Who to start · 2025-26
Noah Cates vs Zach Benson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Zach Benson projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.05.
Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Benson had 43 in 65 games.
This week Cates has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Benson has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Benson for 3.2 to Cates's 2.2 over the games left.
Noah Cates has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cates's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 467, Blocked shots 51, Hits 102.
Benson's biggest edges: Ascension score 67, Corsi 52.3%, Fenwick 52.7%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Zach Benson rates ahead, +3.0 to -1.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Cates is falling, ixG/60 0.70 (was 1.03); Benson is rising, +2:28 PP TOI.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 9 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 18 SOG.
Philadelphia Flyers · Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Noah Cates
-1.3
category z-score total
Zach Benson
+3.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Zach Benson has the edge (Cates wins 2, Benson wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Cates | Benson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| Assists / game | 0.24 | 0.54 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.07 | 0.43 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.06 | 0.09 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.31 | 1.87 |
| Hits / game | 1.06 | 0.93 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Cates vs Benson
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.
Cates 4G 5A, 16 SOG · Benson 0G 5A, 7 SOG
Cates's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Cates's defensive zone 1–0 (2023-24)
On the ice against each other (Cates's side)
9:06 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Cates's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–13
- 43.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–0.4
- 69.0%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cates | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-14 | PHI 2–5 BUF | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-12-18 | PHI 3–5 BUF | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-12-03 | PHI 5–2 BUF | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-17 | PHI 4–5 BUF | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-29 | PHI 7–4 BUF | 1G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-16 | PHI 5–2 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-04-05 | PHI 2–4 BUF | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 0S |
Every stat, side by side
Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Noah Cates
3games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF1.1 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA1.1 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Zach Benson
2games
3.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.7 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.5 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Noah Cates or Zach Benson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Zach Benson projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.05. Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Benson had 43 in 65 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, Noah Cates or Zach Benson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Noah Cates leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cates and Benson done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Cates's team went 3–4. Cates had 9 points (4 goals) and Benson had 5 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cates or Benson?
- Against each other, Cates has won 1 and Benson 0 of their 1 head-to-head draws.
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 →