Reminder #1: The cut off time to make roster changes is 15 minutes prior to the scheduled kick off of the first match of the week. This week, that deadline is 8:45 pm ET on Wednesday, June 20.
Reminder #2: Only 12 teams play in Round 14 so use your three transfers accordingly.
Top Player in Round 13: Benny Feilhaber – 17 points
Key Injuries: OUT – Thierry Henry, Nick LaBrocca, Matteo Ferrari, Ryan Smith, Omar Salgado
Only Wednesday’s games will count towards Round 14. You’ve been granted three transfers so use them to your advantage. Remember, they will not roll over to the next round. The Colorado Rapids are the only team without a game in Round 15 and there are also several notable players out with injuries. With that said, here are my picks for Wednesday night’s matchups.
Felipe Martins, $7.2m, Montreal Impact (61 points, eighth among midfielders)
Surprisingly, Felipe is owned by a higher percentage of managers than Brad Davis – 13.5 pecent. Yes, Felipe is cheaper, but he offers much less at the attacking end, until now at least. Last week he played the role of a drop striker, ahead of Patrice Bernier and Collen Warner who occupied the central midfield role, and he’s up for AT&T Goal of the Week because of it.
In this position he gets much higher and is more of a threat with regards to Montreal’s attack. In his first nine games he was scoreless, but in his last six he’s scored twice. Look for Felipe to add to his key pass total if he continues to play up high. Currently he sits in fifth among midfielders, with 27.
Brad Davis, $9.6m, Houston Dynamo (56 points, 10th among midfielders)
Only eight percent of managers have Davis on their team. He’s remained at full strength and his point totals have shown it. In the last four rounds he’s averaged 8.8 points. The left-footed David Beckham has proven to be a true set-piece specialist, and with the likes of Geoff Cameron now back from international duty, he’ll have several options that can get up in the air and finish. Houston are playing at BBVA Compass Stadium against the second-worst defensive team in the league. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Fabián Espíndola, $9.2m, Real Salt Lake (81 points – second among all players)
This RSL speedster looked brilliant over the weekend, earning himself a spot on the most recent Team of the Week. The Galaxy’s defensive woes in 2012 have been clearly documented, and painfully, things don’t seem to be getting much better – aside from their recent 1-0 win over a struggling Portland squad. Salt Lake destroyed LA earlier this year (3-1 at HDC), and with the recent return of their captain and longtime goalkeeper, RSL should hold true to their reputation as tops in the league.
Alain Rochat, $6.9m, Vancouver Whitecaps (Last 3 rounds – 27 total points)
Since returning in early May after a five week hiatus, Rochat has played every single minute. He’s been hot as of late, racking up 12 points in two of the last three rounds. Vancouver are playing at home against a New York side that hasn’t won a MLS game in over a month. Aside from last week, they’ve been fairly weak in the back since Rochat has returned – giving up 2.0 goals/game. However, his ability to get forward and strike the ball gives you more to look for on the attacking end.
Nelson Rivas, $5.9m, Montreal Impact (Averaging 6.8 CBI’s his last 5 games)
Montreal are on cloud nine after winning against Seattle at home in their brand new stadium. Rivas (above) should be too, after receiving Team of the Week honors for his performance. On Wednesday night, they’ll be hosting one earning of the lowest scoring teams in MLS, Chivas USA, who’ve tallied just nine goals in 14 games so far this season. Any defender, besides Matteo Ferrari (out with an injury), is worth consideration at this point. In eight games at the Home Depot Center, Chivas have been shut out five times, while managing to score only three goals.
The Most
Most added transfer this week: Kyle Beckerman Most dropped transfer this week: David Estrada
