Jacob Middleton

Middleton has skated in just 13 NHL games over the past two seasons, racking up three helpers over that span. The 25-year-old blueliner, a seventh-round pick of the Kings in 2014, is exiting prospect status, but he has yet to make a name for himself at the NHL level. He'll get a chance to compete for a bottom-pairing job in 2020-21, but he'll have to fend off the likes of Nicolas Meloche and Ryan Merkley for the position. Middleton shouldn't be expected to have a sudden surge of offense, which makes him a non-factor in the fantasy game.

Middleton is in an interesting spot within the Sharks organization, as he's entering the final year of his entry-level contract and seemingly on the brink of seizing a substantial role in the NHL. The right-shot defenseman had just one cup of coffee with the parent club last year, adding an assist over three games, but his minor-league campaign went fairly well based on an output of five goals, 14 assists and a plus-16 rating through 57 contests. Long term, he projects to be a fixture on the bottom pair with additional utility in the traditional defensive categories such as hits and blocked shots. While there's no real need to stash Middleton in dynasty leagues, he has the potential to emerge as a viable fantasy option down the road.