The waiver wire for defensemen might be pretty thin each week, but there are always some options to stream if you look hard enough. For Week 8 we have three defensemen who have been hot lately whether that is just stepping up, given a new opportunity, or coming back from injury. Let’s dive into the best streaming options for fantasy hockey this week.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Defensemen to Target for Week 8
Dante Fabbro, Columbus Blue Jackets
Dante Fabbro was placed on waivers by the Nashville Predators and claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets a little bit ago. Since then, he has found the perfect situation he wasn’t getting in Nashville by playing top minutes. He’s now producing because of it. Rather than playing just 13 minutes per game for the Predators in six games this season, Fabbro has logged over 21:30 of ice time for the Blue Jackets.
Fabbro has two goals and four points in six games with Columbus and has had 10 shots, 10 blocked shots, nine hits, and six penalty minutes. He is paired up with Zach Werenski on the top pairing and has clearly found chemistry already. Columbus is a sneaky team that can score, so it only helps Fabbro in every regard. The Blue Jackets are still to play the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, and Chicago Blackhawks this week, so there’s a good opportunity to stay rolling.
Jake Walman, San Jose Sharks
Jake Walman picked right back up where he left off once returning from injury to the San Jose Sharks lineup. He had scored one goal and seven points in the four games before sitting out for five games but has come back and recorded a point in five of six games for one goal and five points. Two of those points have come on the power play and he’s proving that it doesn’t matter at all that he’s on the Sharks as they can score.
Walman plays on the top pairing, top power-play unit, and top penalty-killing unit, so he’s counted on everywhere and hasn’t let the Sharks of fantasy hockey managers down this season. The Sharks still play the Ottawa Senators and then the Seattle Kraken on back-to-back nights. Two of the three games will have struggling goalies, so San Jose can take advantage like the team just did against the Los Angeles Kings. Walman has lots of potential to be held onto for longer than this week.
Olen Zellweger, Anaheim Ducks
Olen Zellweger has been the defenseman on the Anaheim Ducks to step up when production was at a low point. With Cam Fowler injured as well, Zellweger’s role has increased and he’s been producing at a strong pace. The 21-year-old has two goals and six points over his last five games and has recorded at least a point in four of them.
Zellweger has taken six penalty minutes, recorded two power-play points, taken at least two shots in four of the last five games, hit, and blocked shots. He is having to do it all for the Ducks who still match up against the Kraken, Kings, and Senators this week. As stated above, these are all teams that aren’t necessarily keeping picks out of their net. Even if one manages to, Zellweger is playing like a complete player and it will benefit any fantasy hockey manager who picks him up to stream this week.
Related: Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Week 8 Forward Streams
There aren’t too many other defensemen you can stream and take advantage of this week, so make sure not to let all of these options go by the wayside. With pthe otential to hold onto any of them for longer because of where they are playing, you might as well give yourself three more games this week and the option to do so. Come back next week for more top defensive streaming options for fantasy hockey.