It was fantasy points galore in Round 17, as the Double Game Week explosion did not disappoint. The average score of 72 topped the averages from Round 15 (33) and Round 16 (37) - combined!
Manager Darcy Green led Robbo’s Racy Rabbits to 154 points to top the Round 17 rankings. Green had six players from the Round 17 Dream Team in the lineup, including popular captain pick Sebastian Giovinco.
Getting back to the big picture, we’re officially at the halfway point of the MLS Fantasy season. With 17 rounds in the books, it’s time to gear up for 17 more! The overall Dream Team gives us a snapshot of some key takeaways from the first half of the season.
Top Goalkeeper: Stefan Frei ($5.9m) - 108 points
Top Defender: Omar Gonzalez ($10.1m) - 112 points
Top Midfielder: Benny Feilhaber ($10.3m) - 122 points
Top Forward: Kei Kamara ($9.3m) - 105 points
Most Popular Player: Kei Kamara ($9.3m) - 31.2% owned
Manager Karan Meht has racked up 1,237 points to top the overall points rankings so far. Don’t count out my Alabama Arsenal team just yet, though, as a top performance in June puts us in prime position to make a second-half run!
Let’s take a look at some things to consider before finalizing your Round 18 transfers:
- The transfer deadline for Round 18 is Friday, July 3 at 9:00 PM EDT.
- Review the MLS Injury Report and MLS Disciplinary Report as they are updated throughout the week.
- Reach out to me on Twitter (@FantasySoccerFC) with any player specific questions.
Gold Cup alert: Players will be departing this week to join their national teams for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. A total of 45 MLS players were named to Gold Cup rosters and could miss up to a full month of MLS action. Use your transfers this round to shed any Gold Cup players.
Byes and DGWs: The Philadelphia Union and Sporting Kansas City are both on a bye this round. Looking ahead to Round 19, D.C. United and LA Galaxy will be idle. Things simmer down considerably on the DGW front, with Round 20 (Columbus Crew SC, Chicago Fire) being the only DGW round in the next five.
Here are my top targets heading into Round 18:
Javier Morales - Real Salt Lake - Midfielder ($11.3m) - The Argentine was the biggest DGW bust of Round 17, but I advise sticking with him moving forward. Real Salt Lake play three of their next four games at home, starting with a great matchup against expansion Orlando City on Saturday. Look for Morales to get back on track with a big game.
Jorge Villafaña - Portland Timbers - Defender ($6.3m) - Villafaña is in fine form, averaging more than seven points per game in his last five outings at home. The Timbers welcome a Wondo-less San Jose Earthquake attack to Providence Park on Sunday, where they have allowed just one goal in their last five at home. At just $6.3m, Villafaña provides excellent value.
Robbie Keane - LA Galaxy - Forward ($11.2m) - Keane is fully fit and has now played 90 minutes in three consecutive games. He earned a spot on the Round 17 Dream Team with a goal and two assists en route to a 17-point round. With strike partner Gyasi Zardes off to the Gold Cup, Keane will be asked to do even more of the heavy lifting in the Galaxy attack. Yes, he’s on a bye in Round 19 - but with the lack of upcoming DGWs, he’s worth using a free transfer on this round or next, if you are among the roughly 87 percent of owners who do not currently have the 2014 MLS MVP on your squad.
Did you top the century mark in the Round 17 DGW blowout? How is your team looking at the halfway point? Let us know in the comments below.
