This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's NHL slate is a busy one, with 11 games on tap beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern time. There are plenty of options to choose from, but the players below stand out as either value plays or options to avoid at their respective valuations. These players come from all across the price spectrum and can fit into lineups nicely regardless of contest format.
GOALIE
Alexandar Georgiev, NYR vs. ANH ($30): The Rangers have been excellent on home ice, with a 10-4-3 record at Madison Square Garden. The affordable Georgiev should help them continue that excellence against a Ducks club that boasts the league's third-worst offense and is playing its second game in as many nights. While the young backup still needs to work on his consistency, Georgiev's flashed nice upside with a shutout win on his ledger already this season.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, TOR at NJ ($35): Andersen's Maple Leafs should find a way to beat the Devils, but the Danish backstop is likely to surrender more goals than owners should be comfortable with at $35. Not only has he surrendered three-plus goals in six of the past seven games, but Andersen's won just once in his last four starts while allowing at least four goals in each of the other three.
CENTER
Derek Stepan, ARI vs. NYI ($15): Stepan's been perhaps the most consistent player in the league over the past few years, posting between 53 and 57 points in each of the previous five seasons. Still operating as the second-line center while also logging power-play time for Arizona, the 28-year-old pivot is likely to improve from his current 38-point pace. Look for that improvement to begin against a mediocre Islanders club that's playing its second game in as many nights.
CENTER TO AVOID
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. CGY ($28): It's tempting to look Seguin's way after he busted out of his slump with two goals and an assist Saturday, but $28 is a lot to pay for him given his form prior to that outing and the difficulty of this matchup. In the 11 games prior to Saturday's outburst, Seguin totaled just one goal and five assists. Meanwhile, the Flames have two red-hot goalies and are allowing just 2.71 goals per game -- third-fewest in the league.
WINGS
Gustav Nyquist, DET at PHI ($19): Nyquist's 30 points are just two shy of Dylan Larkin's team-leading total (and 10 points ahead of the next-closest Red Wings) while his seven power-play points are tied with Dennis Cholowski for the team lead. The Swedish winger will have an excellent opportunity to add to his totals in both categories against a Flyers club that allows the third-most goals per game (3.74) and kills off penalties at the second-lowest rate (73.5 percent).
Craig Smith, NSH at CHI ($17): Smith continues to skate on the top power-play unit for the injury-riddled Predators, and he's now tied for the team lead with three power-play goals. One of those came in the last meeting between these two teams, when Smith also dished out a helper en route to 15.1 fantasy points on Dec. 1. Considering Chicago sports the league's most generous penalty kill (71.8 percent) and gives up the second-most goals per game overall (3.83), Smith's more than capable of a repeat performance here.
WINGS TO AVOID
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL at EDM ($26): Owners shouldn't touch Tarasenko with a 10-foot pole right now. He's in the midst of a seven-game point drought and has an ugly minus-9 rating over that span. Don't expect him to bounce back against an Oilers club that features Mikko Koskinen (2.18 GAA, .928 save percentage) in net.
Kevin Labanc, SJ at MIN ($15): Labanc has been extremely reliant on the power play, with 10 of his 22 points coming with the extra man. He's also performed poorly on both sides of the puck at even strength, leading to a minus-8 rating. With his biggest skill neutralized by Minnesota's second-ranked, 85.6 percent penalty kill, Labanc could well end up being a net negative here.
DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. FLA ($17): Billed as a generational blue line talent, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft is starting to live up to the hype. Dahlin's recorded double-digit fantasy points in three of the past four games while racking up a goal and four assists in just the last two. He won't be available for just $17 much longer, so pounce on this bargain while you can against a Panthers team that surrendering 3.55 goals per game -- fourth-most in the league.
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. STL ($19): Nurse has been spectacular as the top dog on Edmonton's blue line since Oscar Klefbom went down with a hand injury, skating at least 27:50 in each of the four subsequent contests while totaling two goals and four assists over that stretch. He should have no problem continuing this hot streak against a Blues club that's getting outscored 3.42 to 2.84 in the average game this season.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Erik Karlsson, SJ at MIN ($24): Karlsson's story is similar to that of his teammate Labanc. Half of Karlsson's 22 points -- including both of his goals -- have occurred on the man advantage, while his rating sits at minus-4. If the Wild's second-ranked penalty kill shuts down San Jose's power play, Karlsson has almost no chance of living up to his $24 valuation.
Alexander Edler, VAN vs. TB ($19): Well-rounded players like Edler can be plugged in with decent results most nights, but this may be one of the rare exceptions. Tampa Bay's league-best offense (4.00 goals per game) could send Edler's plus-1 rating flying into the negatives while the Lightning's 83.2 percent penalty kill is likely to shut off the blueliner's primary source of offense -- six of Edler's 12 points have come with the extra man.
