MLS Fantasy Boss A Fantasy MLS Community
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 24 Final Results:
Matt:
- Dagur Thorhallsson – Great! (10 points)
- Sebastian Driussi – Bust (2 points)
Brandon:
- Jackson Ragen- Bust (3 points)
- Osman Bukari – Bust (1 points)
Ranch:
- Luca Orellano – Great! (16 point)
- Hugo Cuypers- Bust (3 points)
2024 Full Season Results: 25 Great, 24 Good, 22 Average, 71 Busts
Matt Results: 9 Great, 5 Good, 9 Average, 25 Bust (48% non-bust)
Brandon Results: 7 Great, 9 Good, 9 Average, 22 Bust (53% non-bust)
Ranch Results: 9 Great, 10 Good, 4 Average, 23 Bust (50% non-bust)
Welcome back to week 26 of the diffeRANCHals! The end of the season is quickly approaching, but the differentials are continuing to strive! After two more great picks, the “non-bust” pick percentage for us is at a solid 50%! That is actually quite absurd considering we are picking players that most people may not consider. Which means that there is currently a 50/50 chance that a player mentioned in this article will score 4+ points, and a 34.5% chance that they will score 6+. Keep that in mind as you read through our picks this week!
Brandon: Dagur Thorhallsson, $7.5m (Defender – Orlando)
Have we learned our lessons about Dagur Thorhallsson? Maybe, maybe not. … Anyways, Thorhallsson! With his ever inconsistent scores and penchant for popping with 10s and 12s in between weeks where he scores 1s and 2s, it seems odd to be taking him this week. However, with fewer options at the back this week, and Orlando at home against an ailing New England, this week seems as good as any for Thorhallsson to put together solid scores, back-to-back.
Matt: Richie Laryea, $7.1m (Defender – Toronto)
I am usually one not to bet on Toronto and even though it has occasionally led to my downfall, I have stayed on course for most of the season. That being said, I am now betting on Toronto. I think they have a solid CS chance against a really poor away attack in Austin and on top of that so anyone across their backline is a solid differential going into the weekend. I’m specifically highlighting Laryea because of the potential for attacking returns: he had a goal against Montreal in Week 22 and an assist against DC United in Week 24. Hopefully for our sake, this good run of form continues.
Ranch: Aleksei Miranchuk, $8.7m (Midfielder – Atlanta)
For my first pick of the week, I am picking the new number 10 for Atlanta United, Miranchuk. In each of his first 2 games for Atlanta, he hit his bonus points for key passes. Both of those games were on the road, one to Charlotte, the other to the LA Galaxy. Now Aleksei gets to have his first home match against possibly the worst defense in the league at the moment, Nashville SC. Should this game turn out how I am expecting it to, Atlanta will win 2-0 or 3-0. With Atlanta scoring, my guess is that Miranchuk has his first involvement in a goal contribution in MLS.
Brandon: Djordje Mihailovic, $13.3m (Midfielder – Colorado)
Next up in my (coincidental) series of “undervalued” (if you can call them that) midfield picks is Colorado’s number 10 — or at least, that’s what he definitely is on paper, regardless of where Chris Armas wants to play him. Despite the several other options in the middle of the park this week, Mihailovic and his strong form (last week’s penalty miss definitely not included) might be the perfect pick for anyone looking to make gains in overall rank, given his status this week of being on the cusp of many players’ teams. Djordje popped up with an assist last week in Dallas, adding to a run of eight goals and four assists in the 11 games prior to being sidelined for games against St Louis, NYRB, LA Galaxy and RSL.
Ranch: Rafael Navarro, $10.0m (Forward – Colorado)
Similar to Brandon’s pick, I am betting on the Colorado offense against Portland. As I have stated on the podcast many times and in the MLSFB Discord server other times, Portland has virtually no defense and needs to outscore opponents to win. On top of this, Colorado has been a pretty solid team both offensively and (somewhat) defensively. Welcoming Portland to altitude will be the best thing that could come for Colorado as they are looking to maintain a top 4 finish in the West. Navarro has been the go-to striker for Colorado and seems to put in the goals when nobody else can (like their last game when Mihailovic missed his PK).
Matt: Fafa Picault, $7.4m (Forward – Vancouver)
Going into this weekend, Gauld will be a really popular captain choice. But to try and capitalize on this rough San Jose team and what should be a high-flying Vancouver team with their Scottish Messi back, Fafa Picault is a great option if you are trying to move away from the chalky forward picks. Before the away game at Austin, Fafa had 4 goals and 2 assists in 3 games, and without Brian White he should be playing as their main man up top, getting all kinds of service from the players around him.
