Frozen Fantasy: No Crumbs Left

It's that time again. Fantasy baseball draft kits are out (Rotowire's kit is great, BTW) and some managers are distracted. They stop setting lineups. Their category choke-holds start to loosen. 

Take advantage. And leave no crumbs.

That takes more than calculated risk. It can take pushing every chip toward seemingly bizarre add/drops and trades. You can leapfrog over other managers if you can make up ground in or even clean up on a couple of categories.

And stealing points from the managers ahead of you? Bonus. 

All of this can mean a playoff position in H2H and we both know that anything can happen then. And it can mean a push for the top-three or four spots in roto, and that often means money. Or more money. 

And if you're already leading? Your friends will start making fancams of you. OK, maybe that's a stretch. But you can dream of your own moment on TikTok.

Get on this strategy now. Turn over every stone to find what you need to attack those soft categories. It's a stealth way to be able to say you left no crumbs.  

And when you do, chirp politely. The smirk will be well deserved.

Let's take a look at who might help you this week.

Defense Points 

Cam Fowler, D, Anaheim (17 percent Yahoo!) – The Ducks have four games this week and Fowler is coming out of the break as a possible impact defender, both short and longer-term. He had seven points, including three goals, in his last five games and is running PP1. And Fowler's on track for his second straight 40-point season. Just beware his plus-minus – his minus-13 is deceiving because of two plus-four games in his last three. Fowler is much more likely to hand you a minus-three or four effort than a big plus-one, and that can hang like an anchor. 

Points 

Owen Tippett, LW/RW, Philadelphia (8 percent Yahoo!) – Is Tippett finally becoming the player we thought he'd be? I'm not sure I'm drinking that Kool-Aid, but I do like the growth in his game. He's on the top line, helping run PP2 and had four points (one goal, three assists) in four games leading up to the break. Tippett struggles on the defensive side of the puck, but that rarely stings fantasy managers unless you count plus-minus. He could surprise over the next 30 or so games. 

Filip Zadina, LW/RW, Detroit (1 percent Yahoo!) – This is a bit of a longshot, but hear me out. Zadina's busted leg is healed and he'll be back with the Wings after the break. Most people have grown weary of waiting on him to produce, but Steve Yzerman believes in him – why else would he give him a three-year deal coming into this season? Zadina is skilled, strong on the puck and loves to shoot. But he's also a great playmaker and isn't afraid to go into tough spots to score. And if the Wings move Tyler Bertuzzi (18 percent Yahoo!) and/or David Perron (46 percent Yahoo!), Zadina could be in line for a top-six spot and a show-me spotlight. 

Goals 

Adam Henrique, LW/C, Anaheim (16 percent Yahoo!) – Once upon a time, a teenaged Henrique marched in lockstep with Taylor Hall on the way to two Memorial Cups. The second time (2010), he scored 20 goals through the OHL playoffs and added another four (eight points) in the Mem Cup tourney. Henrique now has an even more talented linemate in Trevor Zegras, and the points have been pouring in. And he had nine points, including six goals, in his eight games before the break. Henrique won't keep up this torrid pace, but he's a good bet with a four-game week coming up. 

Andrew Mangiapane, LW/RW, Calgary (33 percent Yahoo!) – He was here last week, so this will be quick. The Flames need to work to get into a playoff spot, and Mangiapane is poised to play a big part of that. The Bread Man has a history of scoring success and works hard. And coach Darryl Sutter prefers proven veterans over young players. Suddenly a top-six gig could be on the horizon and - who knows - maybe even an occasional bump up to PP1. 

Jakub Vrana, LW, Detroit (19 percent Yahoo!) – Very quietly, Vrana is picking up a head of steam in the AHL. He's currently on a four-game, six-point streak and has eight points - including six goals - in his last seven games. And this sudden surge could make it a lot easier for the Wings to move his $5.25 mil cap hit (through next season). Vrana offers 60-point upside and the kind of skill that a playoff team wants in its top-six. And he could be in a better team's upper half sooner rather than later if the Wings get creative and retain the $1.9 million of his buyout. I've held onto him in a couple leagues for this kind of moment. I can always drop him if they keep him buried in the A. And there's no one else currently on the wire that boasta Vrana's potential. It's not even close. 

Goalie 

Connor Ingram, G, Arizona (1 percent Yahoo!) – Ingram is already in a timeshare with Karel Vejmelka (48 percent Yahoo!), but that could change fast if Veggie books a one-way ticket at the deadline. The Desert Dawgs allow so many shots that Ingram is a massive risk. So will Jon Gillies or Ivan Prosvetov (both 0 percent Yahoo!), one of whom will ascend to the NHL to backfill the open roster spot. But lots of shots means the potential for lots of saves. The key word is potential – Ingram is a desperation play, but we both know that goalies become valuable – and overvalued – in really weird ways.

Cal Petersen, G, Los Angeles (3 percent Yahoo!) – Petersen will likely never play for the Kings again. They want to free themselves of his $5 million AAV, but need two things to happen – his game needs to get better, and they likely need to eat part of his contract. Petersen is finally doing his part in the AHL going 2-2-0 in his last four heading into this week while allowing two goals or fewer in all. It's up to LA, and I'm not holding my breath. Petersen is locked up until 2025 and the cost to move him might be too much. But if the Kings do pull the trigger, Petersen will step back into the NHL as a starter. And there's some fantasy value in that. 

Blocked Shots

Trevor van Riemsdyk, D, Washington (2 percent Yahoo!) – TvR went into the break on a high with a two-goal game in a win over the Blue Jackets. I didn't really give it much thought then. But on closer inspection, I found someone who blocks a load of pucks, sees time on PP2 and is about to set a career scoring mark. The points are gravy, but the blocks are going to help. A lot. 

Hits

Nicolas Deslauriers, LW, Philadelphia and Matt Martin, LW/RW, NY Islanders (6 and 8 percent Yahoo!, respectively) – These two are category monsters, but deliver nothing else. But either can do the job if you need hits to make a dent. Deslauriers ranks second in the NHL in that category and Martin is third. All things equal, I'd nab Deslauriers. The Flyers could move Kevin Hayes (51 percent Yahoo!) or James van Riemsdyk (4 percent Yahoo!) and that could shift Deslauriers up to the 3LW spot. A little more ice time won't deliver more points, per se, but it's easy to imagine a proportional increase in hits. And a league title in that category. 

Back to no crumbs left. 

Complete domination is a wonderful feeling. Do it if you can. Take advantage of distracted managers and those who hesitate when injuries hit. You know who they are. Make it so. 

Until next week.