opposing defenses can be demoralized, they could be focusing on running mate Wolff instead, etc. But Arnaud's goals aren't all random incidents in the box or easy breaks against losing teams. Just ask the opposing defenses who have fouled him 62 times this season, easily the league lead.
Wolff ($289,000) is a nice comeback story. He's also matching Arnaud stride-for-stride in fantasy points per game, and he's considerably cheaper.
The highest-priced Wizard is Klein ($389,000), the reigning MLS player of the month. He's one of the best assist men around and second among midfielders in fantasy points per game, but for just $3,000 more, you can have Ned Grabavoy and Brian Mullan holding down a couple of roster spots.
You're not going to get much else out of the rest of the midfield. Kerry Zavagnin ($188,000) is a dependable guy who doesn't generate many points, while Francisco Gomez ($150,000) and Diego Walsh ($111,000) have combined for more than 1,100 minutes without an assist. They won't give much competition for Preki ($302,000), which may explain why the very senior injured playmaker's price has remained so high even though he hasn't played a minute this season.
Fantasy players have the defense slightly backward at the moment. Jimmy Conrad ($316,000) has been terrific, but Diego Gutierrez ($261,000) is more likely to add the occasional bit of offense to the team-defense points that apply to all Wizards back-liners.
Meola ($397,000) is enjoying his career's third or fourth wind by leading the league in goals-against average, but a couple of cheaper goalkeepers are putting up similar fantasy numbers. Colorado's Joe Cannon, who doesn't have a defender like Conrad in front of him, has fewer wins but makes more saves.
One general note on Gansler teams: He doesn't shake up the lineup, especially when things are going well. Matt Taylor ($118,000) is a good one-week pickup when the national team calls Wolff away, but reserves are generally to be avoided.
BUY: Gutierrez, Wolff
HOLD: Arnaud, Conrad, Shavar Thomas ($220,000)
SELL: Klein, Meola
In two weeks, we'll wrap up the team-by-team outlook with a glimpse at the teams not yet examined.
On Sunday's Price Movers chart, we find that Pat Onstad panic has set in. The Quakes 'keeper has dropped $59,000 to $325,000. Given the unsettled state of the San Jose defense, that's understandable, and Onstad is a SELL.
The next two biggest drops are D.C. United's Alecko Eskandarian (-$38,000 to $294,000) and Dallas' Ronnie O'Brien (-$30,000 to $273,000). Esky has one of the league's shakiest bandwagons and would do well not to listen to the fans. The Wizards made him invisible, but that's what they do best. He's a BUY.
O'Brien is among the league leaders in minutes played, and he's tied for second (with many others) in assists. Short-termers might be dropping him because the Wizards are coming to town on Saturday. Wait for them to drop him the rest of the week, then swoop in on Saturday and BUY.
Beau Dure covers soccer for USATODAY.com, and will looking at the fantasy futures markets every other week for MLSnet.com. Have questions about who to buy, hold or sell for your fantasy team? Send them to Beau at bdure@usatoday.com and they could get answered in future columns. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
