MLS Fantasy
Midweek Major League Soccer kicks off Week 16 of MLS Fantasy, with LAFC and Atlanta United taking center stage. As the only two teams playing twice this week, fantasy managers are tasked with a tough decision – load up on DGW potential, or stick to the go-to single-game week options. My advice is to go with a healthy mix of both. I’m planning to max out my Atlanta and LAFC slots with players that are likely to see action in both matches – capitalizing on the opportunity to pile up fantasy points. Let’s dive right in and look at the top options and values at each position.
Get more advice on the _MLS Fantasy Insider Round 16 preview_ podcast
Teams on a DGW: ATL, LAFC
Teams on a BYE: RBNY
NOTE: The suspended DALvSTL match from Round 11 will not count towards MLS Fantasy when the match resumes on Wednesday.
Goalkeepers
Barring rotation, John McCarthy and Brad Guzan will have two swipes at keeping a clean sheet this week. With field players looking more enticing to burn our DGW slots on, I’m looking at Djordje Petrovic to make it back-to-back shutouts. He’s up against an Inter Miami side that are in dire need of an attacking boost after scoring just one goal across their last three matches.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. John McCarthy | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $7.8 |
2. Brad Guzan | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $6.4 |
3. Djordje Petrovic | NE | vs. MIA | $9.3 |
4. Roman Bürki | STL | vs. LA | $9.2 |
5. Pedro Gallese | ORL | vs. COL | $7.0 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Gavin Beavers | RSL | vs. NYC | $4.0 |
2. Kendall McIntosh | SKC | vs. ATX | $4.3 |
3. Spencer Richey | CHI | vs. CLB | $4.9 |
Defenders
Brooks Lennon was en route to a massive point haul in Round 13’s DGW before a rotational roadblock cut his week short. He registered 18 points in one match alone, highlighting what he’s capable of if given a full load of minutes. Lennon continues to eat into Thiago Almada’s share of set pieces, making him the top defender with two bites at picking up clean sheet or attacking points.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Brooks Lennon | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $10.7 |
2. Diego Palacios | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $9.0 |
3. Andrew Gutman | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $8.3 |
4. Ryan Hollingshead | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $6.6 |
5. Julian Gressel | VAN | vs. CIN | $10.7 |
6. Kai Wagner | PHI | at SJ | $10.1 |
7. Juan Jose Purata | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $7.1 |
8. Alvaro Barreal | CIN | at VAN | $12.1 |
9. Aaron Long | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $8.4 |
10. Miles Robinson | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $6.7 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Christian Makoun | NE | vs. MIA | $5.7 |
2. Kendall Burks | CHI | vs. CLB | $4.0 |
3. Tim Leibold | SKC | vs. ATX | $5.1 |
Midfielders
Thiago Almada should be the first player selected for your team this week, and it would be wise to go ahead a slap the armband on the FIFA World Cup winner. He’s the highest point scorer in the game and he continues to post big attacking numbers across the board. Don’t overthink this one; find room for Almada and lock him into your lineup ahead of Wednesday’s clash with LAFC.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Thiago Almada | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $14.3 |
2. Carles Gil | NE | vs. MIA | $11.5 |
3. Lucas Zelarayán | CLB | at CHI | $12.7 |
4. Eduard Löwen | STL | vs. LA | $10.7 |
5. Cristian Espinoza | SJ | vs. PHI | $12.4 |
6. Hany Mukhtar | NSH | at TOR | $14.3 |
7. Timothy Tillman | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $7.9 |
8. Lorenzo Insigne | TOR | vs. NSH | $9.9 |
9. José Cifuentes | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $7.2 |
10. Luciano Acosta | CIN | at VAN | $11.4 |
11. Héctor Herrera | HOU | vs. LAFC | $10.9 |
12. Erik Thommy | SKC | vs. ATX | $8.4 |
13. Ryan Gauld | VAN | vs. CIN | $9.2 |
14. Dániel Gazdag | PHI | at SJ | $12.3 |
15. Facundo Torres | ORL | vs. COL | $8.9 |
16. Ilie Sánchez | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $6.9 |
17. Xherdan Shaqiri | CHI | vs. CLB | $8.1 |
18. Santi Rodriguez | NYC | at RSL | $9.5 |
19. Riqui Puig | LA | at STL | $9.1 |
20. Evander | POR | vs. DAL | $9.6 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Derrick Etienne Jr. | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $4.1 |
2. Kellyn Acosta | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $5.2 |
3. Matheus Rossetto | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $6.0 |
Forwards
Dénis Bouanga has bagged a goal in four consecutive MLS starts, notching four or more shots in his last seven. He has the ability to explode for a hat trick any given game, and with two opportunities to ransack the goal, you don’t want to be caught without Bouanga in your squad this week.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Dénis Bouanga | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $11.7 |
2. Giorgos Giakoumakis | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $9.6 |
3. Carlos Vela | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $9.4 |
4. Cucho Hernández | CLB | at CHI | $10.8 |
5. Dániel Sallói | SKC | vs. ATX | $8.2 |
6. Ercan Kara | ORL | vs. COL | $8.7 |
7. Alan Pulido | SKC | vs. ATX | $6.9 |
8. Gustavo Bou | NE | vs. MIA | $7.7 |
9. Federico Bernardeschi | TOR | vs. NSH | $8.1 |
10. Karol Swiderski | CLT | vs. SEA | $8.8 |
1. Luiz Araújo | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $6.6 |
2. Kwadwo Opoku | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $5.9 |
3. Stipe Biuk | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $5.4 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Thiago Almada | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $14.3 |
2. Dénis Bouanga | LAFC | vs. ATL, at HOU | $11.7 |
3. Giorgos Giakoumakis | ATL | at LAFC, vs. DC | $9.6 |
MLS Squad Pick
Playing MLS Squad Pick is quick and easy. Pick 5 players for your squad. If they all score in the same matchday, you could win a $160 MLSstore.com gift card!
Don’t forget, each round you play gives you one (1) entry into the end of season Grand Prize drawing for $10,000!
Expert advice: My Round 18 squad is littered with goal scorers who continue to serve as primary scoring threats from week to week. There’s some concern that Giorgos Giakoumakis or Dénis Bouanga are rotated since their teams play midweek, but they’ve been hot enough that I’m willing to roll the dice to include them in my squad.
Check out my squad for Round 18:
MLS Parlay Predictor
Playing MLS Parlay Predictor is simple. Pick the results of all 6 games correctly in a single matchday, and you could win a 2023 MLS Season Pass full season subscription on Apple TV!
Each round you predict gives you one (1) entry into the end of season Grand Prize drawing for $10,000!
Expert advice: Round 18 gives us a handful of good home matchups to attack, so we’re going with the home favorite in four of our six predictions this week. Toronto FC have several key players on the mend and will look to stymie a hot Nashville SC side, while the Philadelphia Union will look to run their winning streak to five in a favorable road tilt against San Jose.
Check out my predictions for Round 18:
