We're a month into the season now, and while some players are doing all that we expected and more (Brian Ching, we're looking at you), some aren't quite pulling their weight.
Whether through injury or ineptitude, some guys just aren't cutting it in the MLS Fantasy Challenge at the moment, no doubt causing consternation among their fantasy managers. Actually, in some cases, their real life managers may not be too happy with them, either, but we're not concerned with real life here.
Here's a look at the players who have gotten off to a slow start in 2006. For your reading convenience, we've noted which ones you can expect to pick up the pace in the near future and which ones you can safely relegate to the substitutes bench. Not all of the teams in the league are represented here, because not everyone has underachievers.
Chicago Fire: Nate Jaqua has struggled with injuries so far this season, but he's starting to get back in the swing of things and he's got plenty of weapons around him to help him out. Justin Mapp is supposed to be one of those weapons, but it hasn't been happening on the scoreboard for him just yet. While it might not happen until the Fire take up residence in Bridgeview, Mapp should become at least a serviceable second option in your midfield.
Jaqua and Mapp will soon be moving up.
Chivas USA: Both Juan Francisco Palencia and Francisco Mendoza are underperforming for a Chivas squad that started off hot and has cooled off since. It's tough to imagine a veteran like Palencia staying off the scoresheet much longer.
Palencia is moving up, while Mendoza is moving nowhere.
Colorado Rapids: Defense, once the byword in the Rocky Mountains, has all but disappeared. As a result, the entirety of the Rapids defense, including superstar goalkeeper Joe Cannon, have the Fantasy Challenge equivalent of the black plague. Stay away ... far away.
Meanwhile, midfielder Clint Mathis appears to be a shadow of his former self, and his fantasy price is now down to 92,000 MLS dollars. Striker Nicolas Hernandez, meanwhile, hasn't done much as he gets accustomed to MLS.
All Rapids defenders are moving down, Mathis may have hit bottom, and Hernandez is moving up.
D.C. United: It's tough to knock one of the top three teams in the league, but we have no qualms. Lucio Filomeno may not be the focal point of the United attack, but that doesn't disguise the fact that he's been unproductive so far.
Filomeno looks like he's moving down, but with Jaime Moreno, Freddy Adu and Alecko Eskandarian on D.C.'s roster, does it really matter?
FC Dallas: Ramon Nunez, the young playmaker, has shown flashes this year, but flashes don't count in the MLS Fantasy Challenge. Defender Clarence Goodson had a shocker against the Rapids two weeks ago and appears to be out of favor, and Chris Gbandi, after sitting out last weekend due to suspension, may find himself replaced on the left side by Marcos Charras.
Nunez is moving up, but Goodson and Gbandi are moving down.
Los Angeles Galaxy: Ned Grabavoy's slow start can be put down to the fact that he hasn't gotten much of a chance yet. With Landon Donovan leaving for the World Cup soon, he'll get his shot, and he'll probably make the most of it. Defender Tyrone Marshall has injury woes to worry about at the moment, but his fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried.
Both Grabavoy and Marshall will soon be moving up.
New England Revolution: Both Pat Noonan and Steve Ralston have had no luck with injuries this year (and their World Cup hopes have been dashed because of it), but don't expect them to be kept down forever. The same goes for defender Michael Parkhurst.
All three are moving up.
New York Red Bulls: He's one of the league's all-time assist leaders, but Chris Henderson has done next to nothing in the Red Bulls' weak attack this season. The Red Bulls' back line is also one to be avoided, but there is no better fantasy goalkeeper in the league right now than Tony Meola.
Henderson is moving down, but the Red Bulls rearguard is moving up.
Real Salt Lake: Rookie midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy was supposed to be RSL's playmaker this season, but instead, he found himself coming off the bench last weekend. There must be something in the water out in the mountains because Real's defense is sort of like the Rapids', only worse. Goalkeeper Scott Garlick has been an unfortunate victim in Salt Lake City.
Ballouchy and the RSL defense are moving down.
MLS Fantasy Expert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
