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Who to start · 2025-26

Auston Matthews vs Brock Faber

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Faber's 2.09.

Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Faber had 51 in 80 games.

This week Matthews has 1 game left; Faber has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Faber's 1.4.

Brock Faber has the better number in 19 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Matthews's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 58.9%, Transition attempts /60 2.09, Power-play share 71.5%.

Faber's biggest edges: Goals above expected +3.9, Luck Meter +55, Top skating speed 23.0.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Auston Matthews

2.56

fantasy points per game

Brock Faber

2.09

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromMatthewsFaber
Goals (+2)0.900.38
Assists (+1)0.430.45
Power-play points (+0.5)0.100.07
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.380.22
Hits (+0.1)0.070.04
Blocks (+0.5)0.680.93

Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your custom weights are saved in this browser only.

Head-to-head: Matthews vs Faber

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

MatthewsFaber
2Team record in 5 meetings3
8Points in those games4

Matthews 5G 3A, 17 SOG · Faber 0G 4A, 7 SOG

2Hits on each other1
1Shots blocked by the other2

Matthews blocked 1 of Faber's shots; Faber blocked 2 of Matthews's.

On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)

6:39 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side

Shot attempts
4–8
33.3%
Expected goals
0.1–0.6
19.6%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Auston Matthews and Brock Faber
DateScoreMatthewsFaber
2026-01-19TOR 3–6 MIN1G 1A 1S0G 2A 2S
2025-01-29TOR 1–3 MIN0G 0A 6S0G 0A 1S
2024-11-03TOR 1–2 MIN0G 1A 3S0G 0A 1S
2023-11-19TOR 4–3 MIN1G 1A 2S0G 1A 1S
2023-10-14TOR 7–4 MIN3G 0A 5S0G 1A 2S

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

MatthewsFaber

Fantasy box score

Special teams & discipline

This week's schedule

Sep 28 to Oct 4. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections use ESPN default points for the games left.

Auston Matthews

3games (1 left)

2.7proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.7 pts
    vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

Brock Faber

2games (1 left)

1.4proj. ESPN pts

  • Thu, Oct 1 @ NSH
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs BOS1.4 pts
    Opp allows 8th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +12.8 win%Likely vs Michael DiPietro (1.000)

FAQ

Should I start Auston Matthews or Brock Faber in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Faber's 2.09. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Faber had 51 in 80 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
Who is better, Auston Matthews or Brock Faber?
On 2025-26 numbers, Brock Faber leads in 19 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Matthews and Faber done against each other?
In 5 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 2–3. Matthews had 8 points (5 goals) and Faber had 4 (0 goals).

2025-26 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →