Abdelkader earned a secondary assist in Thursday's 5-2 road loss to the Penguins.

EDGE Analysis

Abby snapped a six-game point drought with his apple on Dylan Larkin's first-period tally. The Michigan native remains a threat in the attacking zone, but the disturbing trend from a fantasy hockey standpoint is that he's starting his 5-on-5 shifts in the defensive zone 56.9 percent of the time -- that's the most even-strength own-zone coverage of his 12-year career.

Abdelkader recorded an assist Tuesday, but the host Capitals easily prevailed over the Red Wings, 6-2.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader has produced a point in every other game this month -- spanning seven contests. However, it will be difficult for the physical winger to finish at a half-point per game this season since he's starting a career-high 60.4 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the defensive zone. Abdelkader has five goals and six helpers through 32 games, but only one-fifth of his points have taken place on the man advantage.

Abdelkader registered an assist during Tuesday's 6-5 shootout loss to Tampa Bay.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader picked up his fifth assist of the season during the back-and-forth loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The inconsistent winger is hard to trust for fantasy purposes, despite seeing over 20 minutes of ice time in recent contests. Abdelkader now has nine points in his 28 appearances this season.

Abdelkader has been upgraded to the top line with Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill needing to find a replacement for Darren Helm, who is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks with an upper-body injury, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Blashill stopped short of officially declaring that Abdelkader would stick on the top line with Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha in Wednesday's game against the Bruins, but the physical utility winger reportedly practiced with those very players for two straight days. "Helmer is a little quicker, but I think Abby has been skating really good," Blashill said. If Abdelkader does remain on the top line, he could turn out to be a terrific value play in DFS contests. The speedy Larkin is averaging close to a point per game and Mantha's scored three times in the past four.

Abdelkader contributed a power-play assist to Detroit's 6-1 victory over the visiting Coyotes on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader is probably not the first Red Wing to cross your mind when it comes to fantasy options, but he's pointed in five of the past eight games, including four goals over that span. He's returned to prominence as a value play in a variety of virtual settings.

Abdelkader found the back of the net in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout home win over the Canucks.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader has shifted gears in Motown, as he has three goals in the past five games -- all at home. Still, it's anyone's guess if the Michigan native can keep this up given that his ice time figure (15:39) has dropped for the third straight year. Abdelkader is also only averaging one shot per contest to render him a run-of-the-mill option in most fantasy leagues.

Abdelkader managed a secondary assist in Thursday's 3-1 road loss to the Lightning.

EDGE Analysis

This was Abdelkader's first point of the season. He entered the game with a minus-5 rating, but not even his own helper could help him improve that mark in this one. The bottom line? We don't recommend rostering a bottom-six skater who plays for a team that remains winless two weeks into regular-season action.

Abdelkader is searching for his first point of the new season.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader has a $4.25 million cap hit for the next five seasons, but the Red Wings are winless through the first three games, and the supposed Jack of all trades (master of none) doesn't seem to be earning his keep. There's plenty of time for Abdelkader to settle into a groove to benefit his actual team, though we'd be surprised if he hasn't already tested the patience of fantasy owners abound.

Abdelkader scored off his skate on the power play for his 100th career goal in Saturday's 4-3 overtime home loss to the Islanders.

EDGE Analysis

Whatever works, right? Abdelkader fortuitous tally was the 35th point of his 2017-18 campaign for which he played 75 games. We're still scratching our heads on the seven-year, $29.75 million contract extension that the Michigan native procured in Nov. 2015, but it's clear that the Wings admire the hometown boy's physicality and knack for scoring the greasy goal. He closes out the hockey year with 13 goals, 22 helpers, 174 hits and 40 blocked shots; it probably won't cost you more than a late draft pick to get him next season.

Abdelkader was the only Red Wing to score in Sunday's 4-1 road loss to the Wild.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader blasted a rebound from a Jonathan Ericsson shot to brush twine for the 11th time this season. The former has a tendency to be a loose cannon, as he also skated to a minus-1 rating and committed two giveaways in this loss. All things considered, Abdelkader is best served as a depth forward in fantasy pools.