The stakes are high as we approach the final three rounds of the MLS Fantasy season. Round 28 marks the opening round of Head-to-Head tournaments and just five points separate the Top 5 squads in the final round of MLS Fantasy Champions League. With a full slate of MLS action on tap for Saturday, let’s take a closer look at the top plays and values to help your team make some moves down the stretch.
Teams on a BYE: LA Galaxy
Get more advice on the MLS Fantasy Insider Round 28 preview podcast.
Goalkeepers
Stefan Frei and the Seattle Sounders boast the best clean sheet odds for Round 28 and they’re up against a Houston Dynamo side that has struggled without key chance creator Héctor Herrera. The Sounders are hitting their stride at the right time with two shutout wins and a draw in September and they’re in a favorable spot to finish the month undefeated.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Stefan Frei | SEA | vs. HOU | $7.1 |
2. Drake Callender | MIA | vs. CLT | $7.2 |
3. Andre Blake | PHI | vs. ATL | $6.9 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Chris Brady | CHI | vs. TOR | $4.8 |
Defenders
Jordi Alba has contributed an assist in each of his last three starts – logging five over that span and upping his total to 12 on the season. Miami are massive home favorites against Charlotte FC as they chase the MLS points record, setting the stage for Alba to continue to shine down the stretch.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Jordi Alba | MIA | vs. CLT | $11.3 |
2. Kai Wagner | PHI | vs. ATL | $11.2 |
3. Jackson Ragen | SEA | vs. HOU | $11.7 |
4. John Tolkin | RBNY | vs. NYC | $8.4 |
5. Chidozie Awaziem | CIN | vs. LAFC | $8.3 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty | MTL | vs. SJ | $4.0 |
2. Tomas Totland | STL | vs. SKC | $5.1 |
Midfielders
Luciano Acosta bagged his first goal since July in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Nashville and despite being limited by a toe injury recently, he’s tied with Evander for the league lead with 18 assists. Up next, he leads FC Cincinnati against an LAFC squad that could see some heavy rotation after going 120 minutes to lift the US Open Cup on Wednesday.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Luciano Acosta | CIN | vs. LAFC | $15.4 |
2. Carles Gil | NE | vs. NSH | $14.0 |
3. Marcel Hartel | STL | vs. SKC | $14.0 |
4. Dániel Gazdag | PHI | vs. ATL | $11.8 |
5. Ryan Gauld | VAN | vs. POR | $14.2 |
6. Albert Rusnák | SEA | vs. HOU | $14.5 |
7. Djordje Mihailovic | COL | at MIN | $14.3 |
8. Luca Orellano | CIN | vs. LAFC | $11.4 |
9. Hany Mukhtar | NSH | at NE | $13.4 |
10. Facundo Torres | ORL | at DAL | $10.9 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Caden Clark | MTL | vs. SJ | $4.2 |
2. Nathan Saliba | MTL | vs. SJ | $5.9 |
3. Esmir Bajraktarevic | NE | vs. NSH | $6.9 |
Forwards
Lionel Messi dropped a dud in Round 27’s Double Game Week, mustering just four points in 120 minutes of action. That showing might scare some away, but I’m going right back to the well with one of few players capable of flirting with 20 points any time they step on the field. Look for Messi to get back on track at home against Charlotte with Inter Miami closing in on the Supporters’ Shield.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Lionel Messi | MIA | vs. CLT | $16.0 |
2. Tai Baribo | PHI | vs. ATL | $7.7 |
3. Luis Suárez | MIA | vs. CLT | $14.3 |
4. Cucho Hernández | CLB | at DC | $13.7 |
5. Jordan Morris | SEA | vs. HOU | $12.0 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Paul Arriola | DAL | vs. ORL | $6.8 |
2. Antony | POR | at VAN | $5.6 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Lionel Messi | MIA | vs. CLT | $16.0 |
2. Luciano Acosta | CIN | vs. LAFC | $15.4 |
3. Carles Gil | NE | at NSH | $14.0 |
MLS Pick’em Round 26
Playing MLS Pick’em is simple. Pick the correct answer to all the questions in a round, and you could win two tickets to a 2024 MLS regular-season match!
Pick’em advice:
- Pick 1: Will Lionel Messi score in the second half?
Yes – Messi is always a good bet to turn up with some magic at any given moment. He has the best goalscoring odds of any player on the slate this weekend and he has yet to go three consecutive matches without a goal in 2024. Look for a big bounce-back effort here with Miami chasing the all-time MLS points record.
Pick 3:
- Who is going to win? St. Louis CITY SC vs. Sporting Kansas City
St. Louis CITY SC – This is mostly a play on potential squad rotation after Sporting KC put up a valiant effort across 120 minutes in Wednesday’s US Open Cup final loss to LAFC. On the brink of postseason elimination, I’m counting on a big effort from St. Louis CITY at home against their cross-state rivals.