2024 Round 13 DiffeRANCHals

Every week, I’m going to go over my suggestions from last week, and determine if they were a good or bad pick based on position and points. To describe in detail the ranking system, here is the metric: bust = 3 or fewer points (or not starting/on the bench), average = 4-5 points, good = 6-8 points, great = 9+ points. Players not available for selection I am disregarding and not counting as a positive or negative in the article.

DGW Scoring: Bust = 6 or fewer, Average = 7-9, Good = 10-12, Great = 13+

Week 12 Final Results: 

Matt:

• Tim Leibold – Bust (2 points)
• Federico Bernadeschi – Good (7 points)

Brandon:

• Lewis Morgan – GREAT! (13 points)
• Jonathan Rodriguez – Good (6 points)

Ranch:

• Brendan Hines-Ike – Bust (3 points)
• Christian Olivera – GREAT! (16 points)

2024 Full Season Results: 10 Great, 9 Good, 14 Average, 43 Busts

Matt Results: 2 Great, 2 Good, 6 Average, 17 Bust

Brandon Results: 4 Great, 1 Good, 6 Average, 14 Bust

Ranch Results: 4 Great, 6 Good, 2 Average, 12 Bust

 

Welcome back to week 13 of the diffeRANCHals article! The first major DGW week of the season! What a great time to take a peek at some differential options to see who could be potential point getters for the week. As a reminder, we have our scoring for DGW’s in the italicized section above.

Matt: Andrew Gutman, $6.7m (Defender – Chicago)

Gutman is back to full fitness for the Chicago Fire and this past week was heavily involved in the attack. With two home games, Gutman should see himself up the field against a questionable Charlotte backline and a Columbus side that has CCC in the back of their mind. On top of that, I see that first matchup as an interesting clean sheet chance. Charlotte will still be without arguably their best chance creator in Abada and have struggled on the road this season. 

Ranch: Jon Gallagher, $8.3m (Defender – Austin)

Third time is the charm, right? This is the third appearance that Gallagher has had in the diffeRANCHals article. The first 2 appearances resulted in a bust of 2-3 points. So why mention him for a 3rd time? Well, he is playing 2 home games against relatively weak offenses in Houston and SKC, while also being a key contributor to the attack. Gallgher’s last assist was week 6 against Dallas, but I completely see that he has potential to get more in these DGW matchups!

Ranch: Mateusz Klich, $9.0m (Midfielder – DCU)

My main man this year has been Klich.. Wait, no, that’s wrong. My main guy has actually been Benteke. However, with Benteke being a chalky pick this week (and essentially every week moving forward), I want to highlight DCU’s set piece taker, Mateusz Klich. As some people are aware, my discord handle has changed to Klichinator for the last 4-5 weeks. So it only feels right to have him mentioned in an article. With DCU hosting NYRB then traveling to Miami, I can see quite a few set piece opportunities for Klich to connect to the best aerial duel threat that MLS has ever seen. At least 1, if not 2-3 assist are bound to happen for Klich over both games.

Brandon: Carlos Andres Gomez, $10.1m (Midfielder – RSL)

It’s back to the well of former picks, continuing the trend of players with a pair of home games this week with the Colombian winger. This pick could also have been an RSL defender (against a pair of sides who’ve only recently picked up into form – but with a number of the back line listed either Out or Questionable, it’s Gomez’s four goals and four assists that we’ll be turning to instead, particularly with would-be-MVP candidate Chicho Arango one caution from a suspension for yellow card accumulation. Gomez has also only failed to generate at least four key passes (i.e. additional bonus points) once when named to the starting XI this season – that being their first game of the season, away at Miami.

Matt: Diego Rubio, $7.1m (Forward – Austin)

Austin has two interesting matchups this DGW. The first is a rivalry match at home against Houston who, while usually fairly solid defensively, have been giving up goals on the road. The second matchup, hosting Sportking Kansas City, screams goals as well. Rubio has only scored 1 goal in his last 6 games so his form isn’t great, but he has been getting involved in the attack, creating KPs and taking shots.

Brandon: Tani Oluwaseyi, $6.8m (Forward – Minnesota)

Despite the threat of rotation looming from Loons head coach Eric Ramsay’s variation in formation and tactics over the last month or two, Oluwaseyi’s goal-scoring exploits are hard to ignore. Add to that the fact that coming off a bye last week, Minnesota will play host to Galaxy and Timbers sides who haven’t been stellar in keeping the goals out this season, and Oluwaseyi could score a few times and become this week’s Olivera or Morgan, particularly as he also looks to wedge himself into #CanMNT contention with Jesse Marsch’s recent announcement at the helm.