Round 19 of MLS Fantasy marks the beginning of the final qualifying period for Fantasy Champions League, where the winner will pocket a cool $500 in addition to bragging rights.
With several key players still deployed on international duty, be sure to note who’s in and who’s out.
Let’s get right into it and look over the top players and values to help your team get off on the right foot in punching a Fantasy Champions League ticket!
Get more advice on the _MLS Fantasy Insider Round 19 preview_ podcast
Goalkeepers
Stefan Frei has been nearly automatic in keeping clean sheets at home this season. He kept his league-leading 10th shutout of 2023 last week, and the Sounders have conceded just one goal across their last four home games. That bodes well for the veteran goalkeeper facing a Houston Dynamo attack that was kept off the scoresheet last week and has one goal to show over their last three road matches.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price | |
1. Stefan Frei | SEA |
| $8.9 | |
2. Jonathan Sirois | MTL |
| $8.6 | |
3. Joe Willis | NSH | vs. DC | $7.3 | |
4. Pedro Gallese | ORL | vs. CHI | $8.0 | |
5. Roman Bürki | STL | vs. COL | $8.7 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Kendall McIntosh | SKC | vs. VAN | $4.2 |
2. Drake Callendar | MIA | vs. ATX | $5.9 |
3. Clint Irwin | MIN | vs. POR | $5.1 |
Defenders
Álvaro Barreal topped double-digit points in the Round 18 DGW and he continues to lead all defenders in total points by a wide margin. His ability to make things happen in attack gives him added fantasy appeal as a player who can haul in massive points when the stars align.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Álvaro Barreal | CIN | vs. NE | $11.6 |
2. Rodrigues | SJ | vs. LA | $9.8 |
3. Walker Zimmerman | NSH | vs. DC | $8.4 |
4. Yeimar Gómez Andrade | SEA | vs. HOU | $11.3 |
5. Brooks Lennon | ATL | vs. PHI | $10.4 |
6. Joel Waterman | MTL | vs. NYC | $7.8 |
7. Daniel Lovitz | NSH | vs. DC | $8.6 |
8. Malte Amundsen | CLB | vs. RBNY | $7.3 |
9. Michael Boxall | MIN | vs. POR | $8.5 |
10. Antônio Carlos | ORL | vs. CHI | $7.1 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Caleb Wiley | ATL | vs. PHI | $4.1 |
2. Santiago Arias | CIN | vs. NE | $5.2 |
3. Abdoulaye Cissoko | SEA | vs. HOU | $4.5 |
Midfielders
Hany Mukhtar was kept off the scoresheet for the second straight match last week, but he continues to lead all players with 159 total fantasy points. A visit from D.C. United could be just what the reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP needs to add to his league-leading 13-goal haul.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Hany Mukhtar | NSH | vs. DC | $14.4 |
2. Lucas Zelarayán | CLB | vs. RBNY | $13.1 |
3. Luciano Acosta | CIN | vs. NE | $13.0 |
4. Thiago Almada | ATL | vs. PHI | $11.4 |
5. Cristian Espinoza | SJ | vs. LA | $11.4 |
6. Lorenzo Insigne | TOR | vs. RSL | $10.9 |
7. Carles Gil | NE | at CIN | $13.0 |
8. Emanuel Reynoso | MIN | vs. POR | $8.1 |
9. Héctor Herrera | HOU | at SEA | $10.8 |
10. Facundo Torres | ORL | vs. CHI | $9.9 |
11. Erik Thommy | SKC | vs. VAN | $8.9 |
12. Nicolas Lodeiro | SEA | vs. HOU | $8.7 |
13. Ryan Gauld | VAN | at SKC | $10.2 |
14. Pablo Ruiz | RSL | at TOR | $10.1 |
15. Sebastián Driussi | ATX | at MIA | $9.3 |
16. Dániel Gazdag | PHI | at ATL | $11.4 |
17. Riqui Puig | LA | at SJ | $8.9 |
18. Jamiro Monteiro | SJ | vs. LA | $7.7 |
19. Albert Rusnák | SEA | vs. HOU | $8.8 |
20. João Paulo | SEA | vs. HOU | $9.0 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Bryce Duke | MTL | vs. NYC | $6.1 |
2. Diego Fagundez | ATX | at MIA | $5.5 |
3. Diego Luna | RSL | at TOR | $4.0 |
Forwards
Cucho Hernández has come up empty-handed in his last two appearances despite peppering the goal with 14 shots over that span. Look for the Colombian striker to get back on track at home with a good matchup against a New York Red Bulls side that has struggled on the road this season.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Cucho Hernández | CLB | vs. RBNY | $11.7 |
2. Alan Pulido | SKC | vs. VAN | $8.4 |
3. Dénis Bouanga | LAFC | at DAL | $11.3 |
4. Giorgos Giakoumakis | ATL | vs. PHI | $8.1 |
5. Christian Ramirez | CLB | vs. RBNY | $7.9 |
6. Jeremy Ebobisse | SJ | vs. LA | $8.1 |
7. Nicholas Gioacchini | STL | vs. COL | $8.2 |
8. Carlos Vela | LAFC | at DAL | $9.2 |
9. Julián Carranza | PHI | at ATL | $11.3 |
10. Dániel Sallói | SKC | vs. VAN | $7.2 |
1. Samuel Adeniran | STL | vs. COL | $4.0 |
2. Chinonso Offor | MTL | vs. NYC | $5.3 |
3. Dominique Badji | CIN | vs. NE | $5.9 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Hany Mukhtar | NSH | vs. DC | $14.4 |
2. Lucas Zelarayán | CLB | vs. RBNY | $13.1 |
3. Luciano Acosta | CIN | vs. NE | $13.0 |
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
I’m counting on current MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi leader Hany Mukhtar to snap out of a two-game dry spell with a good matchup at home against D.C. United. Also due is Cucho Hernández, who – as noted above – has fired off 14 shots across his last two outings.
Jeremy Ebobisse is also looking to bust out of a three-game dry spell, but San Jose’s top goalscoring threat is always a good bet for a full run of 90 minutes. We’ll see if Alan Pulido can start a new streak after failing to score for the first time in five games last time out.
And to round my squad out I’m going with Giorgos Giakoumakis despite his tough test at home against Philadelphia. He’s scored in three straight at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and will be looked to early and often as a big target in the box.
Check out my squad for Round 22:
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:
- Real Salt Lake have won just one of their nine all-time matches at Toronto (1W-5L-3D), including losing each of their last two visits to BMO Field.
- Nashville SC are unbeaten in five all-time meetings with D.C. United (3W-0L-2D).
- LAFC have won four of their last five meetings with FC Dallas (4W-1L-0D).
- Since 2015, Colorado have lost four of their last five road games against expansion teams (1W-4L-0D) and been held scoreless in all four losses.
- The LA Galaxy extended their unbeaten streak to four games (1W-0L-3D) with a third straight draw in their last outing.
- Philadelphia are unbeaten in their last six matches against Atlanta United in all competitions (3W-0L-3D). However, the Union have won just one of their seven matches at Atlanta (1W-3L-3D).
Check out my predictions for Round 22:
