Introducing ESPN’s college football preseason All-America team
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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
The start of the 2023 college football season is almost here, which means it’s time to unveil ESPN’s preseason All-America team.
The offense should look familiar. Six players were on our 2022 postseason All-America team, including Heisman Trophy-winning USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The defense features more new faces.
What a player has done to this point in his career certainly matters in picking this team, but there’s some projection involved as well based on consultation with college coaches, NFL scouts and colleagues who cover the sport. The goal is to pick who we think will be the best players on the field this season.
Two-time defending national champion Georgia leads the way with five selections.
OFFENSE
This season Williams will attempt to do something that has been done only one other time in college football history, and that’s win the Heisman Trophy for a second time. Williams broke just about every USC quarterback record last season, including total offense (4,919 yards) and touchdowns accounted for (52). He’s a dynamic passer both in the pocket and on the move, and is always a threat to run when a play breaks down. A second Heisman would be nice, but Williams’ focus is clearly on getting the Trojans back to the College Football Playoff and winning their first national championship since 2004.
On his way to being a potential Heisman Trophy finalist last season, Corum injured his left knee in the next-to-last regular-season game and was done for the year. Corum can’t wait for the 2023 season after passing up a chance to turn pro. He said he’s “better than ever” — his mobility, cutting ability, everything. He rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns before the injury a year ago and will again be the centerpiece of the Michigan running game. But he won’t be forced to carry too heavy a burden with sidekick Donovan Edwards also returning in the Wolverines’ backfield.
Judkins was sensational as a freshman in an Ole Miss offense that ranked third nationally in rushing (256.4 yards per game). His 1,567 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns led the SEC, and to put those numbers in perspective, Herschel Walker is the only player in SEC history to rush for more yards as a freshman. Judkins had eight 100-yard rushing games, including a pair of 200-yard performances. He has said he feels like he will have a better overall feel for the game in 2023, which means 3,000 yards in two seasons is not out of the question.
Harrison has everything you could want in a receiver and the production to go with it. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Harrison led the FBS with 878 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns against single coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. He had 20 catches of 20 yards or longer and said this summer that Ohio State would have beaten Georgia in the playoff last year had he not been knocked out of the game with a concussion on a play that was initially ruled targeting before being overturned. Perhaps Harrison will get another shot at the Dawgs this season.
The Michael Penix Jr.-to-Odunze connection is back, which isn’t the best news for the rest of the Pac-12. Both players considered turning pro, but they felt like there was unfinished business at UDub. Odunze had a breakout junior season a year ago in leading the Pac-12 in receiving yards (1,145) and became the first player in school history to have four straight 100-yard receiving games. He has the size (6-3, 210 pounds) and speed to give any defensive back fits, and it’s not going to be easy to shadow him with equally talented wideout Jalen McMillan on the other side.
Ever since making the trek from California to play for the Dawgs, Bowers has been the quintessential tight end, whether he’s catching the ball down the middle of the field and outrunning defenders, knocking a defender on his back side while blocking inside or on the edge and even taking a handoff and sprinting in for a touchdown. There’s not much the 6-4, 230-pound Bowers can’t do. He has scored 24 touchdowns in his first two seasons (20 receiving and four rushing) and returns for his junior season as one of the most valuable and versatile players in the sport.
The 6-8, 322-pound Alt is a repeat selection after making ESPN’s 2022 All-America team as a sophomore. He’s everything you look for in a left tackle and certainly has the bloodlines. His father, John Alt, is a Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer, and the younger Alt is on track to have a long career in the pros himself. A tight end in high school, Alt didn’t allow a sack last season and is equally dominant in the run game. Transfer quarterback Sam Hartman couldn’t ask for a better protector of his blind side.
There won’t be any shortage of talented guards in college football this season, but nobody has a more promising upside than the 6-5, 335-pound Booker with his blend of size, strength and agility. He was a Freshman All-American a year ago and will line up at right guard as a sophomore beside former IMG Academy teammate JC Latham at right tackle. It’s a right side of the Alabama offensive line that Latham said would be “dangerous” in 2023.
