MLS Fantasy: How will Injuries and int'l absences affect your XI? What you need to know this weekend

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Kennedy; Velazquez, Borja, Burling, Avila, Farfan, Vilchez, Alvarez, Villafaña, Bowen, Correa

NOTES: Miller Bolaños has been starting in place of Tristen Bowen while he's been out with an injury, but word coming in is that Bowen's healthy and participating fully in practice.With the recent departure of Cheíis, Chivas USA could line up completely different from the week before.

Colorado Rapids

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Matt Pickens, Diego Calderón
• QUESTIONABLE – Martín Rivero, Hendry Thomas, Jamie Smith, Jaime Castrillón,

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Dillon Serna

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Irwin; Wynne, O'Neil, Moor, Klute, Harris, Mastroeni, Sturgis, Powers, Brown, Buddle

NOTES: Martín Rivero exited last week's game with a foot injury but it doesn't look to be that serious. Kevin Harbottle got some minutes in their midweek USOC game so he could be a substitute in the second half.

Columbus Crew

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Eddie Gaven, Chad Marshall, Agustín Viana, Daniel Withrow, Drew Beckie
• QUESTIONABLE – Dominic Oduro

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Wil Trapp

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Gruenebaum; Williams, Gehrig, Glauber, Wahl, Meram, Tchani, Sánchez, Oduro, Higuaín, Arrieta

NOTES: Eddie Gaven went down in the 85th minute of the Crew's midweek USOC with a torn ACL. With Chad Marshall still working his way back from injury, the Crew will have to go with a different starting XI yet again. Dominic Oduro is going to be a game-time decision, but expect him to try his best to be out there come kick off. Other possible changes: Danny O'Rourke in for Tony Tchani and Ben Speas in for Justin Meram.

D.C. United

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Marcelo Saragosa, Lewis Neal
• QUESTIONABLE – Dejan Jakovic, Ethan White, John Thorrington

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Bill Hamid

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Willis; Korb, White, Woolard, Riley, DeLeon, Augusto, Kitchen, Porter, Pontius, Ruiz

NOTES: At this point, we really have no idea what to expect from head coach Ben Olsen. Nearly every starter played 120 minutes in their midweek USOC game. Could this mean that he rests Dwayne De Rosario this weekend ... who knows? With injuries and poor play consuming the team, there are very few guarantees left at this point.

FC Dallas

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Kenny Cooper
• QUESTIONABLE – Matt Hedges, Andrew Jacobson, Walker Zimmerman

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Kellyn Acosta, Je-Vaughn Watson

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Fernández; Loyd, Hedges, John, Benítez, Jackson, Michel, Jacobson, Ferreira, Castillo, Pérez

NOTES: Matt Hedges played 48 minutes in the USOC earlier in the week, so it looks like he's ready to return to the starting lineup. Andrew Jacobson is still a huge questions mark. He didn't dress for the USOC game and hasn't played a single minute since injuring his leg on April 27, but it looks like he could see his first start in quite some time. Kenny Cooper is out due to concussion symptoms, so Fabián Castillo will likely get the start in his place.

Houston Dynamo

SUSPENSIONS: Bobby Boswell (Disciplinary Committee action)

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Jermaine Taylor (Did not travel), Omar Cummings, Calen Carr, Cam Weaver
• QUESTIONABLE – Corey Ashe

INTERNATIONAL DUTY:Brad Davis, Boniek García, Jermaine Taylor

INTERNATIONAL DUTY:Jerry Bengtson

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Shuttleworth; Farrell, Soares, Gonçalves, Tierney, Fagundez, Toja, Caldwell, Nguyen, Agudelo, Bengtson

NOTES: I only see two changes happening for the Revs after their dominating performance last week against Toronto FC. A.J. Soares played in the midweek USOC game, so he should be ready to return for Stephen McCarthy. If there's a healthy replacement for Scott Caldwell,we could seem him out of the starting XI as well.

