Auston Matthews or Tage Thompson? Week 3
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Auston Matthews, narrowly. Both count 2 games left in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), so it comes down to value per game: 2.8 fantasy points to 2.7. Who to start in fantasy hockey in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), Cs ranked 6th and 7th at the position.
- FP/G
- 2.69
- Games
- 2
- Week proj.
- 5.39
The Week 3 call
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Auston Matthews, narrowly. Both count 2 games left in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), so it comes down to value per game: 2.8 fantasy points to 2.7.
Categories leagues: Auston Matthews again, 8.3 category value for the week to 7.7.
Over TOR's last 5 games Auston Matthews played 5 games, 22:08 a night with 4:01 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
Over BUF's last 5 games Tage Thompson played 5 games, 19:25 a night with 3:13 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
BUF has a back-to-back in Week 3.
This is the call for one lineup slot across the week, the way weekly-lock leagues play it. In a daily-lineup league, start whichever of the two plays that night, and both when they fit.
Week 3 (Oct 12-18), side by side
| This week | Auston Matthews | Tage Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Games, Week 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Games counted (left this week) | 2 | 2 |
| Back-to-backs | 0 | 1 |
| Games, Week 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Line by ice time | Line 1 | Line 1 |
| Power-play unit | PP1 | PP1 |
| TOI, last games | 22:08 (5) | 19:25 (5) |
| TOI, board | 21:08 | 19:18 |
| PP TOI, last games | 4:01 | 3:13 |
| Shots, last games | 3.6 | 5.2 |
| Injury | None listed | None listed |
| Projected fantasy points | 5.5 | 5.4 |
| Projected category value | 8.3 | 7.7 |
Schedule: Auston Matthews Tue @UTA, Thu BUF, Sat NYI. Tage Thompson Mon FLA, Tue @MTL, Thu @TOR, Sat @MTL.
Projections are the board's per-game value times the games counted. A skater listed out, or who missed his team's last three games, counts none. A goalie counts his team's games times his share of its recent starts. Lines and power-play units are by ice time over the team's last five games. Stats and schedule from the NHL; injury designations from ESPN's public NHL injury list.
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The rest-of-season call
Season-long, points leagues: Auston Matthews, 2.77 fantasy points per game to 2.69.
Categories leagues: Auston Matthews again, 21st overall against 23rd.
| Category (z per game) | Auston Matthews | Tage Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| A assists | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| G goals | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| +/- plus-minus | -0.3 | 0.0 |
| BLK blocked shots | 0.8 | -0.4 |
| HIT hits | -0.5 | -0.1 |
| PPP power-play points | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| SOG shots on goal | 2.2 | 2.2 |
Other close calls
Week 3 streamers and goalie starts · NHL waiver wire · Rest-of-season rankings
Common questions
Should I start Auston Matthews or Tage Thompson in Week 3?
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Auston Matthews, narrowly. Both count 2 games left in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), so it comes down to value per game: 2.8 fantasy points to 2.7. Categories leagues: Auston Matthews again, 8.3 category value for the week to 7.7. Over TOR's last 5 games Auston Matthews played 5 games, 22:08 a night with 4:01 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. Over BUF's last 5 games Tage Thompson played 5 games, 19:25 a night with 3:13 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. BUF has a back-to-back in Week 3.
Who is better for the rest of the season, Auston Matthews or Tage Thompson?
Season-long, points leagues: Auston Matthews, 2.77 fantasy points per game to 2.69. Categories leagues: Auston Matthews again, 21st overall against 23rd.
Who wins more categories, Auston Matthews or Tage Thompson?
Auston Matthews is ahead per game in 2 (assists, blocked shots); Tage Thompson in 4 (goals, plus-minus, hits, power-play points).
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 13, 2026 at 8:39 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number