutes and shoot on net more often, he doesn’t merit giving up entirely in deeper fantasy leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 18), @ BOS (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.94%
Brock Nelson, C (76.9%): The Isles’ collective offense isn’t weaker than it has been for several years. Nelson has averaged 2.03 FPPG across the past three seasons. He’ll come around. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 16), @ CGY (Nov. 19), @ DET (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%
Patrick Kane, RW (66.3%): If the Red Wings’ power play were in the dumps, maybe we could preach patience for Kane. But it’s not, and it might be time to move on from Kane in fantasy. He is getting all the opportunities required and is just not producing. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 15), @ LA (Nov. 16), @ SJ (Nov. 18), vs. NYI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Dylan Cozens, C (49.3%): It is time to move off Cozens. He had that banner 2022-23 but is now matching the reduced fantasy production that lasted all of last season. Even an uptick in performance might not be enough to get to fantasy relevance from his current 1.41 FPPG. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 16), @ LA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%
Adam Larsson, D (60.5%): Despite the relative drought, the top-pair defenseman still blocks a sufficient number of shots to merit rostering in deeper standard leagues. Plus, he’ll soon fall back into his usual (however relatively modest) scoring groove. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 16), vs. NYR (Nov. 17), vs. NSH (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.12%
Jordan Binnington, G (55.1%): After winning the season opener against Seattle, the Blues’ No. 1 has yet to beat anyone outside of the Atlantic Division. Shouldering a 4-7-0 record, .887 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against average, Binnington has cost his fantasy managers a total net loss of 1.8 points. Yes, negative points. There are likely brighter days ahead for the banged-up Blues, but when? Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ BOS (Nov. 16), @ CAR (Nov. 17), vs. MIN (Nov. 19), vs. SJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 47.06%
Joel Farabee, LW (50.7%): Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton; Take your pick of Flyers who were just picking up some fantasy momentum in their career but have been buried on the depth chart by the new core group. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 16), vs. COL (Nov. 18), vs. CAR (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 38.24%
Teuvo Teravainen, RW (41.4%): The Blackhawks’ offseason acquisition has one goal and zero assists in his past 11 games, and he isn’t shooting with any consistency. Even back on a scoring line with Connor Bedard, Teravainen can’t be counted on to contribute regularly enough. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ VAN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 19), vs. FLA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 41.67%
Erik Karlsson, D (94.1%): It’s been a season and a quarter now, so what we see from Karlsson as a Penguin might be what we get. He’s not the sole source of offense, so downgraded fantasy output is just the new normal. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 15), vs. SJ (Nov. 16), vs. TB (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%
Ivan Provorov, D (19.2%): No one on the Blue Jackets is underperforming in a big way, but even 20% rostership is too high for Provorov. If he’s not on the first pair, you can safely pretend he’s not there. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Nov. 15), @ MTL (Nov. 16), @ BOS (Nov. 18), vs. TB (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 38.24%
Gustav Nyquist, RW (16.6%): Once replaced by Steven Stamkos on the Predators’ top line, Nyquist lost most of his fantasy charm. It’s no coincidence the winger was at his most productive when skating alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 15), @ VAN (Nov. 17), @ SEA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 40.00%
Lukas Dostal, G (60.7%): The Ducks allow the most shots against (35.5 per game) while scoring the fewest goals (2.20 per game). Plus, a healthy John Gibson is back to share Anaheim’s crease. Dostal’s successful fantasy run was fun while it lasted. It’s time to move on. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 15), @ DAL (Nov. 18), @ CHI (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.11%
William Eklund, LW (56.2%): The sophomore is playing a ton of minutes, pitching in assists and now skating on a scoring line with Mikael Granlund. Which is a good thing. Yes, we’d all like to see him shoot more. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 16), vs. DET (Nov. 18), @ DAL (Nov. 20), @ STL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.29%
Sam Montembeault, G (22.3%): The Habs don’t look like they’ll win enough for Monty to shine in redraft leagues, but if you drafted him for a keeper league, there are positive signs for the future. Verdict: Patience, at least for the long term.
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 18)
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