Round 25 was full of surprises for MLS Fantasy managers: Lowly D.C. United won two games in a row, Minnesota United FC nabbed their first road win, the LA Galaxy came away with zero points, Real Salt Lake scored eight goals over two games and multiple players broke the 200-point mark.
It was definitely a round to remember, especially for Ginger Balls, whose team earned a record high-score of 226 points!
This week, things settle down as most MLS teams take a break for 2018 World Cup qualifiers. With so few games on the docket, every point will be at a premium. Here are a few players I’ll be targeting for Round 26:
Goalkeepers
Top Numbers: The New England Revolution are enduring a tough year, but that’s no fault of Cody Cropper ($4.0m). The Revs backstop has been solid this season, and is riding some solid form into Saturday’s game against Orlando City SC (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE). He’s allowed just three goals in his last three games, and recorded a shutout in New England’s only home match in that span. He’s a decent bet for another clean sheet on Saturday night.
Fire Fighter: The Chicago Fire have suffered a bad run of form recently, and a tough away match against the Impact may not be the game that that turns that around. That could mean good things for Montreal’s Evan Bush ($5.6m). In addition to Chicago’s poor form, Bush has also earned two clean sheets over his past four games. He won’t have Laurent Ciman on Saturday, however (7 pm ET; TVAS, MLS LIVE in the US).
Defenders
Pick 2: If you want to pair Cropper with a Revs defender, take a flyer on newcomer Claude Dielna ($4.9m). He’s quickly emerged as a starter in New England and has shown the ability to generate defensive bonus points. He’s got a good chance at a shutout this weekend as Orlando have the third-worst road scoring record of teams playing this round.
Differential: If you’d rather go with an option that most players will overlook, then consider LA Galaxy center back Dave Romney ($5.0m). He has good bonus point production, but the real upside is the Colorado Rapids’ poor road scoring record. The Rapids have just five goals in 12 away games this year. Saturday’s match (11 pm ET; MLS LIVE) could be a chance for LA to get back on track.
Midfielders
Toss-up: With the news that he may be back from his injury, it’s time to consider bringing Lee Nguyen ($10.8m) back into your team. Before going down with his injury, Nguyen had scored a goal or earned an assist in four of his previous five games. Fortunately, we’ll be able to see the Revolution’s lineup before transfers lock, so you won’t be stuck with dead weight if he’s not in the lineup.
Consistency: If you’d rather have a player with a more consistent record of point production, then consider Colorado’s Micheal Azira ($6.4m). For the past two seasons, Azira has consistently earned 4-6 points in the majority of his games. He’s a very reliable D-mid and could generate significant bonus points if the Galaxy are able to rally.
Forwards
Road Option: If you’re willing to take a bet on a forward playing on the road, then New York Red Bulls star Bradley Wright-Phillips ($10.6m) is one to pile on your chips. BWP has eight away goals in 2017. With FC Dallas’ defense collapsing last week and with the team missing a couple of starters due to international duty, they could continue to have problems on Saturday (9 pm ET; UniMas, facebook.com/MLSenUnivision; MLS LIVE in Canada).
WHICH PLAYERS are you considering for Round 26?
FOR MORE fantasy advice, be sure to check out the articles and charts posted at MLSFantasyBoss.com.
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