New York Red Bulls

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Digão, Ian Christianson
• QUESTIONABLE – N/A

INTERNATIONAL DUTY:Tim Cahill

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Robles; Kimura, Olave, Holgersson, Pearce, Alexander, McCarty, Juninho, Steele, Espíndola, Henry

NOTES: Juninho starts in place of Cahill. The rest of the lineup stays the same.

Philadelphia Union

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Michael Lahoud
• QUESTIONABLE – Zac MacMath

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: N/A

PROJECTED STARTING XI: MacMath; Williams, Okugo, Parke, Gaddis, Cruz, Carroll, Kléberson, Farfan, McInerney, Casey

NOTES: Kléberson has taken over the central midfield role that Keon Daniel previously held. Sébastien Le Toux will likely be the first sub off the bench. Le Toux is creating too many chances to be kept off the field, but Conor Casey and Jack McInerney are playing very well together.

Real Salt Lake

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Álvaro Saborío, Rich Balchan, John Stertzer
• QUESTIONABLE – Chris Schuler, Olmes García, Cole Grossman

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: N/A

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Rimando; Beltran, Borchers, Salcedo, Wingert, Grabavoy, Morales, Beckerman, Gil, Plata, Sandoval

NOTES: Devon Sandoval has been starting for several weeks nowand since Álvaro Saborío has been officially ruled out for the upcoming game against the San Jose Earthquakes, it looks as if he'll get the start once again. Chris Schuler is still battling hand and foot injuries, but could be ready in time to start this weekend.

San Jose Earthquakes

SUPSENSIONS: Víctor Bernárdez

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Nana Attakora, Ty Harden
• QUESTIONABLE – Tommy Muller

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Víctor Bernárdez, Marvin Chávez

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Busch; Beitashour, Hernandez, Morrow, Gargan, Chávez, Baca, Cronin, Martínez, Wondolowski, Lenhart

NOTES: Brad Ring started at center back in the Quakes USOC midweek game, but Jason Hernandez has been practicing and could potentially make his first start this weekend since returning from injury. The top six are locked in, but the back line could see some shuffling.

Seattle Sounders

SUPSENSIONS: Shalrie Joseph (Red Card)

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Josh Ford
• QUESTIONABLE – Steve Zakuani, Marc Burch, Ashani Fairclough

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: Eddie Johnson, Brad Evans, Mario Martínez

INTERNATIONAL DUTY:Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, Peterson Joseph, Mechack Jerome, Mikey Lopez, Kei Kamara, Soony Saad

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Nielson; Myers, Collin, Opara, Sinovic, Feilhaber, Rosell, Nagamura, Peterson, Bieler, Kamara

NOTES: There are a lot of changes this week for Sporting KC due to International call-ups. Kei Kamara might see his first start as a result, but C.J. Sapong could also get the call.

Toronto FC

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Richard Eckersley, Stefan Frei,
• QUESTIONABLE –Justin Braun, Terry Dunfield, Darel Russell, Logan Emory, Danny Koevermans

INTERNATIONAL DUTY:N/A

PROJECTED STARTING XI: Bendik; Richter, Caldwell, Henry, O'Dea, Ephraim, Laba, Hall, Lambe, Silva, Earnshaw

NOTES: Nothing to major to note. Reggie Lambe could potentially start on the bench, but I see no major changes happening this week for TFC.

Vancouver Whitecaps

SUSPENSIONS: Nigel Reo-Coker (Yellow-card accumulation)

KEY INJURIES

• OUT – Jay DeMerit, Brad Rusin, Omar Salgado
• QUESTIONABLE – N/A

INTERNATIONAL DUTY:Darren Mattocks

PROJECTED STARTING XI:Cannon; Young-Pyo, O'Brien, Leverón, Rochat, Kobayashi, Tiebert, Davidson, Koffie, Miller, Camilo

NOTES: Vancouver has been the toughest lineup to predict all season. And with Nigel Reo-Coker out due to suspension and Kenny Miller returning from injury, it shakes things up even more. Keep in mind that head coach Martin Rennie also has Kekuta Manneh, Eric Hurtado and Corey Hertzog at his disposal as well, although they've all lacked starting minutes as of late.