With an MLS-record 39 goals scored on Saturday, there were plenty of fantasy points to go around in Round 22.
Rookie sensation Cyle Larin was at it again, with a pair of goals in Orlando City SC’s 5-2 win over Columbus Crew SC. That makes it five goals in his last two games, strengthening the case to transfer Larin in with two games upcoming in Round 23. Fantasy manager J Schlag benefitted from a Pa Modou Kah auto-sub to lead his team, el rancho fc, to 102 points and the highest score of the round. Kah was the top player of the round with two goals and a clean sheet en route to posting 19 points.
With four teams in action midweek, we only have a couple of days to prepare before Round 23 kicks off on Wednesday (8pm ET). Here are a few things I’m looking at prior to locking my transfers in:
- The transfer deadline for Round 23 is Wednesday, August 5th at 8:00 pm ET.
- Review the MLS Injury Report and MLS Disciplinary Report as they are updated throughout the week. Reach out to me on Twitter (@DraftKicks) with any player-specific questions.
Byes and DGWs: Four teams play twice in Round 23: Montreal Impact, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC and Toronto FC. Both Montreal and Toronto play both games of their double game weeks in their home confines. Before loading up on Impact players, be wary of their bye next round. Also worth noting is the New York Red Bulls bye in Round 25, however, they will have another DGW in Round 26 so I will likely find room on my bench for my Red Bulls players. Both FC Dallas and the New England Revolution are on a bye this round.
Leading up to Round 23, I advised picking up Ignacio Piatti and Larin – who are both in fine form heading into their DGW's. I’m planning on loading up on DGW players this round to maximize my point potential. With that in mind, here are a few players I’m looking at:
Shaun Wright-Phillips (NY) – Midfielder ($7.5m) – The English Premier League veteran made an immediate impact in his MLS debut. Wright-Phillips earned a penalty kick and then assisted on his brother Bradley Wright-Phillips’ goal for a six-point haul in only 30 minutes. Though it is unlikely he’ll play 180 minutes in Round 23, his contributions in limited playing time is evidence of the fantasy impact SWP can have.
Laurent Ciman (MTL) – Defender ($7.9m) – With a goal and an assist over his last two games, Ciman is producing fantasy points on both sides of the ball. With a pair of home games this round, I’m banking on Ciman to put together another big fantasy performance.
Sebastian Giovinco (TOR) – Midfielder ($12.6m) – Even after picking up just a single fantasy point last weekend, Giovinco is my top player for Round 23. He’s been dealing with a heel bruise over the past several weeks, and to the dismay of his fantasy owners was subbed off at halftime of Toronto FC’s 3-1 loss at New England. Head coach Greg Vanney noted that the move was strictly precautionary, and I’m confident that the MVP frontrunner will be back at it again as soon as Wednesday night.
Did you get in on Saturday’s goal fest? Are you all aboard the DGW train in Round 23? Let us know in the comments below.
