To date, I’d have to say that Round 9 has been my favorite week of the MLS Fantasy season: three teams racked up four goals, five posted clean sheets, and I was very impressed with several players on my watch list. Still, none of this can compare to the excitement felt by Caleb Cerney, manager of Rave Green, who earned the Round 9 high score of 116 points. Congrats!
For the rest of us, it’s finally here: Round 10. This is the round that many managers have been anticipating for several weeks. Eight teams play double games, none are on a bye, and several of the top players are in form right now. These conditions give many players the opportunity for a great score and could really help managers narrow a point gap if you get the right players. Here’s my list of some of the top players to target for Round 10.
Goalkeepers
DGW Option: Round per round, Colorado is still the best all-around defensive team, so once again Zac MacMath ($5.1m) tops my list of 'keeper choices. Last week’s clean sheet brought MacMath’s total up to three, and with games against a struggling SKC and a Kei Kamara-less Columbus, he could quickly jump to the top of that list.
SGW Pick: If you’d rather stick with a Single Game Week player, then consider Clint Irwin ($5.7m). Over the next two rounds, Toronto will play three home games and Irwin is unlikely to be rested. Just be sure you have a backup, because Toronto have a bye in Round 13.
Defenders
DGW Value: If you are trying to build the best budget backline, then you need to have Fire rookie Jonathan Campbell ($5.3m) on your team. As with most budget players, the majority of his points will come from clean sheets, but Chicago are the only team with back-to-back DGWs in Rounds 10 & 11 – and Campbell is likely to feature in all of them.
Second Wind: To say Dallas have struggled over their past three games is being nice. Fortunately, the Hoops are back at home for both of their DGW games and things may turn around for them. If they do, then Walker Zimmerman ($6.0m) is likely to earn big points as his starting spot seems secure with Matt Hedges on the injured list.
Midfielders
Rising Form: If you want to find a cheap way into the rising Philadelphia attack, then consider adding Chris Pontius ($7.2m) to your team this week. Pontius finally broke his goal-less streak by scoring in each of his last two games, and this rise in form comes just in time for his DGW. The downside is that he’s not a 90-minute player, but I expect Pontius to get at least 140 minutes over the course of two games.
DGW Value: When Jermaine Jones made his debut for the Rapids many thought Micheal Azira ($5.5m) would be benched, but this has not been the case. Some might say that's due to injuries, others the success of the club. I say it doesn't matter, because he has only scored fewer than four points in two of his 10 games. If you need to stretch your budget, then Azira is an ideal player to bring in.
SGW Option: If you are one of the many managers who are growing frustrated with DGW results, then consider Kaká ($10.8m) as your SGW option. He did not do much to impress us last week, but that was his first game back from an injury. This week, the Lions take on a struggling Sporting KC. With rotations likely as Sporting pull double duty, this could be the week where Kaká reopens his scoring account.
Forwards
DGW Value: Since the start of the season, C.J. Sapong ($8.2m) has had many moments where he has was just a goalpost away from a strong fantasy score. However, over his last four games, his fortunes have changed: he’s earned an assist and scored two goals. If this keeps up, Sapong could provide big points as Philadelphia has three DGWs over the next six weeks.
These are my picks to help you capitalize on this DGW – who are you targeting for Round 10?
