KFC’s MLS Fantasy Player Roundup – Week 29

 

If you have not started thinking about your trades yet, you better start. Week 29 starts on the 4^th so it’s a short turnaround. Also, as I mentioned last week, players have started leaving for World Cup Qualifiers, so several people could be missing some key players. But don’t worry; I’ve tried to work up some picks that can address how you can handle filling the gaps.

Oh yeah, it’s also a Double Game Week!

If you want to see more, keep reading after the break. But please join the discussion at r/FantasyMLS, that’s where a lot of planning is made and last second decisions finalized. If you have questions, please stop by!

Goalkeepers:

Once again my top pick for keepers this week is Michael Gspurning (8.1% @ $5.6m) and many people agree. He’s already seen a $0.1m increase from last week and a 1% increase in ownership. He’s also a good long-term option. Seattle has another DGW coming up in a few weeks and a pretty good-looking schedule. Did I mention they are the best on form team right now too?

After Gspuring, the other DWG keepers are really the only other options worth looking at. Houston and Columbus don’t have the easiest schedules, and start the week by playing each other.  I’d give Tall Hall (13.9% @ $5.9m) the edge over Matt Lampson (2.5% @ $3.9m) but that’s a sweet price if you are looking to make some room for other positions.

Dan Kennedy (7.7% @ $5.0m) is your last option, and let’s just be honest, if you are playing Dan you either can’t work in a better option and/or you’re hoping for a good showing against DC. He’s the biggest gamble of this bunch.

Defenders:

So the theme of this week is riding the Seattle wave. Keeping with that, my first defensive picks focus on them. I just believe they have the best chance for two clean sheets this week.  There are two good options: DeAndre Yedlin (7.5% @ $4.9m) and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (3.4% @ $4.3m). Both have been putting up good numbers recently and with Gonzalez on a red and Traore with a yellow card risk, these two have a good chance of playing both games.

As with keepers, Houston and Columbus seem to be at the sale risk level of conceding goals this week, but each have a couple of players that might be worth taking a risk on (depending if you are more defensive or offensive minded). Houston has Jermaine Taylor (4.4% @ $5.3m) and Corey Ashe (9.1% @ $4.8%). Columbus has Chad Marshall (3.7% @ $5.9m) and Josh Williams (14.2% @ $5.3m). As of this writing, I have not seen news of Taylor being called up by Jamaica.

When it comes to Chivas, I’m a pass on them. Carlos Bocanegra (1.1% @ $4.8m) is your best bet, but Chivas…. As for SGW teams, many of the big names are still here, so just look for who has a home games. I think this will be a good week for defenders so playing 5 could workout well.

Midfielders:

A lot of midfielders are leaving for duty this week, so this may be the position that most people are trying to find replacements for. The good news is that there should be plenty of options to fill those gaps. I’m kicking things off with Brad Davis (14.4% @ $8.9m). He’s not been generating points like last season, but he’s also had a lot of interruptions to his schedule. This is the longest run of games he’s had since the start of the season and I believe that will help his form.

Now we go right back to Seattle. Mauro Rosales (6.4% @ $8.6m) has been in excellent form, and its hard to not call him a must have for this week, but if his price is too high for you, you can also look at Lamar Neagle (6.4% @ $5.4m) who has done quite well during previous WCQ weeks. If you want a more differential pick, take a look at Columbus’s Will Trapp (0.5% @ $4.6m) who racked up A LOT of offensive bonus points last week.

As for SGW players, Mike Magee may be worth getting this week if you do not have him simply because he has a double game next week. You may also see good performances from Kelyn Rowe (6.8% @ $5.5m) and Darlington Nagbe (10.0% @ $8.1m). BUT the big news is that Will Johnson (8.7% @ $7.9m) has been practicing again and could be ready by Friday.

Forwards:

There are two good forward options this week and one actually comes from Chivas. I never really expect Chivas to score a lot of goals, but recently, their best chances have been coming from Erick Torres (3.9% @ $7.3m) and the double games makes him worth having this week. The other is Obafemi Martins (2.3% @ $8.6m). He’s been out of action for a few weeks, but he did not play against Columbus because Sigi Schmid wanted him ready for the DGW, so that makes me feel good about him.

If you want to run three DGW forwards this week, you should take a look at Will Bruin (7.6% @ $8.7m). He’s had 2 poor games, but before that he grabbed 2 goals and 2 assists in 3 games. If he can find some of that form again, he could return some nice points. The best SGW option is Chris Wondolowski (20.1% @ $9.9m). San Jose have turned thins around at home since the start of the year and have been tough to beat.

Final thoughts

• LA players are worth benching IMO

• Prices do freeze when players go on International Duty

• Seattle have one of the best end of season schedules, keep an eye on them.

• Don’t forget about players who are on Red Cards or 4 Yellows.

• Caparoo can be hard with DGWs, but it is possible.

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. Good Luck!