This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
There's pretty much no choice but to get your daily fantasy lineup in early Sunday. There are only five games on the slate, and three are in the afternoon. The earliest one begins at 12:30 p.m. EST, so you'll have to be the early bird that gets the worm. Here are my recommendations.
GOALIE
Robin Lehner, NYI vs. ANA ($8,500): Lehner's numbers are already impressive, what with his 2.11 GAA and .928 save percentage. How does he get even more enticing? What if I told you the Ducks, who rank last in shots on net per game, are on the road for the second day of a back-to-back?
CENTER
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS at CHI ($6,300): Backstrom went a while without scoring a goal, but he has two in his last five games. However, he has 46 points in 46 games, so even with his previous scoring drought he's clearly been just fine. Now faces a Blackhawks team that has a 3.71 GAA, which is second highest in the NHL.
Brock Nelson, NYI vs. ANA ($5,400): Nelson is actually centering the Islanders' top line at the moment, even if he's being outscored by Mathew Barzal, and he and Barzal play side-by-side on New York's first power-play unit. The Ducks have allowed 34.4 shots on goal per game, and they are on the road for the second day of a back-to-back. That means either John Gibson will have to play again, or Chad Johnson will see some rare action.
WING
Brock Boeser, VAN vs. DET ($6,200): Yes, it's the rare day when not one but two guys named Brock get recommended. Boeser has 16 goals and 15 assists through 36 games, and he had 29 goals in 62 games last year. As for the Red Wings, they have a 3.74 GAA on the road, and have given up 34.0 shots on goal per game in those contests as well.
T.J. Oshie, WAS at CHI ($5,800): Oshie may only have five power-play points, but that's largely because he's only played in 36 games. He's averaged 3:27 per game with the extra man, and he had 18 power-play points last year. Don't be surprised if he adds to his total in this one, as the Blackhawks have the league's worst penalty kill.
Justin Williams, CAR at EDM ($5,100): Williams has shown that he has some life left in his 37-year-old legs. In his last 10 games, he's notched six goals on 31 shots, and added an assist for good measure. The Oilers are playing their second game in as many days, and Cam Talbot likely will be in net. That's the same Talbot who has a 3.17 GAA and .896 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Dougie Hamilton, CAR at EDM ($4,900): Hamilton has been keeping active offensively. He's notched 148 shots on net through 47 games, and if he keeps that up he should start producing more points. After all, his 4.1 shooting percentage is the lowest of his career. As noted, Cam Talbot has a 3.17 GAA and .896 save percentage, and even being at home, it won't be easy for the Oilers to be on the second night of a back-to-back.
Ben Hutton, VAN vs. DET ($3,800): Hutton has 17 points on the season, but three have come in his last four games. Additionally, he's notched eight of his points with the extra man. The Red Wings have the 25th-ranked penalty kill, and on top of that they have a 3.74 GAA on the road.
