Week 16: Fantasy top 50 defenseman rankings for 2017-18

Each week during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with an overview of the fantasy defenseman landscape. With production trends, injury news and top 50 rankings based on performance and upside in standard Yahoo leagues, fantasy owners should use this information as a basis for roster decision-making.

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Top 100 'F'
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Top 25 'G'
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Daily projected lineups

TRENDING UP

Erik Johnson, COL: The Colorado Avalanche are 10-1-0 in their past 11 games, and Johnson (61 percent owned in Yahoo) has eight points (three goals, five assists), 32 shots on goal and is plus-9 in the span. He's ranked 100th overall in Yahoo after going undrafted on average. Since Dec. 29, the Avalanche are tied for first in the League in goals (43) with the Boston Bruins. Johnson leads Colorado in time on ice per game (25:46), giving him consistent exposure to high-end forwards Nathan MacKinnon (4th in Yahoo) and Mikko Rantanen (34th).
Ryan Ellis, NSH: Since returning Jan. 2 after knee surgery, Ryan Ellis (61 percent) has five points (three goals, two assists) in eight games. Ellis leads Nashville defensemen in even-strength primary points per 60 minutes (1.66). In the Predators' past four games, Ellis ranks second in ice time per game among defensemen (23:10) behind Roman Josi (89th in Yahoo; 23:40). Nashville's defense is loaded with Ellis, Josi, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm, but it's encouraging to see Ellis get at least 1:00 of power-play time in each of his past six games.

TRENDING DOWN

Duncan Keith, CHI: The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman has been held without a point and is minus-5 in his past five games. Keith has one primary point at even strength in 47 games played. He has yet to score a goal on 111 SOG. Keith leads Blackhawks defensemen in power-play points with seven (all assists). This could change soon because fellow Blackhawks defenseman Jordan Oesterle (13 percent) has seen more power-play time (22:55) than Keith (21:06) in January. Oesterle plays on Chicago's top power-play unit with elite right wing Patrick Kane (26th in Yahoo). Oesterle has also been held without a point and is minus-5 in his past five games. Keith is a buy-low candidate considering he finished 88th in Yahoo (ninth among defensemen) last season.

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Three valuable defensemen sidelined

-- Rookie Charlie McAvoy (heart procedure) is set to miss at least two weeks for the Boston Bruins. McAvoy (153rd in Yahoo) is the second highest-ranked rookie defenseman behind Mikhail Sergachev (112th). Zdeno Chara (34 percent) could be worth a look because of his high TOI (23:27) and a potential spike in power-play usage with McAvoy out.
-- New York Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (181st) has been placed on injured reserve with a torn meniscus. With Shattenkirk sidelined indefinitely, fantasy owners can target any of the low-ownership additions to the top 50 rankings: Esa Lindell (DAL, 19 percent), Colin Miller (VGK, 42 percent), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (SJS, 34 percent) or Jakob Chychrun (ARI, 3 percent).
-- Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (156th) has been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. In his absence, Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner (66 percent) has been promoted to the top pairing. In his past two games, Gardiner has four assists, one on the power play, and three SOG.

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TOP 50 DEFENSEMAN RANKINGS

Standard Yahoo categories include goals, assists, plus/minus, PIMs, PPP and SOG for skaters. ... Value has been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past production, defense pairs, power-play usage, team's offseason changes, injury history, age, sleeper, bounce-back or breakout potential, anticipated regression, contract status, Yahoo ADP and overall upside for the rest of the season. ... Any players with day-to-day injury concerns (DTD) are noted. NEW - INJ. indicates a player who has returned from injury and rejoined the rankings.
1. Brent Burns, SJS (SAME)
2. John Klingberg, DAL (SAME)
3. P.K. Subban, NSH (SAME)
4. Drew Doughty, LAK (SAME)
5. John Carlson, WSH (SAME)
6. Alex Pietrangelo, STL (+1)
7. Erik Karlsson, OTT (-1)
8. Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI (SAME)
9. Seth Jones, CBJ (+1)
10. Roman Josi, NSH (+2)
11. Mark Giordano, CGY (+3)
12. Dustin Byfuglien, WPG (-3)
13. Dougie Hamilton, CGY (+4)
14. Ivan Provorov, PHI (+6)
15. Torey Krug, BOS (+8)
16. Zach Werenski, CBJ (-1)
17. Mikhail Sergachev, TBL (-1)
18. Kris Letang, PIT (-7)
19. Erik Johnson, COL (+7)
20. Ryan Suter, MIN (+1)
21. Jake Muzzin, LAK (+3)
22. Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF (+3)
23. Mike Green, DET (+7)
24. Colton Parayko, STL (-5)
25. Ryan Ellis, NSH (+9)
26. Aaron Ekblad, FLA (+6)
27. Tyler Myers, WPG (+2)
28. Keith Yandle, FLA (+9)
29. Darnell Nurse, EDM (+11)
30. Shea Theodore, VGK (+1)
31. Duncan Keith, CHI (-9)
32. Nick Leddy, NYI (-5)
33. Jared Spurgeon, MIN (SAME)
34. Cam Fowler, ANA (-6)
35. Alexander Edler, VAN (+7)
36. Samuel Girard, COL (SAME)
37. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI (+8)
38. Jake Gardiner, TOR (NEW)
39. Will Butcher, NJD (SAME)
40. Ryan McDonagh, NYR (NEW)
41. Sami Vatanen, NJD (DTD)
42. Justin Faulk, CAR (+5)
43. Matt Dumba, MIN (+2)
44. Esa Lindell, DAL (NEW)
45. Josh Manson, ANA (-2)
46. Jordan Oesterle, CHI (-8)
47. Colin Miller, VGK (NEW)
48. Zdeno Chara, BOS (+2)
49. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, SJS (NEW)
50. Jakob Chychrun, ARI (NEW)
Just missed: Jacob Trouba, WPG; Patrik Nemeth, COL; Stephen Johns, DAL; Nate Schmidt, VGK; Jeff Petry, MTL
Dropped out:Anton Stralman, TBL; Brandon Montour, ANA; Hampus Lindholm, ANA
Key injuries: Victor Hedman, TBL; Tyson Barrie, COL; Charlie McAvoy, BOS (dropped out); Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR (dropped out); Morgan Rielly, TOR (dropped out); Shea Weber, MTL
READ: Last week's Top 50 defenseman rankings