Another round under the belt, how has your MLS Fantasy team done so far? Middle of the pack? Trailing behind? Or leading the show? It's still very early in the season but by now we should start to see the teams who have lost interest and fallen off, and on the other end of the spectrum, see who's the real deal.
With Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy both having byes this week for the second time in five rounds, it enough to frustrate Fantasy goers immensely. Looking at the stats for Teams selected by % it appears an overwhelming amount of players have either a Galaxy forward (Robbie Keane 21.2%), midfielder (Mike Magee 27.8%) or defender (Omar Gonzalez 24.2%) on their roster. This week we’ll provide you with some secondary cover while you await the return of the reigning MLS Champions to your squad.
Claudio Bieler ($9.2m), Sporting Kansas City – Bieler had quite an active game last weekend with one goal and two fluffed chances. If he had converted all three you could imagine his price increase! With double-header rounds 8 and 11 coming up, we are going to grab him now and hold him through his bye week in round 7. We don't want to risk missing a goal scored versus DC United this weekend.
Abdoulie Mansally ($4.6m), Real Salt Lake – Mansally had a hot start to the season but cooled off thanks to international duty and a game suspension due to violent conduct. We weren't sure how his position in the team would fare when he returned last weekend but he played 80 minutes in a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders and secured five fantasy points. Facing a Colorado Rapids team who are still winless on the year we like Mansally's chances of a clean sheet.
Team of the week (Round 6), Houston Dynamo – With their elimination from CONCACAF Champions league earlier in March, the Dynamo can now focus on their MLS schedule. Facing Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field they’re looking to claim 3 points and the top spot in the Eastern Conference. After Portland, Houston's schedule gets even more favourable with matches versus Chicago (H) Toronto (A) and Colorado (H). Those four teams have a grand total of two wins this season.
Brad Davis ($8.9m) is a must have considering his price tag, and he won't get cheaper than this. Adding him to your team will also bring a significant increase in value over the next several months. He's the man in the engine room and any success Houston has, he's the one pulling the strings. Will Bruin ($8.7m) has also fallen from his $9m value, but with a goal and an assist in his last 2 games means he's looking likely to reclaim last years stellar form.
On defense Houston have some amazing value. Fullbacks Corey Ashe ($5.0m) and Kofi Sarkodie ($5.0m) pose a better bang for your buck than centre backs Bobby Boswell ($5.9m) and Jermaine Taylor ($5.5m). That recommendation factors doubly when you consider that through the first five rounds all four defenders have similar fantasy scores.
As always, keep an eye on the latest injury report updates HERE. Good luck in Round 6.
For more information on prizing and how to sign up for the Official Whitecaps Fantasy League click: HERE
