Things got weird in Round 4 of MLS Fantasy. In addition to the massive list of international absences, there were a handful of late-breaking, injury-related curveballs that sent fantasy managers everywhere scrambling.
More than 26 percent of all squads saw NYCFC star David Villa scratched from the starting lineup just before the transfer deadline.
For many managers, including myself, there was at least one starter with a “0” underneath their name due to a lack of depth off the bench.
Ouch. While the “Studs and Duds” strategy paid its dividends over the first two rounds, managers who stocked their bench with options were rewarded for doing so in Round 4.
The top score for the round went to “My #Bae Shea,” who avoided the land mines and rostered four members of the Dream Team to compile 98 points. The Dream Team was led by Ike Opara, the top player of the round after amassing 17 points thanks to a goal, clean sheet and five defending bonus points against Villa-less NYCFC.
With Opara piling up points on offense and defense, he now leads the league with 38 fantasy points after Round 4.
Leave it late
: Until this season, a common tactic in MLS Fantasy Soccer was to make your transfers early in the round to grow your team's bankroll. Now, with the pricing structure overhaul, it makes more sense to wait until just before the transfer deadline to confirm your moves.
Case in point: I made my transfers Friday night, thinking I had enough info to proceed. I dropped Chris Wondolowski in favor of Octavio Rivero, with Dom Dwyer and David Villa as my other forwards. Saturday afternoon, the late Villa scratch broke and I was left wishing I would have dropped Villa instead of Wondo. To add insult to injury, Wondo scored a goal and I missed out on eight valuable points because of poor planning.
Lesson learned: I will be waiting to finalize my team going forward. Do your homework and process bits of information as they come in throughout the week. While you can’t plan for everything, you should have enough info at your disposal by the end of the week to make educated moves and minimize the goose eggs.
With the Round 5 transfer window now open, here's what I’m keeping an eye on leading up to the transfer deadline:
- The transfer deadline for Round 5 is Friday, April 3 at 7 pm EDT.
- International call-ups will be returning to their MLS teams throughout the week. Most of these players should jump right back into the mix. There is always the possibility of a coach giving their guys a little extra breather because of their congested schedule, so be sure to monitor player news as it relates to your fantasy squad.
- Review the MLS Injury Report and MLS Disciplinary Report as it they are updated throughout the week.
- Columbus Crew SC, Montreal Impact, New York City FC and New York Red Bulls are all on a BYE in Round 5. The first double game week (DGW) is in Round 6 as Columbus Crew SC and Vancouver Whitecaps both play twice. Looking ahead, New York City FC and Philadelphia Union are on a double game week in Round 7. Study the schedule closely before finalizing your transfers for Round 5.
Here are a few players I am considering to strengthen my squad heading into Round 5:
Chris Wondolowski
($10.8m)
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Wondo is finding his goalscoring form with three goals over his last three games. With home games in three of the next four rounds, look for Wondo to open his home account at the newly-christened Avaya Stadium.
David Ousted ($5.5m) – Ousted has notched two clean sheets during Vancouver’s three-game winning streak. With back-to-back home matches and a DGW in Round 6, Ousted is worth a look if you are considering making a move at goalkeeper.
Kekuta Manneh ($7m) – After watching Round 4 from the sideline due to suspension, Manneh will be fresh for a bounce back in Round 5. Manneh is one of the most dangerous players in the league and a breakout fantasy game is on the horizon. Priced at just $7m, Manneh is a great value pickup leading up to the 'Caps' DGW in Round 6.
Who were you burned by in Round 4? Did you have a backup plan in place? Let us know how well you did in the comments below.
