Now that’s what I call a double-game week! There were few player rotations, most of the big name players put up the points we expect, and if you used your wild card you were likely very happy with the results. However, nobody was happier than J.C., manager of the team Crescent Fresh, who earned the Round 28 top score of 171 points and the gift card to the MLSStore.com. Congrats!
Round 29 is a return to business as usual, or is it. The upcoming byes in round 32 could cause quite a headache if have too many players without a game, so keep that in mind when making your trades or when building your first team for the Red Line Challenge. Below is my list of players that tries to balance long term planning with short term point potential.
Keeper
Road Warrior: If you’re looking for one of the best keeper options for the next few rounds, then Brian Rowe ($5.4, LA) in one to consider. This will be one of his harder games as Sporting Kansas City (2 pm ET; FOX, FOX Sports GO in US | MLS LIVE in Canada) is currently undefeated at home, but LA has only allowed 14 goals over their 18 away games making them the second best away defense this round.
Defenders
On the Rise: For much of the season, there was little reason to add Houston players to your team, but after a coaching change, things have started to improve. Clean sheets have still been few, but defensive bonus points have been coming and Raul Rodriguez ($8.2 HOU) has been earning them. He’ll cost a pretty penny, but he’s a good investment for the long run.
Value Pick: If you need more cheap defenders before the Round 32 bye week, then consider Marc Burch ($5.6 COL). He’s one of the cheapest ways into a Colorado defense that will have two home games and a DGW over the next four rounds. There’s also a good change for a clean sheet this week as the Rapids host a San Jose (9 pm ET;MLS LIVE) team that is the fifth worst at scoring on the road.
Midfielders
On Form: When DC last faced Chicago, they came away with six goals and Patrick Nyarko ($7.6 DC) was involved with half of them. His form has remained but the down side is that DC has a bye round 32. Nyarko could still be worth adding though as DC’s schedule is one of the best through Round 31 and he’ll be hungry for a repeat performance against Chicago tonight (8 pm ET; UniMás in US | MLS LIVE in Canada).
Consistency: If you’re looking for a midfielder with a reliable stream of points, then Michael Azira ($5.3 COL) should once again be on your list. He’s been starting for the past two weeks and has earned five points each time. Simply put, he’s a no nonsense midfielder who won’t break your bank and will be available for the DGW the Rapids have in Round 32.
Second Chance: If you’re considering dropping Ignacio Piatti ($11.5 MTL) because he did not score a goal during his DGW, don’t. The impact are hosting a New England team (7:30 pm ET; TSN2, RDS in Canada | MLS LIVE in Canada) that is not only coming off a hard Open Cup game loss against Dallas, but also has the worst away defense in the league. This is a great chance for redemption and bonus point.
Forwards
Open Cup Star: For most of the season Dallas has not had a clear stand out forward, but after scoring two goals at the Open Cup, Maximiliano Urruti ($8.7 DAL) could be primed for more. This optimism may seem strange for road team, but New York City FC (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE) has allowed 24 goals to be scored against them at home, so Urutti has an excellent chance to continue his streak.
On Form: If you are looking for one of the most on form forwards, few are better than Jozy Altidore ($9.5 TOR). Since coming back from injury, Jozy has scored or earned an assist in seven of his nine games. Add this to his recent USMNT success and Altidore become just the player Toronto needs to fill the giant Giovinco-sized gap as they prepare to host the New York Red Bulls on Sunday (5 pm ET; FOX, FOX Sports GO in US | TSN2 in Canada).
These are the players who I think are worth considering for Round 29, who are you targeting? Post your thoughts in the comments below and if you are interested in more charts and tips, check out the latest posts over at MLS Fantasy Boss and advice from the other MLS Fantasy Experts.
