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New teammates, new coaches, contract disputes, transfer rumors, long-term injuries. These things happen every offseason, but this year seems to be particularly disruptive for a lot of fantasy stars. Some of the obvious standouts in midfield are either holding out, unhappy with their situation, adjusting to a new situation, or recovering from a long-term injury (Riqui Puig would be #1 on this list if he hadn’t torn his ACL). Many of the top midfielders are also on teams that will be participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, which as we’ve seen in the past can have an adverse effect on early season fantasy performance. A lot could (and probably will) change between now and Feb. 22, but as things stand now, these are the Top 10 Midfielders to target from the jump.
Numbers 10 – 6
- Joseph Paintsil
Paintsil had a stellar debut last year, contributing 10g + 7a over the course of the season and being a constant threat in the attacking end. His ability to get behind defenses and combine with Gabriel Pec should continue to provide Paintsil with plenty of chances to make an impact on the scoresheet, especially if he sees considerable time as a #9 with Joveljic transferred to SKC. The big question for LA is, how will the Galaxy attack function while Riqui Puig recovers from his ACL injury? With Marco Reus and Diego Fagundez available to fill in for Puig and Pec and Paintsil both able to create chances as well, the LA offense should continue to produce points just about every week. A tasty opening match for the reigning champs at home against new boys San Diego FC seems like an ideal way to kick off the season.
- Cristian Espinoza
Another team that’s had a drastic makeover from last season, San Jose’s lineup will feature a number of new faces – most notably Chicho Arango and Josef Martinez operating up front, replacing the underperforming Jeremy Ebobisse. Adding those two proven MLS goal scorers should give Espi an opportunity to do what he does best – create scoring chances. More danger men means he should also get more open looks himself – especially if Amahl Pellegrino has the expected second year bump on the opposite wing – allowing Espi to improve on last year’s 4g + 12a performance. Set pieces should continue to be a reliable source of BPs for Espi as well. One thing to consider is how much Hernan Lopez will cut into Espi’s touches, although there are rumors he may be heading back to Argentina. Even with all the weapons on this San Jose squad, expect Espi to get plenty of chances on the ball.
- Marcel Hartel
Hartel joined St. Louis late last summer and made an immediate impact, contributing 3g + 5a in the final 9 games of the season (as well as 14 BPs from passing categories). His connection with fellow newcomer Cedric Teuchert paid immediate dividends, and with a full offseason to settle in and a few additional attacking pieces added to the roster, look for big things from Hartel in his second year.
- Ryan Gauld
Gauld continues to be a huge focus of Vancouver’s attack. Playing as more of a second forward last year, he was constantly involved around the box and put up plenty of double-digit scores, averaging just over 7 ppg and adding 65 BPs in offensive categories. Vancouver does have a new coach, so it remains to be seen if a change in the style of play will affect Gauld’s fantasy scores, but it would be a shock if he doesn’t continue to be a primary point of attack. With Vancouver’s difficulties recruiting new attackers during the offseason and Stuart Armstrong’s surprising transfer out of the league, Gauld (along with Brian White) will have to shoulder the load in the attacking end, which should mean lots of touches. This is a reminder that “best player on a bad team” can be a good thing for fantasy. Note: Vancouver is competing in the CCC.
- Hany Mukhtar
Despite Nashville’s underwhelming season last year, Hany still managed to put up respectable numbers, posting 7 points or more in fourteen matches throughout the season. He continues to be a BP machine, scoring 89 points from both passing and shooting categories. Nashville made some shrewd offseason moves, bringing in several new midfield pieces like Gastón Brugman from LA as well as shoring up their injury-plagued defense. Now with more players around him to help progress the ball forward and Sam Surridge finally looking dangerous this preseason, Hany can get back to focusing on what he does best – scoring and creating danger around the opponent’s goal. A return to his massive 2022 form may be a little too much to expect, but we should see an improvement over last year’s numbers.
