There’s an old saying in MLS circles about the “piano players” and the “piano carriers.”
You might have heard a variation of it from your team’s coach or broadcast analyst, but the gist is: If every lineup is an 11-player orchestra, only two or three of those players get the honor of playing the piano.
The rest of the guys are the piano carriers, doing the dirty work that allows the stars to make beautiful music.
In MLS Fantasy, the goal is to pick up as many piano players as possible. But as I’m sure you’ve all realized, there just isn’t enough salary cap money to go around. So you need to fill out your roster with the MLS Fantasy equivalent of rock-n-roll roadies.
With that in mind, this column is devoted to the piano carriers – the best players you can find for $6m or less. We’ll start at the back and move our way forward:
Best Bargain Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers are priced differently than field players: It’s not hard to find a starter for less than $6m. However, Sporting Kansas City’s Tim Melia ($4.9m) stands out on the strength of three consecutive clean sheets. He’s a great choice for a starting goalkeeper and could also add value to your team stashed on the bench as a backup – he’s already gained $0.4m since his debut in Round 9.
Good News/Bad News: The Best Economy Defenders
Good news: There are a lot of options for less than $5m. Bad news: Many of the options find themselves on struggling teams. Chicago’s Matt Polster ($4.6m) looks like a great option, but he’s only managed three points total in the squad’s past three matches and has plummeted from his original valuation of $5m. Ditto Orlando City’s Rafael Ramos ($5.2m) and New England’s London Woodberry ($4.5m) – despite consistent playing time, these players have dropped $0.3m and $0.5m in value, respectively.
If you’re looking for a bargain defender who won’t leak cash, try Richie Marquez ($4.7m) of the Union. He’s gone the full 90 in the past four games and notched two shutouts in that time. The cherry on top: he’s gone up $0.2m in value.
Beyond Doody: The Best Of The Budget Midfielders
Every roster needs Patrick Doody – a $4m midfielder with the best name in fantasy. But looking beyond him, you might want to peek at Wandrille Lefèvre ($5.1m). Although he plays primarily in defense yet is classified as a midfielder, he’s found a spot next to Laurent Ciman in the Montreal and has posted impressive CBI numbers for the past three weeks. He also netted the consolation goal for the Impact versus NYCFC.
It’s generally not advisable to pick a player who plays farther back than his listed position, but you might make an exception here. It’s also worth keeping an eye on Jose Villarreal ($6.1m) of Los Angeles. If he can show he’s over his injury problems, he could be in for some big numbers crossing balls to Robbie Keane.
Best Cheap Attackers
I think you all know about Jairo Arrieta ($6.4m), so we’ll move past him and get deeper into the weeds of the low-budget attackers (however, teammate Conor Doyle is also worth a look at $5.5m). Los Angeles forward Ignacio Maganto ($4.7m) recently broke out with an 11-point performance against New England, but he didn’t see the field in LA’s last game against Columbus, and his playing time may be further limited by Keane’s return from international duty.
Just squeaking inside our parameters of players under $6m, the one player everyone should own is Cyle Larin ($5.9m). He’s been fantastic, netting five times as the primary attacking foil to Kaká and has the instincts and athleticism to keep adding to that tally. He passes the eye test, and you won’t find a better deal at any position, in my opinion. This is a player you find room for -- after the Gold Cup, of course.
So there you have it. I’d consider adding as many of these players as you can, which will free up some cash to go after Giovinco and Co. After all, someone has to play that piano.
Are there any of your favorite low-budget players that I missed? Do you just stick to the minimum-priced players at each position group? Let us know in the comments below.
