The transfer deadline for Round 9 of MLS Fantasy Soccer: Manager is 1:45 pm ET on Saturday. You can find all the injury news, projected lineups and sleeper options you'll need to make informed decisions below.
WEEK 9 FANTASY PRIMER
Dream Team: Did you bet on Donovan and Jack Mac in Round 8?
VOTE: With $10.0m to spend, which midfielder would you buy?
Injury concerns, important USMNT dates and when to call it quits on a player
WATCH: Starting Lineup (Round 9 Preview)
Chicago Fire
MATCH: at Montreal (Sat., 4 pm ET on NBC Sports Network in US, TSN/RDS in Canada)
SUSPENSIONS: WellsThompson (Disciplinary Committee action)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – DF Steven Kinney
- QUESTIONABLE – DF Arne Friedrich
PROJECTED LINEUP CHANGES: DF Michael Videira >DF Wells Thompson or Daniel Paladini starts in central midfield alongside Jeff Larentowicz and Logan Pause moves to right back.
Chivas USA
MATCH: vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Sat., 10:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
SUSPENSIONS: MF EdgarMejía (red card), DF BobbyBurling (yellow card accumulation)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – FW JuanAgudelo, FW MillerBolaños, MF Daniel Antunez
- QUESTIONABLE – MF Oswaldo Minda, FW José Correa
PROJECTED LINEUP CHANGES:
- DF Carlos Borja > DF Bobby Burling
- MF/FW Giovani Casillas > MF Edgar Mejía
Colorado Rapids
MATCH: at Houston (Sun., 5 pm ET on UniMas)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – DF Marvell Wynne
- QUESTIONABLE – FW Deshorn Brown, FW Edson Buddle, MF Pablo Mastroeni
PROJECTED LINEUP CHANGES: Shane O'Neill > Marvell Wynne
NOTES: There are a few question marks surrounding the Rapids starting lineup this weekend. Brown has been upgraded since last week, but don't count on him being a factor just yet. Monitor @MLSFantasy for more updates later today.
Columbus Crew
MATCH: vs. D.C. United (Sat., 7:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
NOTES: The Crew have struggled to score goals lately, so look for head coach Robert Warzycha to possibly make a switch offensively.
If he does in fact make a switch, Jairo Arrieta could get the start in place of BenSpeas and Dominic Oduro would slide back to outside midfield.
D.C. United
MATCH: at Columbus (Sat., 7:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – MF Chris Pontius
- QUESTIONABLE – MF Marcos Sánchez
NOTES: With Pontius now out, the DC United midfield should look a little something like this: Marcos Sánchez - Perry Kitchen - Marcelo Saragosa - Kyle Porter
FC Dallas
MATCH: at Vancouver Whitecaps (Sat., 6 pm ET on Univision Deportes)
No injuries, suspensions or projected lineup changes to report for their match against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Houston Dynamo
MATCH: vs. Colorado (Sun., 5 pm ET on UniMas)
SUSPENSIONS: DF JermaineTaylor (red card)
KEY INJURIES: Questionable – MF Brad Davis, MF Adam Moffat
PROJECTED LINEUP CHANGES: DF Eric Brunner > DF Jermaine Taylor
NOTES: After departing last week's game at haltime with a groin injury, the early word is that Brad Davis will be fit in time for this weekend's match. Stay tuned for @MLSFantasy updates.
LA Galaxy
MATCH: at Real Salt Lake (Sat., 9 pm ET on MLSsoccer.com's Stream of the Week)
No injuries, suspensions or projected lineup changes to report for their match against Real Salt Lake.
Montreal Impact
MATCH: vs. Chicago (Sat., 4 pm ET on TSN/RDS in Canada, NBC Sports Network in US)
KEY INJURIES: OUT – DF Matteo Ferrari
PROJECTED LINEUP CHANGES: DF Karl Ouimette > DF Matteo Ferrari
New England Revolution
MATCH: vs. Philadelphia Union (Sat., 7:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – DF A.J. Soares
- QUESTIONABLE – MF/FW Juan Toja
PROJECTED LINEUP CHANGES:
- GK Matt Reis > GK Bobby Shuttleworth
- DF Stephen McCarthy > DF A.J. Soares
New York Red Bulls
MATCH: at Toronto (Sat., 2 pm ET on TSN/RDS in Canada and MLS LIVE in USA)
SUSPENSIONS: MF Juninho (Disciplinary Committee action)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – MF Dax McCarty
- QUESTIONABLE – FW Péguy Luyindula
NOTES: Rubén Izquierdo (aka Bover) could fill in for the injured McCarty or Brandon Barklage can move up to right midfield with Eric Alexander shifting to central midfield alongside Tim Cahill.
Philadelphia Union
MATCH: at New England Revolution (Sat., 7:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
KEY INJURIES: Questionable – MF Danny Cruz
NOTES: Brian Carroll and Keon Daniel have locked down the two central midfield positions for the Union. Michael Farfan and Danny Cruz seem to be the first called upon when filling the outside midfield positions, but we could see Sébastien Le Toux inserted for Cruz if the latter is not ready by game time.
Portland Timbers
MATCH: at Sporting KC (Sat., 8:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
No injuries, suspensions or projected lineup changes to report for their match against Sporting KC.
Real Salt Lake
MATCH: vs. LA Galaxy (Sat., 9 pm ET on MLSsoccer.com's Stream of the Week)
KEY INJURIES: Questionable – DF Chris Wingert
NOTES: Olmes García will likely get the nod up top alongside Álvaro Saborío for the second week in a row. Kyle Beckerman has recovered from his dislocated rib injury and is expected to be back in the starting lineup at midfield.
San Jose Earthquakes
MATCH: at Chivas USA (Sat., 10:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
SUSPENSIONS: FW AlanGordon (Disciplinary Committee action)
NOTES: Head coach Frank Yallop could decide to go with a speedy lineup against Chivas USA, so it’s possible that Marvin Chávez, who played in his first action of 2013 last week, starts at right midfield with Shea Salinas moving to left midfield in place of Ramiro Corrales. Everything else should remain the same as last week.
Sporting KC
MATCH: vs. Portland Timbers (Sat., 8:30 pm ET on MLS LIVE)
No injuries, suspensions or projected lineup changes to report for their match against the Portland Timbers.
Toronto FC
MATCH: vs. New York Red Bulls (Sat., 2 pm ET on TSN/RDS in Canada and MLS LIVE in USA)
KEY INJURIES: OUT – DF Richard Eckersley, MF Terry Dunfield, DF Darel Russell
NOTES: Rookie defender Ryan Richter gets his second consecutive start at right back and Ashtone Morgan comes in for Logan Emory at left back after returning from his one-game suspension.
Vancouver Whitecaps
MATCH: vs. FC Dallas (Sat., 6 pm ET on Univision Deportes)
KEY INJURIES:
- OUT – FW Corey Hertzog
- QUESTIONABLE – FW Kenny Miller
NOTES: With all the starting lineup changes we've seen this year from head coach Martin Rennie, especially with regard to his midfielders and forwards, it's difficult to predict which players he'll field vs. Dallas. But don't expect much production from the frontline, especially against the FCD defensive juggernaut.