Van Pran was perhaps the most important recruit Georgia secured this offseason when he decided to return to school after starting every game at center for the Bulldogs during their two national championship seasons. He was at the top of the NFL’s list of center prospects a year ago and will anchor an offensive line that will feature some new faces in 2023. Now in his fourth season in the program, Van Pran is also one of the strongest leaders on Georgia’s team, and his experience will be especially beneficial with the Dawgs breaking in a new quarterback.
How’s this for a stat: Beebe hasn’t allowed a sack in his last 803 pass-blocking plays dating back to the 2020 season, according to Pro Football Focus. A fifth-year senior, Beebe has started 35 career games, 14 at left guard a year ago. He’s also played left tackle and right tackle during his Kansas State career and earned Big 12 offensive lineman of the year honors last season for the conference champions. Wherever Beebe lines up on the offensive line, he’s proven to be a difference-maker.
Had he declared for the NFL draft a year ago, Fashanu would have likely been a first-round selection. So it was a coup for Penn State to get him back at his left tackle position. At 6-6 and 319 pounds, Fashanu is a polished pass protector and has excellent footwork for a player his size. This will be only Fashanu’s second season as a starter, and those in and around the Penn State program are confident he will be even more dominant as a junior — and that’s after allowing no sacks in 281 pass-blocking snaps last season.
All-purpose: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Egbuka, a junior receiver, was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award last season as the most versatile player in college football. He caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns and added a pair of rushing touchdowns. The Buckeyes also have used him to return punts and kickoffs. At receiver, they’ve used him in the slot, on the outside, and he’s also taken handoffs out of the backfield. “If there’s an issue, ‘Where’s Emeka? He’ll help us fix it,'” Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline said.
DEFENSE
Florida State is entering this season with the most buzz the program has had in a long time, and the Seminoles’ defense will be led by the 6-4, 260-pound Verse, who burst onto the scene a year ago after starting his career in the FCS ranks at Albany. Verse finished with 16.5 tackles for loss, including nine sacks, a year ago. With this being his second year in the system, and especially if he can stay healthy after battling a few injuries last season, Verse has a chance to put up even bigger numbers in 2023.
Anybody sleeping on Illinois’ defense or Newton is not paying attention. Newton has gone from a three-star recruit in high school to one of college football’s best interior defensive linemen. The 6-2, 295-pound Newton passed up the NFL to return for his fourth season, and Illinois’ D should again be salty after leading the country a year ago in scoring defense (12.8 points per game). Not only is Newton a menace inside, but fellow defensive lineman Keith Randolph is also a future pro. The “Law Firm,” as coach Bret Bielema calls them, combined for 27 tackles for loss last season.
Williams is coming off foot surgery that caused him to miss most of spring practice, but the Georgia staff is expecting more of what they saw out of him last season as a true freshman. The 6-5, 265-pound Williams tied Jalen Carter with a team-leading 31 quarterback hurries and played especially well in the CFP, getting a sack while matched up against Ohio State first-round draft pick Paris Johnson in the national semifinal. Williams flashed greatness in tying for the national lead among true freshmen with six sacks last season, and expect those flashes to become more of a fixture in 2023.
With Will Anderson Jr. moving on to the NFL, Turner assumes the role as Alabama’s marquee pass-rusher. Last season was his first as a full-time starter, and Turner’s speed jumps out whether he’s rushing the quarterback or chasing down a ball carrier. His numbers weren’t eye-popping as a sophomore (eight tackles for loss, four sacks), but he had 8.5 sacks as a freshman. New defensive coordinator Kevin Steele wants to create more negative plays on defense, and the 6-4, 242-pound Turner will play a key role in that.
Take your pick with Perkins. He can play linebacker or edge rusher, and wherever he lines up, he’s an impact defender. Perkins was still learning to play the game a year ago as a true freshman in the SEC and relied mostly on sheer athleticism to lead the team in tackles for loss (13), sacks (7.5), quarterback hurries (14) and forced fumbles (4). Look for Perkins to be more seasoned, more consistent and even more disruptive this season, which is bad news for opposing offenses.