Numbers 5 – 1
- Emil Forsberg
As long as he stays healthy (a big if), Forsberg showed at the end of last season how important he is to the Red Bulls’ attack. After a long injury layoff, he had 3 goals in ~210 minutes in the final 4 games of the season and was heavily involved in directing the offense, and his strong play continued during their deep run in the playoffs. With NYRB reloading up front (adding Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting and U-22 striker Wiktor Bogacz, as well as rumors of a potential loan for either Timo Werner or Patson Daka), Forsberg should have plenty of new weapons to connect with. He may also see a larger share of set pieces due to John Tolkin’s transfer.
- Carles Gil
New England had one of the busiest offseasons of any MLS team, parting ways with 19 players and bringing in a slew of new faces. It may take some time for all those new pieces to gel, but the benefit for Gil is that he now has plenty of weapons around him, including Leo Campana, picked up in a trade from Miami to address New England’s recent finishing struggles at forward. Gil managed to put up some respectable numbers in the past few lean years (a 6.88 point average last year with 47 points from KPs alone) but still finished well below the halcyon days of the ACG (Always Captain Gil) era. Now with healthy attacking threats on the wings and in front of him, as well as a stronger defense behind him, expect a return to the ranks of elite fantasy assets for Gil this year.
- Djordje Mihailovic
Colorado was a surprise team last season, undergoing a roster facelift as Chris Armas took the helm. There were plenty of doubters (including me), especially since Armas’ previous coaching stints didn’t seem to favor a #10. Djordje got off to a slow start, but then exploded in GW6 for 18 points and never really looked back, amassing 11g + 10a over the season and rewarding his owners by scoring 7 points or greater in thirteen different matches. Colorado won’t be surprising anyone this season, but it turns out their high press actually does work to Djordje’s advantage, as does playing home games at altitude, resulting in more set pieces and key pass opportunities when opposing defenses run out of steam. With very little roster turnover in Colorado, expect more big games from Djordje in 2025. Note: Colorado is competing in the CCC.
- Lucho Acosta – BOSS’ Update
In another year, Lucho might have been a consideration for #1 on this list, but there’s just too much uncertainty with his situation heading into this season. He will very likely be out of the league before the season starts – Tom Bogert has reported that Estudiantes is negotiating personal terms. But if he stays with Cincy and manages to settle back in, his ability to put up explosive fantasy numbers can’t be underestimated (despite a nagging injury last year, he had 14g + 16a plus 87 points from attacking BPs). Although he’s overperformed his npxG+xA for three straight years, the addition of Kevin Denkey up front should allow Lucho to continue to reap fantasy rewards through key passes and assists. Note: Cincinnati is competing in the CCC.
- Evander
As of publication of this article, Evander is still in Brazil “working out visa issues.” Assuming he reports to camp and gets up to speed with the Timbers, Evander is that kind of special player who can create something from nothing. Averaging a hefty 9.54 points in more than 2400 minutes last season, he managed to return 7 points or more in an amazing 21 matches (several times with no goal involvement). There’s nothing in the Timbers’ offseason moves to suggest their style of play is going to change this season, so the offense should continue to run through Evander. With Jona Rodriguez and Felipe Mora still in front of him (plus Kevin Kelsy coming off the bench), plenty of touches, set pieces and key passes will be on the menu, especially if the Timbers’ defense continues to play like they usually do, forcing their offense to chase the game.
NOTE: If Evander does end up moving to a new team (Cincy, Orlando and Dallas have all been mentioned), expect some early hiccups as he adjusts to his new teammates, but the fact that he’s been in MLS for a few years already should limit the time he needs to settle in.
HONORABLE MENTION – Midfield Platoons
Albert Rusnak/Pedro de la Vega (SEA)
Miguel Almiron/Alexey Miranchuk/Saba Lobjanidze (ATL)Seattle and Atlanta both made big moves to improve their rosters this offseason, which means any of these players could potentially be a high-scoring mid by the end of the season, or they could get nerfed by their teammate. At this point we don’t have enough information yet to determine how their teams will ultimately line up, who will be on set pieces and penalties, and how much squad rotation will affect their playing time. So while none of these guys made this list, they’re all players with fantasy value and worth keeping your eye on once we begin to see how things shake out.
Contributor: Mike Leister, @Kenobi on Discord
