Jacob Bryson

Bryson is a depth defenseman that the Sabres can plug into the lineup when there's an injury or someone needs a game off, but the 26-year-old (27 on Nov. 18) isn't expected to get utilized beyond that. He recorded a goal, eight points, 40 blocked shots and 17 hits across 36 appearances with Buffalo in 2023-24 while averaging 14:41 of ice time. There's no guarantee that he'll feature in as many games in 2024-25, but if circumstances do push Buffalo to dress Bryson with regularity, then the blueliner will pick up a good number of blocks.

Bryson appeared in 59 contests last season, but he averaged just 14:35 of ice time. To put that into context, only six defensemen in the league averaged fewer minutes in 2022-23 while still logging at least 50 games. Bryson didn't exactly demand a bigger role either with his one goal, nine points, 27 shots, 34 hits and 69 blocks over the course of the campaign. He'll turn 26 on Nov. 18, so it's becoming a bit of a stretch to call him a prospect, and the additions of Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton over the summer could push Bryson even further down Buffalo's depth chart, keeping the defenseman's projected fantasy value at a minimum.