The talented front-seven players that have come through Georgia on Kirby Smart’s watch are too many to count. The 6-1, 245-pound Dumas-Johnson smothers the run and is also adept at getting to the passer from his inside linebacker position. As a true sophomore last season, he led Georgia’s national championship defense with nine tackles for loss and was third in quarterback hurries (24). Dumas-Johnson was a finalist for the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in the country a year ago and will be right in that mix again in 2023.
Defensive coordinators love linebackers who can do a little bit of everything, and that’s why Clemson coordinator Wesley Goodwin is so high on Carter. The 6-1, 225-pound junior played a team-high 832 snaps last season, primarily because he rushes the passer, covers the pass and plays the run all at a high level. Easily one of college football’s most well-rounded linebackers, Carter teams with Jeremiah Trotter to give Clemson two of its best linebackers in the Dabo Swinney era.
McKinstry has been starting since the second game of his true freshman season and enters his junior year as the most accomplished cornerback in the nation. Already, some mock drafts have him going as a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The 6-1, 195-pound McKinstry has the lockdown skills to limit teams’ best receivers, and with his experience, he’s the kind of cornerback we’ve seen on some of Nick Saban’s best defenses. McKinstry doubles as one of college football’s most dangerous punt returners.
One of the reasons Penn State keeps coming up in the national championship conversation this offseason is that this should be James Franklin’s best defense. There’s a ton of talent on that side of the ball — linebacker Abdul Carter and defensive ends Chop Robinson and Dani Dennis-Sutton to name a few. But having a cornerback the caliber of King on the back end creates all sorts of options for a defense. The 5-11, 191-pound junior was third nationally last season in passes defended (21) and pass breakups (18) and also had three interceptions.
Paired with former five-star recruit James Williams, Kinchens gives the Hurricanes one of the more talented safety tandems in the country. Miami limped to a 5-7 finish in Mario Cristobal’s first season as coach, but Kinchens was a star. He tied for first among Power 5 players with six interceptions, returning one of those 99 yards for a touchdown, and also led the team with 59 tackles. Kinchens has good size (205 pounds) and instincts and will be one of the more complete defensive backs in college football this season.
As good as Starks was as a true freshman, he should be even better as a sophomore with a year’s worth of experience and having an even better feel for Georgia’s system and the speed of the college game. The 6-1, 205-pound Starks led all Georgia defenders on its national championship team last season with 847 snaps played and finished third on the team with 68 total tackles while starting in all 15 games. Starks and Javon Bullard will give the Bulldogs one of the best safety duos in the country, as Bullard is moving from the nickel/star position to safety. Their combined versatility will be invaluable to a Georgia defense that has had 13 players drafted over the last two years.
SPECIAL TEAMS
It’s hard to beat perfection, but that’s what Karty was a year ago for the Cardinal in going 18-for-18 on field goal attempts, with a long of 61 yards that set a record for a Pac-12 game. As he enters his senior season and third as Stanford’s starting place-kicker, Karty’s accuracy will be a plus for a Cardinal offense searching for all the points it can muster after finishing 109th nationally in scoring last season. Karty also has great range. He made all three of his attempts from beyond 50 yards in 2022 and had 13 makes of 40 yards or longer.
Entering his fourth season as South Carolina’s punter, Kroeger has averaged 44.2 yards per punt during his career, emerging a year ago as an MVP candidate for the Gamecocks and one of the most flexible special teams players in the country. He averaged 46.1 yards per punt and had 29 punts downed inside the 20-yard line (three inside the 5 in a 31-30 win over rival Clemson). But Kroeger is more than just a punter. He’s thrown three career touchdowns as a trick play passer and also holds on place kicks.
Any time Griffin has the ball in his hands, the fun begins — unless you’re trying to tackle him. He led the nation in kickoff return average last season as a junior (32.3 yards on 19 returns) and has taken a kickoff back for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons. The 5-10, 180-pound Griffin had kickoff returns of 30 yards or longer in eight of the Bulldogs’ 13 games last season, and as a receiver, caught 40 passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns.
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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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