MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 4 - Captaincy Picks
Picking a Captain to double down on in MLS Fantasy is the most important choice ahead of each of the 34 regular season Gameweek's in MLS's season. There's a lot of self-help out there for MLS enthusiasts, with our Hype Team providing three major considerations for the armband for each and every Gameweek. We'll be detailing the top choice for captain in home and away matches, and a Wildcard pick of our choosing to add to the chaos. All aboard.
MLS Fantasy: Gameweek Deadline
For the 2018 MLS Fantasy season there is a 'Rolling Lockout', which means you can make substitutions and transfers until the second a player's game kicks off, which means you can chop and change your lineup as any Gameweek progresses.
You can view the schedule and a real time Gameweek deadline countdown clock (in the London GMT timezone) on our dedicated MLS Fantasy page.
Captaincy in MLS Fantasy
There are a few differences with picking a captain in MLS compared to playing other games such as FPL. The major element to note with our Captaincy article is that we'll be picking a captain who is playing home and away, as well as a Wildcard player of our own choosing.
We've listed the differences below that make captaincy in MLS Fantasy unique:
- With the Rolling Lockout, you can change your captain until the selected captaincy pick plays
- Once the team your captaincy pick takes to the field, you can no longer change your captain
- If your captaincy pick doesn't play, then you'll end up with nothing
- There is no option to select a vice captain
CAPTAINCY HYPE: 2018 SEASON PERFORMANCE
In each Captaincy article we track our progress throughout the 2018 MLS Fantasy season. Below you can check how our captaincy selections have performed by week to week in Major League Soccer.
GW1
Home: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto 0-2 Columbus Crew) - 3pts
Away: Josef Martinez (Houston Dynamo 4-0 Atlanta United) - 5pts
Wildcard: Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders 0-1 LAFC) - 9pts
GW2
Home: David Villa (NYCFC 2-1 LA Galaxy) - 10pts
Away: Yamil Asad (Atlanta United 3-1 D.C. United) - 2pts
Wildcard: Alberth Elis (Houston Dynamo 1-2 Vancouver Whitecaps) - 9pts
GW3
Home: David Villa (NYCFC 2-0 Orlando City) - 0pts
Away: Nemanja Nikolic (Minnesota United 2-1 Chicago Fire) - 2pts
Wildcard: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United 4-1 Vancouver Whitecaps) - 10pts
Totals
Essential Total: 3 (1), 10 (2), 0 (3) = 13 points
Away Total: 5 (1), 2 (2), 2 (3) = 9 points
Wildcard Total: 9 (1), 9 (2), 10 (3) = 28 points
Gameweek 4: Home Captain
Fixture: Columbus Crew vs. D.C. United
Player: Gyasi Zardes
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $9.7 million
Ahead of Gameweek 4, undefeated Columbus Crew are playing at home against a D.C. United side who haven't started the 2018 season as they would have liked. D.C. drew 1-1 with Orlando away from home, before losing 3-1 away to Atlanta, and lastly during Gameweek 3 drew 2-2 at a makeshift home against Houston Dynamo.
Of the top ranking MLS Fantasy Forward's heading into Gameweek 4, Gyasi Zardes has the most points of any Forward playing this week. Zardes's 23 points has come from 3 goals in 3 games, though Zardes failed to find the net in a very drab 0-0 draw away from home to Philadelphia Union.
Gameweek 4 is Zardes's second home match of the season, with the $9.7 Forward scoring twice against Montreal Impact at home during Gameweek 2. This is an ideal match for Zardes to add to his tally and continue Columbus's hot streak to start the season.
Gameweek 4: Away Captain
Fixture: New England Revolution vs. New York City FC
Player: Maxi Moralez
Position: Midfielder (CAM)
Player Price: $10.5 million
Each and every week so far this season, NYC have been a focus in our Captaincy article, and that will continue to be the case as long as they continue their fine form in the early season. Patrick Vieira's side have won all 3 of their matches, and comfortably so, which makes them the best team to bank on away from home this week.
With doubts over David Villa's inclusion (which bit us right on the cheeks in our Gameweek 3 captaincy article), we have opted for attacking midfielder Maxi Moralez to be the difference maker when NYCFC travel to Brad Friedel's Revolution outfit.
We've not been convinced by The Revolution in the early season, despite winning their home opener against Colorado Rapids thanks to a last-gasp Chris Tierney free-kick. New York look solid in all areas across the pitch and Moralez was what made the Big Apple outfit tick against a disappointing Orlando City side during Gameweek 3.
Moralez scored against Orlando in a 12 point performance, which included 18 recovered balls and an additional 3 points, to go on top the 3 crosses and clean sheet that he also amassed.
If David Villa does not featured against The Revolution it is likely that Jesus Medina will once again feature in a Forward position, which could yield similar returns for Moralez and Medina. We're going for another comfortable away victory to keep Vieira's men as the talk of the town for another week.
Gameweek 4: Wildcard Captain
Fixture: New York Red Bulls vs. Minnesota United
Player: Bradley Wright-Phillips
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $9.4 million
The Red Bulls have started the 2018 MLS season fighting on two fronts. RBNY have qualified for the semi-finals of CONCACAF Champions League, knocking off Liga MX’s Club Tijuana in the quarter-finals 5-1 on aggregate, which means focus has been divided in recent weeks, which has been reflected in the start of their MLS campaign.
A much changed Red Bulls side brushed Portland Timbers to one side in a 4-0 victory during Gameweek 2, before losing 1-0 in a nervy affair away to Real Salt Lake. With a full week of rest, and a lot of squad depth, it should be The Red Bulls firing on all cylinders against Minnesota United at home during Gameweek 4.
The travelling Loons will be without both of their central defenders, with Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica) and Michael Boxall (New Zealand) both away on international duty, whilst there is also a doubt for Tyrone Mears, which means we could be about to witness a flood of goals in favour of The Red Bulls.
Bradley Wright-Phillips has started both MLS matches on the bench this season due to the Champions League, but is expected to make his first start of the season for a shortened Gameweek 4, so fits the bill of a wildcard selection perfectly.
BWP found the net on RBNY's home opener against Portland and looks primed to be one of the must-have Forward options this weekend.
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All aboard.
