Over the past few weeks, when you needed a player to generate points for you, a midfielder has been the reliable choice. This week, many of those midfielders are playing 2 games, so you can expect some big returns if you can get the right combination. The Big 3 this week has two of the expected big guns (Zusi and Davis) and one of the best low cost choices (Jacobson).
Big 3
Graham Zusi (SKC v SEA/HOU) Brad Davis (HOU v DC/SKC), and Andrew Jacobson (DAL vs POR/DC).
After these players, everyone have their favorites such as Will Johnson, David Ferreira, or Brandon Barklage. These are all popular options, and represent the diversity that a week with some many double games creates. All of these guys have good potential, but we feel there are a few others that stand out and are worth mentioning. Keep reading to see who.
Diego Valeri (Portland) vs Dallas/Chivas
Price: $7.8m
Owned by: 8.2%
It’s obvious that Portland has a tough first game this week, but the home game against Chivas should give them a chance to shine. Since returning from injury Valeri has been a boost to Portland’s attack. He’s an option for set plays and can send some great crosses and passes into the box. He’s also a goal threat. Portland are on an upswing, so getting some coverage now could be nice.
Tim Cahill (New York) vs Montreal/New England
Price: $8.2m
Owned by: 7.1%
This second pick was hard for us and it came down to a New York or a Montreal player. In the end, we went Cahill. What made his stand out was 1) Montreal have a lineup that is in flux due to their Canadian games, 2) Cahill has been on good form recently, and 3) the Dax injury and potential of Henry not playing on the NE turf. We thought all of this made Cahill a worthwhile pick if you had the cash. If not, there’s always Barklage.
Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle) vs Kansas City/San Jose
Price: $7.9m
Owned by: 4.0%
Seattle has had a rough start, but their 2-2 draw last week was a bit of a bright spot. Rosales was the big man in that game, and has a lot of attacking points, but the next several games seem tough for the Sounders (skc, SJ, DAL, la). So for us, we’d prefer the more defensive Alonso. He missed the Philly game due to the birth of his 2nd child, but we expect him back on the field for these games.
Differential
Shea Salinas (San Jose) vs Toronto/Seattle
Price: $7.8m
Owned by: 1.4%
Once again, we’re going with Shea. With the easy double game, and the return of the Bash Brothers a possibility, his ability to generate key passes and crosses could result in some goals.
These are our picks, if you think there should be more names on this list, please leave a comment or come to r/FantasyMLS and comment on the post. You can also leave a message on our Facebook page or you can find us on Twitter @FantasyMLSTips. Keep checking back for more updates through the week for other positions