Your Matchday 12 fantasy and gaming advice roundup is here! Check out MLS Fantasy positional rankings as well as MLS Squad Pick and MLS Parlay Predictor recommendations below.
MLS Fantasy
Fantasy points are in the forecast with the first big DGW (double game week) of the season coming up in Round 13. While the anticipation builds, we’ve still got some business to take care of in Round 12. This is the final round of Fantasy Champions League Period #2, where the top 50 teams will qualify for the final round to compete for more prizes.
Let’s get locked in and hit the top plays and values to help your team make some moves on the leaderboards.
Get more advice on the _MLS Fantasy Insider Round 12 preview_ podcast
Teams on a BYE: CIN
Goalkeeper
Steve Clark and the Houston Dynamo have not allowed a goal at home in over 450 minutes this season. It’s been a remarkable run, but up next is arguably their toughest home game yet when they square off with Western Conference leaders Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
If that matchup is too much to stomach, there are plenty of good value plays, including Chris Brady ($6.3m), who might be worth a spot on your bench to see if he can collect a clean sheet in the earliest match of the day against St. Louis CITY SC.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Steve Clark | HOU | vs. SEA | $8.5 |
2. Chris Brady | CHI | vs. STL | $6.3 |
3. Tim Melia | SKC | vs. MIN | $6.1 |
4. Patrick Schulte | CLB | vs. ORL | $6.7 |
5. Brad Stuver | ATX | vs. DAL | $7.4 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Quentin Westberg | ATL | vs. CLT | $4.1 |
2. Carlos Coronel | RBNY | vs. NYC | $5.6 |
3. Aljaz Ivacic | POR | vs. VAN | $5.5 |
Defenders
Brooks Lennon sent in an eye-popping 12 crosses for the second straight game, creating six chances and tallying his fourth assist of the year in last week’s road loss to Inter Miami. His role on set pieces boosts his fantasy value, and with target man Giorgos Giakoumakis potentially returning to action on Saturday, a favorable home match against Charlotte FC could see Lennon deliver another healthy dose of fantasy points.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Brooks Lennon | ATL | vs. CLT | $9.9 |
2. Julian Gressel | VAN | at POR | $11.7 |
3. Kai Wagner | PHI | at COL | $8.1 |
4. Jon Gallagher | ATX | vs. DAL | $8.0 |
5. John Tolkin | RBNY | vs. NYC | $8.6 |
6. Andrew Gutman | ATL | vs. CLT | $7.4 |
7. Daniel Steres | HOU | vs. SEA | $8.3 |
8. Aaron Herrera | MTL | vs. TOR | $6.5 |
9. Richie Laryea | TOR | at MTL | $9.7 |
10. Lalas Abubakar | COL | vs. PHI | $7.5 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Adam Lundkvist | ATX | vs. DAL | $4.0 |
2. Caleb Wiley | ATL | vs. CLT | $5.2 |
3. Micael | HOU | vs. SEA | $5.5 |
Midfielders
Thiago Almada fired off eight shots in last week’s 2-1 loss to Inter Miami, failing to score or assist for just the second time in nine appearances this season. The FIFA World Cup winner is in prime position to storm back with a big game at home against a Charlotte FC unit that has struggled on the road.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Thiago Almada | ATL | vs. CLT | $13.5 |
2. Lucas Zelarayán | CLB | vs. ORL | $11.9 |
3. Cristian Espinoza | SJ | at LA | $13.5 |
4. Hany Mukhtar | NSH | at DC | $12.3 |
5. Héctor Herrera | HOU | vs. SEA | $11.3 |
6. Carles Gil | NE | at MIA | $11.1 |
7. Evander | POR | vs. VAN | $8.5 |
8. Riqui Puig | LA | vs. SJ | $9.3 |
9. Erik Thommy | SKC | vs. MIN | $7.4 |
10. Lorenzo Insigne | TOR | at MTL | $8.9 |
11. Nicolás Lodeiro | SEA | at HOU | $10.1 |
12. Dániel Gazdag | PHI | at COL | $11.1 |
13. Xherdan Shaqiri | CHI | vs. STL | $6.8 |
14. Mateusz Klich | DC | vs. NSH | $8.3 |
15. Ryan Gauld | VAN | at POR | $8.7 |
16. Santiago Rodríguez | NYC | at RBNY | $8.9 |
17. Connor Ronan | COL | vs. PHI | $9.0 |
18. Martín Ojeda | ORL | at CLB | $8.5 |
19. Timothy Tillman | LAFC | at RSL | $8.3 |
20. Bryce Duke | MTL | vs. TOR | $6.8 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Benjamin Cremaschi | MIA | vs. NE | $4.7 |
2. Emmanuel Boateng | NE | at MIA | $5.7 |
3. Sean Rea | MTL | vs. TOR | $5.1 |
Forwards
Cucho Hernández wasted no time making his presence felt in his return to action after missing six games with a knee injury. He opened his 2023 account with a goal on eight shots (four on goal) to finish with nine points in Round 11. With the Lucas Zelarayán and Cucho combo back in business, the Crew are in a good bounce-back spot at home against an Orlando City team that has lost three of their last four (including Wednesday’s US Open Cup defeat to Charlotte).
