Goals were in abundance in Round 21, with MLS fans and fantasy owners kept on high alert by a total of 39 tallies in nine games over the weekend.
Golden boot front-runners Sebastian Giovinco and Kei Kamara did not disappoint, with each player finding net in a wild 3-3 draw between Toronto and Columbus. And though David Villa came through for his fantasy owners with two goals in New York City FC’s 5-3 win against Orlando, it was his counterpart and Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner Cyle Larin earning Top Player with 17 points thanks to a scintillating hat trick.
Fantasy manager Emron Grover was wise enough to play both strikers in leading his team Pixmo to 118 points and the top score of Round 21.
Once again, with no Double Game Weeks until next round, we have a full week to tinker with our teams until the first game kicks off on Saturday. It’s worth continuing to stress the importance of waiting as long as you can to confirm your transfers before the transfer deadline. Many fantasy managers, including myself, were left wondering if Giovinco would start after he was slapped with a questionable tag just prior to lineups locking. Fortunately he fought through his “heel bruise,” picking up nine points along the way, and fantasy disaster was averted.
With that in mind, let’s look at some things to consider before locking your transfers in:
- The transfer deadline for Round 22 is Saturday, Aug. 1 at 2:00 pm ET.
- Review the MLS Injury Report and MLS Disciplinary Report as they are updated throughout the week. Reach out to me on Twitter (@DraftKicks) with any player specific questions.
Byes and DGWs: All 20 MLS teams play in Round 22. With four teams – Montreal Impact, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC and Toronto FC – on a DGW in Round 23, now is the time to start stocking up on players from those squads. Just keep in mind that Montreal is on a bye in Round 24 before you load up on Impact players. Speaking of the Impact – who else is already looking forward to their TRIPLE Game Week in Round 29?
Here are a few players I am considering transferring in to strengthen my squad before Round 22 kicks off:
Clint Dempsey
– Seattle Sounders – Midfielder
($11.8m)
– The Seattle Sounders star
took home the Golden Boot at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring seven times in six games
. The return of Dempsey, and potentially strike partner
Obafemi Martins
, will be a welcome sight for a Sounders attack that has been shutout in three straight games. I’m banking on his Gold Cup form to carry over and I predict big things from Deuce over the second half of the season.
Cyle Larin – Orlando City SC – Forward ($6m) – The rookie sensation returned from a disappointing Gold Cup with a bang, scoring a hat trick at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. With an upcoming home game against the shaky Columbus Crew SC defense, along with Orlando’s DGW in the next round, grab Larin at a discount while you can.
Angelino – New York City FC – Defender ($4.9m) – The young Manchester City loanee has been an exciting addition to the NYCFC backline. In just his second start, Angelino provided the assist on Villa’s first goal on Sunday. He’s joining in on the attack, swinging balls into the box and – with Villa as the focal point – good things will continue to come. At only $4.9m, he’s worth targeting to bolster your backline depth while also saving you some cash.
Did you see green arrows in Round 21? Are you loading up on DGW players ahead of Round 23? Let us know in the comments below.
