One of the big stories to come out of the beginning of the 2016 MLS Season is Toronto FC’s solid start, despite the Reds having to play their first eight matches away from BMO Field. This made me curious about which other MLS players have been thriving on the road, and which players have produced the highest fantasy points in front of their home crowd.
The best players to own are the ones that can produce consistently regardless of fixture, since then you don’t have to worry as much about transferring them out when the inevitable away match comes along.
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
Top 20 Points Per 90 Minutes – Home Matches
Player |
Pos |
Pts |
Min |
PP90 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Diaz (DAL) |
MID |
25 |
180 |
12.50 |
Meram (CLB) |
MID |
21 |
180 |
10.50 |
Kljestan (NY) |
MID |
49 |
427 |
10.33 |
Wenger (HOU) |
MID |
29 |
254 |
10.28 |
Larin (ORL) |
FWD |
19 |
180 |
9.50 |
Morales (VAN) |
MID |
19 |
180 |
9.50 |
Toia (MTL) |
DEF |
18 |
180 |
9.00 |
Adi (POR) |
FWD |
33 |
334 |
8.89 |
Plata (RSL) |
FWD |
26 |
270 |
8.67 |
Valeri (POR) |
MID |
42 |
446 |
8.48 |
Grella (NY) |
MID |
32 |
348 |
8.28 |
Sapong (PHI) |
FWD |
33 |
359 |
8.27 |
Harvey (VAN) |
DEF |
41 |
450 |
8.20 |
Magee (LA) |
FWD |
22 |
245 |
8.08 |
Villa (NYC) |
FWD |
48 |
540 |
8.00 |
Felipe (NY) |
MID |
32 |
360 |
8.00 |
Waston (VAN) |
DEF |
24 |
270 |
8.00 |
Fabinho (PHI) |
DEF |
16 |
180 |
8.00 |
K. Kamara (CLB) |
FWD |
24 |
270 |
8.00 |
Keane (LA) |
FWD |
16 |
180 |
8.00 |
Minimum of 60 minutes in a match, minimum of 180 minutes total
Mauro Diaz ($10.6m) has been a beast at home, earning 25 points in his two home matches for FC Dallas. Both Sacha Kljestan ($11.5m) and Andrew Wenger ($7.1m) have racked up massive points at home, but both are riskier to play away from home -- both drop down to under five points per 90 minutes on the road.
Top 20 Points Per 90 Minutes – Away Matches
Player |
Pos |
Pts |
Min |
PP90 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Plata (RSL) |
FWD |
28 |
250 |
10.08 |
Giovinco (TOR) |
FWD |
75 |
718 |
9.40 |
Coelho (SKC) |
DEF |
41 |
450 |
8.20 |
Frei (SEA) |
GKP |
16 |
180 |
8.00 |
Mulholland (RSL) |
MID |
15 |
180 |
7.50 |
Neagle (DC) |
MID |
20 |
243 |
7.41 |
Diaz (DAL) |
MID |
20 |
245 |
7.35 |
Alonso (SEA) |
MID |
22 |
270 |
7.33 |
Gashi (COL) |
MID |
27 |
334 |
7.28 |
Piatti (MTL) |
MID |
36 |
450 |
7.20 |
Pappa (COL) |
MID |
18 |
229 |
7.07 |
Valeri (POR) |
MID |
21 |
268 |
7.05 |
Dawkins (SJ) |
MID |
21 |
269 |
7.03 |
Gerrard (LA) |
MID |
14 |
180 |
7.00 |
Diskerud (NYC) |
MID |
14 |
180 |
7.00 |
Worra (DC) |
GKP |
14 |
180 |
7.00 |
Akindele (DAL) |
FWD |
14 |
180 |
7.00 |
Wondolowski (SJ) |
FWD |
27 |
360 |
6.75 |
Pontius (PHI) |
MID |
21 |
283 |
6.68 |
Seitz (DAL) |
GKP |
20 |
270 |
6.67 |
When Joao Plata ($9.5m) is healthy, he’s scoring points, regardless of where he is. He’s picked up 28 points from three road matches, beating out Sebastian Giovinco’s ($12.4m) PP90 score by 0.68.
Speaking of injury-prone players that are scoring on the road, Mauro Diaz shows up in the top 20 of both lists, as does recently-suspended Diego Valeri ($10.5m). Nuno Coelho ($7.9m) is the top defender in away games, but the Sporting KC defense hasn’t been able to keep a clean sheet in their last five matches. Giovinco scored 12 points on the road last weekend with no goals scored and only one assist, so expect big things from the Atomic Ant in Toronto FC’s home opener this round.
Who are you counting on to score points even when they’re on the road? Do you think Giovinco will go crazy in his home opener this weekend? Let us know in the comments below, and good luck this week!