MLS Fantasy Boss A Fantasy MLS Community
Previous Year Recap
Sporting KC was largely disappointed in 2021 with a 3rd place finish in the Western Conference and another early exit from the MLS Cup Playoffs. Injuries and an inability to score at key times created some difficulty down the stretch for the MLS Cup hopefuls.
Despite the prolonged absence of DP Alan Pulido, SKC had a lot to offer on the fantasy front with three players breaking the 180 point mark and Andreu Fontas being the 2nd highest scoring defender in the game.
Fantasy Players to Watch
There are only three real constants when it comes to Sporting Kansas City since their 2011 rebrand. Peter Vermes is their manager, the team will always line up in a 4-3-3, and Graham Zusi is still on the roster and likely the starter. As with every season, Sporting will look to finish top of the West and make a deep playoff run. To do this, they’ll have to avoid the slumps they have suffered every season.
2022 will see some changes to how this team plays and operates. Ilie Sanchez left in Free Agency and Alan Pulido is out for the season after having knee surgery. Khiry Shelton is expected to start up top, but this could be a position that is rotated through out the year with Daniel Salloi and newly acquired Marinos Tzionis getting some starts. MLS Veteran Ben Sweat and MLS debutant Logan Ndenbe are locked in a dead heat for the starting left back job and given their different styles managers may have to watch for heavy rotation based on individual matchups.
Goalkeeper
Tim Melia ($6.5) will anchor the defense once again and he’s likely one to avoid in fantasy outside of prime matchups. He’s on the expensive side and playing for a team that has struggled to keep clean sheets for multiple seasons. The once solid defense has fallen off in recent years and Melia is a fantasy casualty of that drop.
Defenders
Despite the poor performance of the defense over the last few seasons, SKC still has a premium defender to rely on. Their possession and passing oriented style has pushed Andreau Fontas ($7M) to the top of the defenders list. He led all defenders in passing last season and his bonus point average was incredibly high making him a regular inclusion on many teams.
Fontas’ partner at the back should also be in consideration. Nicolas Isimat-Mirin ($6.5) can also snag the bonus points and was more involved in the attack during preseason. If he can stay healthy, he’s going to be a defender to watch.
MIdfielder
Midfield has not been a fantasy strength for SKC the last few seasons. There have been serviceable players like Gadi Kinda ($8m), but no one has really made their mark on the game. That’s change in 2022, even if it’s a detriment to his potential. Johnny Russell ($10m) has been reclassified as a midfielder this season and comes in as one of the most expensive players in the game to start the season. He should see regular play, but his change from being a bonus point producing forward to an expensive midfielder is a huge blow to his value. Instead of being one of the highest point floor players at his position, he’s now competing with comparably priced players that have a higher floor than he does.
Forward
Going into the season, there is only one name to talk about. Daniel Salloi ($9m) exceeded all expectations in 2021 and earned himself and MVP finalist nomination. the question is, can he recreate that magic? Salloi was a young standout, that went through a dismal two-year slump before hitting big in 2021. He seems to have a natural chemistry with Ndenbe on the left flank already.
Fantasy Expectations
One paper, this looks like a team to bet on heavily week in and week out, but the reality is these players can be streaky. With the exception of Fontas, the entire SKC roster is going to be heavily matchup dependent for fantasy viability until they prove otherwise. There is tons of potential on this team, but there is also a fair amount of points sharing that means guessing who has a good game each week. Given the expensive starting points for their top players, SKC may be a team to avoid unless they have a nice home matchup to take advantage of.
Potential Starting XI
