Reid and Mike are joined by special Patreon guest Winston Mesmer to review the top fantasy points from Round 26 and preview all of the games from Round 27. Mike also goes over the remaining international call-ups who still have games and talks about the potential impact on their Round 27 availability. We also answer the question on if you should bring David Villa into your team this week. Tune in for that and more!
Did you ever play one of those coin pusher games at an arcade? You know the kind: Tokens are dropped into the machine and an arm pushes them forward creating an ever growing sheet of coins that laughs in the face of gravity? Then, jackpot, and all the tokens come falling down.
That’s the feeling Round 26 gave me. Even with only eight teams playing, big points were waiting and many MLS Fantasy managers were rewarded with 100+ point scores. Tyler Kelly claimed the tile of highest score with 136 points. Congrats!
If you missed out on the big points in Round 26, don’t fret – Round 27 has a several great matchups with the potential for big Fantasy payouts. If you’re still trying to decide exactly who will be in your starting XI, take a look of my list below of some of my favorite players. And don’t forget, rosters lock at 7:30 on Wednesday night!
Goalkeepers
DGW Option: If you can’t pass up the chance for a double-game week with both contests at home, then NYCFC’sSean Johnson ($5.8) is your man. His best shot at a clean sheet comes on Wednesday against Sporting Kansas City (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE), which has the second-worst road scoring record in the league. He’ll likely be more tested against Portland on Saturday (5:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE), but if NYCFC can keep the pressure up, they may be able to keep things clean for Johnson.
By the Numbers: If you’d rather go with one of the SGW players, then stick with Toronto’sAlex Bono ($5.6). It’ll be a case of haves vs have nots for him on Saturday against San Jose (5 pm ET; TSN in Canada | MLS LIVE in the US). Toronto currently have one of the best home defenses in the league, allowing only two goals over their last seven home games. San Jose do not have a strong road offense and have only managed to score 10 goals over their 14 away games. This game shouldn’t trouble TFC.
Defenders
On a Roll: If you’re looking for a defender who’s on a great run of form, then consider Columbus’Jonathan Mensah ($6.0). He’s only earned one clean sheet over the past five rounds but he’s still managed to rack up big scores including back-to-back 11 point games during the Round 25 DGW. This week his shutout chances improve as Crew SC host the second-worst road scoring team in the league Sporting KC on Sunday (1 pm ET; ESPN, ESPN Deportes | MLS LIVE in Canada).
Differential: A few weeks ago most managers would have laughed at the thought of a D.C. United player on their team, and maybe some still will, but D.C. has earned three consecutive clean sheets and no opponent has scored more than one goal against them in their last five. If you’re looking for a true differential play, Kofi Opare ($4.7) should be at the top of your list ahead of D.C.’s game on Saturday against Orlando (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE).
Midfielders
Target Man: With news that David Villa ($12.3) will be unavailable for NYCFC’s first game of the week, Maximiliano Moralez ($9.5) should become the focal point for much of their attack. Even if he does not score, it’s rare that he doesn’t earn an assist or rack up several offensive bonus points. Moralez has also played almost every minute of NYCFC’s previous three DGWs so he’s a prime candidate for 180 minutes this round and a strong captain option.
Big Money: If you’re ready to drop some big money into a midfielder, then consider Seattle’sNicolas Lodeiro ($11.9). He’s not been scoring a lot lately, but his crossing and key pass numbers have been outstanding and serve as the foundation for the consistent high point totals he’s earned over the past six rounds. Lodeiro has also already had two good showings against the LA Galaxy this season, and with the poor form the Galaxy are still struggling to escape, he could make it three for three on Sunday (9 pm ET; FS1, FOX Deportes in US | MLS LIVE in Canada).
Forwards
Ride the Wave: One of the most surprising moments from Round 26 was Kei Kamara’s ($9.8) hat trick. It’d be a true stunner if he pulled that off again this week, but New England still have one of the best home offenses in the league. Kamara is in fine form, and should be a solid option on Saturday against a Montreal team who allow 2 goals per game when on the road (7:30 pm ET; TVA Sports in Canada | MLS LIVE in US).
WHICH PLAYERS are you considering for Round 27?
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