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Which players are you planning on bringing in to deal with this bye week? Share your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll try to respond when I can. You can also hit up the MLS Fantasy Boss on Twitter or come by MLSFantasyBoss.com and check out charts and predictions for Round 3!
I’ll be honest, I secretly like it when teams have a bye week because it adds another strategic element to the game. Honestly, though, who scheduled Round 3?
Columbus, Real Salt Lake, Seattle, and Toronto are all off this round. That means several of the most popular and on form fantasy players aren't available. This is sure to be stressful for many managers, but it also means that finding the right replacements could help you move up the ranks.
Goalkeepers
If you’re one of the 14.5 percent of managers who own
Nick Rimando
, you might be happy for an excuse to find a replacement after the 3-3 draw against Philadelphia and looming international call-ups. If you like risks,
Bobby Shuttleworth
(NE, $5.4m) is my top pick. I know he’s coming off a 2-0 loss to NYCFC, but he came up with a lot of big saves during that game even under all that pressure. This will also be New England’s first home game, and it’s against a Montreal team that played CCL match just a few days earlier.
If that’s too risky for you, then you should consider Josh Saunders (NYC, $5.6m), who has only allowed one (deflected) goal in the past two games, come up with some very impressive saves, and is a nice differential at only 2.5 percent ownership. He has his own bye in Round 5, but the next two NYCFC games look very promising, especially if they keep playing like they did against New England.
Defenders
With far fewer clean sheets in Round 2, my belief in finding cheap CBI-producing players was only reinforced.
Damien Perrinelle
(NYR, $6.5m) falls into both of those categories, racking up 16 CBIs and 5 recoveries in Round 1. New York hosts D.C. United this week, which is always an exciting rivalry match, and provides an excellent chance for high defensive bonus points even without a clean sheet.
If an attacker is still your preference, my current favorite option is Chris Tierney (NE, $7.4m). Of New England’s next five games, three are at home and one is a double game week. Tierney attacking prowess was shown in the NYCFC game when he sent more crosses into the box than the rest of his team combined. A similar performance at home could turn into a lot of bonus points for him.
If you need a budget option to stretch your cash, then you can’t do better than Axel Sjoberg (DAL, $4.6m). I honestly don’t’ think Colorado will be able to keep a clean sheet against NYCFC, but with Bobby Burling out on a red card, Sjoberg is sure to start again. If nothing else, you know you have an option on your bench.
Midfielders
As the only undefeated team left in MLS, it’s hard to imagine not replacing someone like
Clint Dempsey
or
Javier Morales
with a Dallas player this round, but who?
Fabian Castillo
may be the creative goalscorer, but after seeing Philadelphia allow two goals from RSL set plays last week, I think
Michel
(DAL, $9.2m) is the best option. However, this will be the first Dallas away game and we don’t yet know what to expect from them when on the road.
Another player who has been providing excellent service, though his team hasn't been doing as well, is Benny Feilhaber (SKC, $9.2m). He’s another player who I think will have a tough week, especially against the aggresive Portland midfield, but he’s a good long-term investment with international call-ups coming and Graham Zusi’s likely exit. He has a knack for earning both offensive and defensive bonus points, so getting him now could save $0.1-0.3m.
- INJURY REPORT: Make sure your team is healthy ahead of Round 3
On the more offensive end, Lloyd Sam (NY, $8.6m) is a player I've liked for two years. He put up good offensive numbers in 2014 and came out strong in Round 1 by scoring the tying goal against SKC. We’ve only seen one game from the Red Bulls so far and it’s hard to know his true point potential, but I like the aggression he's shown so far.
Forwards
The bad news for forwards this week is that
Obafemi Martins
is on a bye, but the good news is that
David Villa
(NYC, $10.2m) seems to be in Dr. Jekyll mode right now. He is clearly the player everyone is looking to get the ball to, and two promising games before a Round 5 bye could turn into more big point returns.
RUNNING LIST: All the international call-ups that could affect your squad
If you’re looking to get the most for your money, then bring in Octavio Rivero (VAN, $8.6m). With one goal in each game so far, he’s been Vancouver’s most reliable offensive player. After Round 3, Vancouver has two home games and then a double game week, so if you don’t have room for him now, add him to your watch list.
