Player News – Page 87 – FantasySP Blog

Ales Hemsky Is Available

After missing significant time earlier in the year with a shoulder injury, Ales Hemsky is back in form and playing well.

Analysis: The knock on Ales Hemsky is and will always be his health. He has not played in more than fifty games over the last two years but when he’s healthy he always produces. He’s a career .80 point per game player and with the Oilers much improved his plus/minus is no longer a fantasy issue. His injured shoulder appears to be healthy and while it remains that way… you just have to play him.

Hemsky is available in a little less than half of fantasy leagues which is a big plus for those looking for a boost on their right wing. His ice time in his last four games has been in the sixteen minute range but his biggest asset will be in assists. With guys like Steve Downie struggling, you have to consider making the switch to Hemsky. Hemsky will most likely miss more time down the road but as a right wing option in the present… he’s more than solid.

PPR Help- Dexter McCluster

With an impressive eight carry and six reception game against Denver Sunday, Dexter McCluster will be attracting even more fantasy attention this week.

Analysis: Dexter McCluster carried the rock eight times Sunday, four more times than Thomas Jones who could only manage just four yards on the day. McCluster’s eight targets were three more than rookie Jon Baldwin and one more than Dwayne Bowe. McCluster is now averaging nearly eight carries per game over his last four contests and his twenty-nine receptions on the year is top ten among all fantasy qualified backs this season. McCluster isn’t going to win any PPR fantasy leagues by himself but his touches should remain solid as Thomas Jones continues to fall out of favor in Kansas City.

It appears that McCluster is finding a niche in the KC offense since Jamaal Charles went down and considering Jackie Battle doesn’t have the best of hands, McCluster is becoming a huge asset in their offense. Even though it is unlikely that the Chiefs will make the playoffs coming off of homes losses to Miami and Denver, they remain just one game back of Oakland. If they are to make a playoff push, Dexter McCluster will have to be on the end of more touches.

Buying Low- Martin Hanzal

After missing two games with a lower body injury, Martin Hanzal is back in action and a viable fantasy option once again.

Analysis: Martin Hanzal has ten points on the year in just twelve games as well as thirty-nine shots on goal. Hanzal is and will continue to be a major player for the Yotes as his nineteen minutes of ice time suggests. He’s second to only Shane Doan on the Yotes in ice time among forwards and that trend will continue throughout this season.

His only fantasy weakness right now is power play points but his performance this year has been so good that you can live with his shortcoming. His penalty minutes remain around one minute per game this year(10 in 12 games) and are on par with his past two seasons. He actually leads all Phoenix forwards in penalty minutes even though he has missed a few games. Hanzal is a twenty-four year old center on the rise and this is shaping out to be a career year for him. He’s available in a little less than half of fantasy leagues due to his recent injury and now is certainly the time to buy him low.

Last Call On Ondrej Pavelec

Winnipeg’s other goaltender, Chris Mason, is set to return to action soon but do not expect Ondrej Pavelec to miss many starts as he continues on his hot streak.

Analysis: Pavelec has been a top fifteen netminder over the last two weeks with a save percentage north of 93%. He has only allowed more than three goals once in the past four weeks despite playing on the road in eight of his last eleven games. He’s looked great against quality teams on the road, peroid. Considering Pavelec’s recent success it is confusing why he is only owned in half of fantasy leagues nationwide. With the season long struggles of Jaroslav Halak and Cory Schneider, it is time to pick Pavelec up.

Pavelec isn’t a sell high goalie like Minnesota’s Josh Harding, he is a legit top twenty-five goaltender now. He’s still only twenty-four years of age and as he continues to improve on a relatively young Jets team you can expect some consistency unlike his performances last year. The Jets have only played four home games this year and you just have to think that will work in Pavelec’s favor in terms of more wins down the road.

PPR Help- Roy Helu

Roy Helu caught fourteen balls Sunday afternoon against the Niners to lead all NFL players on the day.

Analysis: With seventeen targets and fourteen receptions Sunday, Roy Helu has grabbed the attention of all fantasy owners. Helu’s twenty-four total touches against the Niners dwarfed Ryan Torain’s two touches. Obviously, when Mike Shanahan is involved in any running back situation you cannot entirely trust any back but Helu offers some serious upside here. He’s available in over eighty percent of fantasy leagues and if Ryan Torain continues to underperform, Helu just may be a RB3 in standard leagues going forward.

It was clear even before the San Francisco game that Helu was their best passing threat out of the backfield. At the time Tim Hightower went down, Helu only had three fewer targets(12) than him on the year. Meanwhile, Ryan Torain only has two receptions on three targets for the year. With the Skins being down late in games often, Helu’s PPR value could be huge. He also carried the rock ten times Sunday and is sporting a 4.6 yards per carry average on the year. The time to act is now, Helu is now a force in PPR leagues or at least until Mike Shanahan decides otherwise.