How to win start/sit decisions with Who Should I Start

What it tells you

Each player is projected for the window you pick: Today, or This week for the rest of the current fantasy week, so games left count. Every category is then measured in standard deviations against everyone projected in that window, not just the names on screen. That puts a hit, a goal and a power-play point on one scale, with equal weight per category, the way head-to-head categories are won.

The verdict depends on the gap between the top two overall scores: Clear edge at half a standard deviation or more, Lean from 0.2, Toss-up below that. In points scoring the gap is in projected fantasy points.

• Skaters and goalies are compared separately; a goalie added to a skater comparison is flagged, not scored.
• Cards show injury status, today’s opponent, back-to-backs, games left this week and, for goalies, the start chance or Confirmed starter.
• Matchup chips (today only) rank the opponent by fantasy points allowed to the position.
• An Ascension role trend chip (Surging, Rising, Steady, Cooling, Falling) compares the last 5 games of ice time, power-play and line role with the previous 20.

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Add the players you are choosing between

   Search and add two to four skaters, or two to four goalies. Each comparison has its own shareable link.

   Open Who Should I Start →
2. 2

   Step 2: Set your scoring once

   Pick a profile: Standard (Yahoo’s default head-to-head G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT, and the tool default), Banger, Roto, Classic, Scoring, Hits & blocks, ESPN points, Yahoo points, DraftKings or FanDuel, or “Pick your own categories”.

   • Your pick is saved on this device, and to your account when signed in.
   • With a connected league, “Use my league’s scoring” loads its categories or point values.
   • Your saved scoring carries over to Streamer Finder, the projections tables, Starting Goalies, the Week Planner, Category Catch-Up and the player comparison pages.
3. 3

   Step 3: Choose Today or This week

   Today for a daily lock; This week for weekly lineups, drops and anything where games played matter.

4. 4

   Step 4: Read the verdict, then the categories

   Clear edge: start the pick. Lean: start him unless a category you are chasing points the other way. Toss-up: decide on which categories each one wins.

5. 5

   Step 5: Rank by the one stat you need

   Late in a matchup, click one category under “Rank by one category” to rank only by that stat.

   Example: rank by hits →

In category leagues

Because every category is scaled against the whole projected pool and weighted equally, a defenseman projected for four hits and two blocks can beat a forward with slightly more points, exactly as in a Yahoo matchup where a hits win counts the same as a goals win.

Match the profile to your league: Standard for Yahoo head-to-head defaults, Roto when blocks replace hits, Banger for both plus penalty minutes, Classic for the six with PIM. Unusual league? Pick your own categories. Protecting some categories and chasing others? Focus on the ones still in play.

In points leagues

In points leagues the comparison is projected fantasy points under your scoring: ESPN points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5), Yahoo points, or your league’s own values. The gap is judged against the spread of totals across everyone projected, so a small gap on a quiet night can still be a Toss-up.

DraftKings and FanDuel profiles settle single DFS swaps. Shorthanded points, shutouts and overtime losses are not projected, so weigh close calls with care if your league rewards them.

Tactics that win

• Use This week for drops

  A player with four games left often beats a better player with two over the rest of the matchup.

• Focus late in the week

  On Thursday of a close matchup, rank by the stats you can still flip and ignore the rest.

• Let role break toss-ups

  Within 0.2 of each other, the tool starts the player whose role is rising, and says so.

• Respect start chances

  A goalie’s projection assumes he plays. A low start chance means compare him with a likelier starter.

Mistakes to avoid

• Default scoring in a custom league

  If your league counts blocks, PIM or faceoffs, set that first or the verdict answers a different question.

• Reading a Toss-up as a pick

  Decide on category needs, games left or news, not on which name is listed first.

• Comparing across lineup slots

  Only compare players who can fill the same spot in your lineup.

• Locking before news

  A late scratch or goalie switch can flip a call. Recheck near puck drop.

Frequently asked questions