In MLS Fantasy, the midfielders and forwards typically produce the big numbers, and if you look at the top players in terms of points per game, attacking positions occupy all but one of the top 10 spots.
However, after seeing goalkeepers David Ousted ($6.1m) and Chris Seitz ($4.7m) and defender Chris Tierney ($8.1m) lead the Round 4 dream team, I thought I’d break down the numbers for how well each position is scoring through four rounds:
*Only includes appearances of 45 minutes or more
Zero or Less
Less than 2 percent of the players have scored zero points or less in at least 45 minutes of play, and that’s not something you really should worry about. If you wind up having a player that picks up a red card or an own goal, you just have to chalk it up to bad luck. Defenders tend to pick up the most red cards, and it shows, as they lead the way with 3.6 percent of results being the non-positive variety.
One to Three Points
Forwards lead the pack in this category, with nearly half of all results falling in the one to three point range. That’s something to consider, since it means that forwards are boom-or-bust. If they don’t find the net, you’ll be looking at a very low score.
Goalkeepers seem to be the most immune to these low results, producing enough bonus points to keep at four or more points 66 percent of the time. However, they’re not going to often give you a 10+ score, unless they pull off a penalty save or two (I’m looking at you, Bobby Shuttleworth).
Four to Six Points
Midfielders show themselves as a generally “safe” option, especially if you pick up ones that get consistent bonus points. Only 27 percent of the defenders’ scores fall in this range, which makes sense: defenders’ high scores are largely dependent on getting a clean sheet.
Seven Points and Above
Goalkeepers and defenders that pick up clean sheets fall in the seven to nine range, but trying to build your roster around guessing clean sheets is difficult at best. Beyond nine points is where forwards really shine: a little more than 10 percent (15 out of 141) of the scores from forwards have been in the double digits. So, if you’re willing to play two or three forwards and they have good matches, then you’ll get the biggest reward.
My Ideal Formation
I’m going to continue playing a 3-5-2, in the hopes that my seven attackers’ high-scoring potential will offset the risk of having a one or two-point dud.
What formation are you rolling with for this week? Let us know in the comments below, and good luck this week!
