Fantasy MLS Week 2
The Price Risers & Price Diers
The Recap
Last week FlavorTownSC finished 554th with 72 points. FlavorTownSc would have finished a hundred places higher but the fantasy MLS gatekeepers stole 3 points from the squad. FlavorTownSC was 26 points astray from first place and given how crazy the first week can be, I’m happy with the return. The goals each week are: score 70 or more points and be 20 points or more above the weekly average. Goals achieved. Onto greater glory this week.
Week 2: who among the price risers can keep racking up the points? Or just give my team more money.
Goalkeeper(s)
CJ Dos Santos (San Diego) - I’m confident in his price, his potential price rise and that he’s playing at home. I’m less confident that San Diego can keep back to back fresh sheets. Gonna find out late Saturday night.
Oscar Ustari (Miami) - will Ustari start another match before Callender comes back from injury? It’s anyone’s guess really. He’s a placeholder on my team and if he starts, I’ll only start him out of desperation on the road against Houston.
Defenders
Managers will more than likely lose their minds this week if the $4M to $4.5M defenders don’t get starts this week - that’s why I’m focusing on starting defenders in the $6 million range who I know will start.
Franco Negri (San Diego) - an Inter Miami castaway and already enjoying his new team. I like his price, his average and that he’s playing at home.
Chidozie Awaziem (Colorado) - great price, great average and playing at home. Dallas however are a terrible opponent and will more than likely get to scoring against Colorado. I’m saving my money on the backline and putting the extra funds on a stronger midfield and forward options.
Jamar Ricketts (San Jose) - does he play another week? Vitor Costa is the starter and when he was subbed on for Ricketts, he scored a goal. Costa will be the starter, it’s just a matter of time until he’s ready to go a full match. I’ll enjoy the price rises while they last, if they happen at all.
Scenario:
If Ricketts doesn’t start or play - I’ll be on the lookout for another cheap defender starting in a favorable matchup in one of the later matches.
Midfielders
Pep Biel (Charlotte) - at $6.5M, Biel is one of the best options, given that he’ll be the central attacker with three good attacking options in front of him. If Zaha comes off the bench or even starts, Atlanta is going to struggle - they were without their starting fullbacks last week and they might not be ready this week either. Guzan gave up two goals against a montreal team that barely knows each other.
Gauld (Vancouver) - I only have room for one elite midfielder and I’m going Gauld over Rusnak. Gauld was rested for Vancouvers Champions League match and will be rested and ready to face LA Galaxy at home while Rusnak and Seattle travel to Salt Lake. Both will do fine, I’m favoring a midfielder at home against a team that lost two of their central midfielders and are without two of their best attacking options.
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville) - last week Mukhtar racked up 7 points without a goal contribution and even on the road against the New Jersey Red Bulls, I expect him to tally 5 or more points on the road.
Jack McGlynn (Houston) - even without knowing how Miami will line up and who will start and who comes off the bench, I still like McGlynn, given that he also tallied 7 points last week without a goal contribution. And his price and average are just right.
Martin Ojeda (Orlando) - Orlando were trampled at home against Philadelphia last week and still Ojeda managed 11 points, 6 of which were bonus points. Against Toronto, Ojeda and friends will be just fine.
Forwards
This is the part of my team that I don’t really want to look at. Or only peak through one eye while I cover my face with my hands.
Christian Benteke (D.C.) - not sure how D.C. are scoring goals while rebuilding their squad at the same time, yet they’re doing it. Chicago gave up two easy goals and gifted an own goal in a 2-4 loss against Columbus. If the Chicago defense plays like they did in week one, Benteke should get a goal or two.
Prince Owusu (Montreal) - I’m fantasy MLS poor and when I look around at the starting forwards with a similar price, his goal and assist performance on the road against Atlanta last week, gives me faith and hope that he can come away with some decent points on the road in Minnesota. It’ll be freezing in Minneapolis on Saturday and the fact that Owusu has spent several winters in Canada also gives me strength in this choice.
Lionel Messi (Miami) - Messi played sixty-eight minutes during Miami’s Champions League victory over Kansas City on Tuesday. Maybe he starts, maybe he doesn’t. The season is two weeks old and Miami have already played four matches. I’m going to risk having the greatest player in the world on my team. If he doesn’t start there will be options in the game that I would start.
Scenarios:
Messi doesn’t start - I’ll either pick up Suarez (Miami) or Ponce (Houston) and captain Jack McGlynn. Captain Jack - auspiciously good or bad?
Suarez starts - last season, when Suarez started and Messi didn’t, Suarez had no problem carrying the team. I’ll pick him up and hope for the best.
Messi is on the bench - I’ve seen this show before and it only has two episodes. The first one is, Messi collects a goal and an assist in 30 minutes and the far less popular second episode is where he gets on the field for 30 minutes and does nothing. I’d rather upgrade in other places.
Captain
Messi, if no Messi, then Suarez. If no Suarez, then captain Jack McGlynn.
Mantra
I’ve done what the cave wall prediction model told me to do, where I could, given I don’t have a lot of fantasy money. I know that this team will give me 70 points or more and my captain, my captain will lead FlavorTownSC to victory. Praise be.