If you’re playing NHL DFS on DraftKings or FanDuel, you already know goalies and stacks are high priority. But the secret edge to climbing tournaments is finding those sneaky defensemen who fly under the radar—the Horses & Heroes. In this article, I’ll reveal my favorite undervalued NHL defensemen plays for this slate, explain why they matter for DFS strategy, and show you how to plug these picks into your lineups. Join the DFS Army today and get full access to our Discord, tools, and analysis that back every recommendation.
Horse – A defenseman that is more chalky than others that is a catalyst for their team. These players usually have higher ceilings, and can be used as the glue to bring a stack together. They typically quarterback the top powerplay unit and log a ton of minutes.
Hero – A hero is a cheaper defenseman that will be a role player on their NHL team. They usually kill penalties and are the unsung heroes that block shots for their team. They typically garner low ownership, have high floors, and are the key pieces needed to take down tournaments.
Horses & Heroes: Top NHL Defensemen to Target for DFS Lineups
Brandon Montour – The results are the results. I don’t know whether he is a hero or a horse since he isn’t on the top pair or powerplay unit. With that being said, he plays huge minutes, contributes on both the powerplay and penalty kill, and has scored double digit fantasy points every game he has played this season. He is a great option for cash games, lock and load.
Apr 29, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) skates with the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Brady Skjei – Sooner or later his role will equate to fantasy production. He plays big minutes and is running the Predators top powerplay unit with Josi on injured reserve. This game will probably be boring, but at his price he needs considered in lineups.
Simon Benoit – 9 blocks in his last 2 games for this hero, and this Leafs team needs a big defensive presence to fill the shoes of Chris Tanev. He may continue to see extra minutes, and he is the perfect zero ownership block bonus guy to add to lineups.
Justin Faulk – All of the Blues’ defensemen are cheap, but I will always lean towards the one on the top powerplay unit. Faulk has played big minutes, looked good, and has never been afraid to shoot the puck. He is simply too cheap here for me to not consider him in all formats.
Adam Larsson – Another hero who is too cheap to ignore here. He is the type of player that brings a high floor, but not a consistent floor. With that being said, he is nearly min-priced which is too cheap for me. Larsson plays big minutes, kills penalties, and plays all of the important minutes down the stretch of close games.
🏁 Final Thoughts — Ride Your Edge
Every NHL slate is loaded with obvious plays, but it’s the sharp eye for undervalued Horses and Heroes that separates casual players from consistent winners. The best part? You don’t have to do it alone. Our members are crushing NHL DFS every season using the same projections, tools, and strategy chats that fuel this article.
👉 Join the DFS Army today and turn your lineups into weapons. Get full access to our NHL cheat sheets, optimizer, and private Discord coaching for every slate.