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Cucho Hernández | CLB | vs. ORL | $9.0 |
2. Dénis Bouanga | LAFC | at RSL | $11.4 |
3. Chicharito | LA | vs. SJ | $7.8 |
4. Diego Rubio | COL | vs. PHI | $8.9 |
5. Daniel Salloi | SKC | vs. MIN | $7.1 |
6. Carlos Vela | LAFC | at RSL | $9.7 |
7. Jesús Ferreira | DAL | at ATX | $9.3 |
8. Christian Benteke | DC | vs. NSH | $8.6 |
9. Federico Bernardeschi | TOR | at MTL | $8.8 |
10. Jeremy Ebobisse | SJ | at LA | $9.8 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Gyasi Zardes | ATX | vs. DAL | $4.4 |
2. Elias Manoel | RBNY | vs. NYC | $4.4 |
3. Corentin Jean | MIA | vs. NE | $4.7 |
1. Thiago Almada | ATL | vs. CLT | $13.5 |
2. Lucas Zelarayán | CLB | vs. ORL | $11.9 |
3. Cucho Hernández | CLB | at ORL | $9.0 |
Playing MLS Squad Pick is quick and easy. Pick six players for your squad. If they all score in the same matchday, you could win a $160 MLSstore.com gift card!
Don’t forget, each round you play gives you one (1) entry into the end-of-season Grand Prize drawing for $10,000!
Expert advice:
Thiago Almada was knocking at the door after hammering out eight shots, Dénis Bouanga stayed hot, and Cucho opened his 2023 account in his return to the field last round. Evander continues to evolve in the Portland attack, and Chicharito is getting opportunities despite the Galaxy’s recent struggles. I’ve assembled a star-studded squad, and I’m banking on all five to be involved this weekend.
Check out my squad for Round 12:
Playing MLS Parlay Predictor is simple. Pick the results of all six games correctly in a single matchday, and you could win a 2023 MLS Season Pass full-season subscription on Apple TV!
Each round you predict gives you one (1) entry into the end-of-season Grand Prize drawing for $10,000!
Expert advice:
After air balling Round 11, I’m ready to bounce back with a draw-heavy MLS Rivalry Week. Let’s take a closer look at recent stats and trends for the matchups in Round 12.
- CLB vs. ORL - Orlando City have won seven of the last eight matches against the Crew. Can they continue their dominance on the road against a Columbus team that has lost two straight MLS matches?
- MTL vs. TOR - Toronto FC are winless in eight straight road games (0W-5L-3D), while CF Montréal have won three consecutive games.
- RBNY vs. NYC - New York City FC beat the Red Bulls twice last season, but they have never won three straight editions of the New York Derby.
- ATX vs. DAL - Austin FC are winless in seven straight MLS matches (0W-3L-4D), while FC Dallas have won just one of their last 12 road matches against fellow Texas sides (0W-4L-7D).
- COL vs. PHI - The Rapids are unbeaten in seven straight matches (2W-0L-5D), while the Union have lost just one of their last eight meetings with the Rapids (3W-1L-4D).
- LA vs. SJ - The away side has won each of the last four meetings between the Galaxy and Earthquakes.
Check out my predictions for Round 12:
