Unlimited transfers leading up to Round 15 offered managers an opportunity to hit the reset button on their MLS Fantasy squads.
There were decisions to be made: whether to swing for the fences in Round 15 or plan ahead for the DGW jackpot in Round 17. Judging by the average round score of 33 points, either a lot of managers missed the unlimited transfers memo or simply opted to set their team up for a big second-half run.
António Ribeiro used his free wildcard to collect 86 points with his team, Planeta Desportivo. Surprisingly, he only had one player from the Round 15 Dream Team in his squad: his captain, David Villa.
With Round 15 in the books, we have another full week of preparation leading up to Round 16. Let’s look at what you should consider before confirming your transfers this round.
The transfer deadline for Round 16 is Friday, June 19 at 9 pm ET.
Review the MLS Injury Report and MLS Disciplinary Report as they are updated throughout the week. Many international players will be returning to their MLS clubs and should be back in action this weekend.
If you have any questions regarding a specific player’s status, let me know in the comments section below. I will offer any insight available at the time to help you make an informed decision before the transfer deadline.
Byes and DGWs: The Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire are the only teams on a bye this round. While no teams play twice this round, a whopping 12 teams have a DGW in Round 17. Make you plan your Round 16 transfers accordingly, targeting players who will be part of the Round 17 DGW fun. If you still have your wildcard in hand, Round 17 looks to be the perfect spot to play it.
Keep in Mind: The Fourth Round of the 2015 US Open Cup will be in full swing this week. Of the 18 MLS teams playing in Round 16 of MLS Fantasy, 15 will play midweek. While MLS clubs tend to give key players a rest during these games, it is worth monitoring to be sure your fantasy players come away unscathed from the midweek action.
Here are a few players I am targeting to have a big Round 16 and Round 17:
Sebastian Giovinco
- Toronto FC - Midfielder ($12.1m)
- The crafty Italian has averaged 10 fantasy points per game over his last three outings and doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. Playing at home against a NYCFC defense that hasn’t kept a clean sheet since March, I’ll gladly pay up for the hottest fantasy player in the game.
Robbie Keane - LA Galaxy - Forward ($11.8m) - Injuries and international duty have hampered the 2014 MLS MVP, and Keane has not scored since the Galaxy’s second game of the season back in March. However, he’s back in good health and has some favorable upcoming games. I’m keeping the faith in “Keano” and am predicting he breaks through with the first MLS hat trick of 2015 very soon.
Joao Plata- Real Salt Lake - Forward ($9.5m) - The RSL attack was given a boost in their last game with the return of 2014 leading scorer Joao Plata. While Plata and RSL came up empty-handed, it was encouraging to see the lively attacker put in a full 90-minute shift. With strike partner Álvaro Saborío set to depart for the Gold Cup in the coming weeks, I’m looking for Plata to get back to his scoring ways.
How did you fare with your free wildcard last round? Let us know in the comments below.
