Reid is joined by Mike, Tim and special guest Tyler Kelly to review all of the goals, cards, upsets and fantasy takeaways from Round 17. Other exciting points include: Mike and Tim having a heart-to-heart about the #NYderby, potential switcheroo options get discussed, players are picked and the Harry Potter references are many.
Conventional wisdom states that two forwards from the same team is more risk than it is worth when playing MLS Fantasy. When a team scores a single goal, those two forwards can have a maximum of eight points from that goal. Having a premier forward from separate teams gives more opportunities to score bigger points.
But, as with most rules, there are exceptions. David Accam and Nemanja Nikolic are two guys that could easily make the Dream Team any week. The Chicago Fire forwards are playing in a powerful offense unit that is more than capable of multiple goals a game, but more importantly, these two are combining well going forward. When one has a good game, the other isn't far behind. Sharing the passing and the assists means both players are putting up quality numbers each round.
It's not just Nikolic and Accam that are worth considering either. Toronto FC's Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco are another powerful tandem that feed off each other. Giovinco is more than capable of running the show himself and Altidore gets more touches without Giovinco, but both do better together.
When to Pick from the Same Team
Watching the matchups is the key indicator of when it is safe to pick two forwards form the same team. When a powerful home offense is facing a weak road defense, it's time to consider doubling up. This is a big risk, but it can pay off well. When Minnesota United was leaking goals, they were a prime candidate to double up against.
Double-game weeks are the best time to double up on forwards as 180 minutes of play for prolific scorers can pay off big. For teams that share the load, you can count of both players getting their goals.
Sometimes doubling up is the safety play however. When a team has that matchup that will see lots of goals, or two matchups in a DGW, managers don't want to miss out. Taking both eliminates the "I picked the wrong one" scenario, it doesn't matter if the goals and assists are split evenly or one player gets them all, the points come in the same.
Teams to Look At
Chicago and Toronto both have proven striker tandems that can double up nicely in the right situations, but who else is available?
The New England Revolution have had solid attacking output this year and they are sharing the load fairly well with four players having at least four goals. When it comes to the right DGW, looking at both Juan Agudelo and Kei Kamara should not be dismissed.
The Houston Dynamo have four potential starters in Houston that can put up great numbers together. Whether it be Erick "Cubo" Torres, Mauro Manotas, Alberth Elis or Romell Quioto, they are capable of dropping multiple goals on any team at home. Of course the tricky part is figuring out which two or three will be starting.
Dom Dwyer is going through a cold spell with Sporting Kansas City, and will miss games for the upcoming Gold Cup, but when he returns, pairing him with Latif Blessing could prove useful. If Blessing can keep creating chances using his speed, Dwyer could see an increase in production and Blessing will see his fantasy value rise.
Atlanta United cannot be left out of the conversation either. Hector Villalba and Josef Martinez are more than capable of big numbers together and should start doing so as Martinez returns to the starting XI on a regular basis.
If the Seattle Sounders are able turn their season around, Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris will likely make their way to the top of this list. Both have shown the ability to go on hot streaks that would make them must-haves on your fantasy team.
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