Snow, red cards, and 32 goals! Now that’s what I call an exciting week of MLS Fantasy action! A lot of the top managers broke 100 points this week, but top honors go to Ian Kane, manager of Fish and Chips FC, who racked up 130 points! Congrats!
Baring any unexpected weather postponements, every team will play this weekend. So who’s worth transferring in for your fantasy starting XI? Below is my list of some of the top players for Round 3:
Goalkeepers
Mr. Popular: Many managers are loading up on any team that is playing against Minnesota. This week? That’s Colorado. The expectation is that the Loons will continue to struggle against Colorado’s top-notch defense and that makes Tim Howard ($6.0) one of the best keeper options for Round 3.
Two for Two: If you want to go with the keeper with the best clean sheet record, then Tim Melia (SKC $5.6) is your guy. He’s kept a clean sheet in his first two games and has a good shot for a third when Sporting hosts a San Jose team (8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE) playing their first road game of the season on Saturday.
Defenders
Under the Radar: If you want a player who others may have overlooked, consider David Horst (RSL $4.5). He’s a quality, low cost defender who is likely to keep getting starting minutes due to defensive injuries. RSL has a shot at a second clean sheet this week when they host an LA team on Saturday (9:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE) that is missing Giovani dos Santos and has done little to excite fans this year.
Bonus Machine: When it comes to value defenders who can rack up bonus points, few are currently better than Ike Opara (SKC $5.2). Injuries have kept him off the field a good amount over the past couple of years, but he’s always been good for at least two or three bonus points per game. Sporting Kansas City will be the strongest defense San Jose has faced so far this season and Opara has a solid shot at a third clean sheet.
Fortress: One of the best Fantasy bets you can make is that the Rapids will be hard to score on at home. Colorado’s top defender is currently Jared Watts ($5.6), who earned an assist in his first game and racked up six defensive bonus points on the road against the Red Bulls last week. If the Rapids can keep Minnesota off the board on Saturday (9 pm ET; MLS LIVE), Watts will return another high point total.
Midfielders
Holding Tight: If you’re not sure about Seattle’s offense cracking the Red Bulls’ defense on Sunday (7 pm ET; FS1) but still want to pick up a Sounder, consider Osvaldo Alonso ($9.5). The defensive midfielder was one of the top scoring and most consistent midfielders of 2016 and he’s picked up right where he left off this year, earning six points in each of his last two games.
Differential Pick: New York City FC has several value midfield options, and the one with the most current potential is Rodney Wallace ($7.7). He’s not yet played a full 90 minutes, but his speed is deadly on the counter and that’s helped him become NYCFC’s second-highest scoring midfielder. At just 1.8 percent ownership, another strong performance by Wallace against Montreal on Saturday (2 pm ET; MLS LIVE) could help managers pull away from the pack.
Service provider: If you’re feeling like taking a risk this weekend, take a flyer on Real Salt Lake’s Albert Rusnak ($9.0). He’s a little pricey for a player from a team that has yet to score, but he’s at the top of the key pass charts with eight in two games. With the expected return of Joao Plata to the RSL starting XI, he could turn some of those passes into assists and fantasy points.
Forwards
Well Rested: With the sudden loss of Kaká in Round 1, Orlando needed to fill the void left by the Brazilian attacker. In their first match, Giles Barnes stepped up. For the low price of $7.5m, you get a player who creates excellent chances for his teammates and earned an assist in Orlando’s season-opening win. His skills could prove profitable for fantasy managers when the Lions take on a Philadelphia team on Saturday (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE) that conceded twice to a weakened Toronto last week.
Man Down: If you think Toronto will be able to take advantage of Vancouver missing its starting ‘keeper on Saturday (4 PM | CTV, TSN 1, MLS LIVE), Jozy Altidore (TOR $9.6) will be one of your best options. With Sebastian Giovinco unavailable, he’ll be the spear to Toronto’s attack at BC Place.
Who are you considering for Round 3? Share your favorites in the comments below! If you want more fantasy advice, be sure to check out other articles and charts at MLS Fantasy Boss.com.
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