MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 6 - 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
GW4
Home: Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew 3-1 D.C. United) - 2pts
Away: Maxi Moralez (New England Revolution 2-2 NYCFC) - 4pts
Wildcard: Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls 3-0 Minnesota United) - 13pts
GW5
Home: Felipe Gutierrez (Sporting Kansas City 1-0 D.C. United) - 6pts
Away: Carlos Vela (LA Galaxy 4-3 LAFC) - 15pts
Wildcard: Alberth Elis (Houston Dynamo 0-2 New England Revolution) - 3pts
Totals
Essential Total: 3 (1), 10 (2), 0 (3), 2 (4), 6 (5) = 21 points
Away Total: 5 (1), 2 (2), 2 (3), 4 (4), 15 (5) = 28 points
Wildcard Total: 9 (1), 9 (2), 10 (3), 13 (4), 3 (5) = 44 points
Gameweek 6: Home Captain
Fixture: Atlanta United vs. LAFC
Player: Miguel Almiron
Position: Midfielder (CAM)
Player Price: $11.3 million
Atlanta United return to home field against LAFC for MLS Week 6, and as the weeks progress we find ourselves acting like moths to a flame when picking Atlanta's attacking talent for our MLS Fantasy teams.
Atlanta were humiliated 4-0 away from home on the opening day of the season against Houston Dynamo, with Gerardo Martino's side switching to a 3-5-2 formation. Creating a balance across the pitch, the system is utilised to give Miguel Almiron freedom as he drifts across the midfield and attack. Able to find the game, Almiron's the vital link in Atlanta's team and it is showing for MLS Fantasy players, with the Paraguay international netting 10+ Fantasy points in both home matches this season.
Miguel Almiron's MLS Fantasy Points
GW1: Houston 4-0 Atlanta - 3pts
GW2: Atlanta 3-1 D.C. United - 12pts
GW3: Atlanta 4-1 Vancouver - 10pts
GW5: Minnesota 0-1 Atlanta - 8pts
Total: 33pts
Almiron has managed his goal and 2 assists this season in home fixtures, with the visit of LAFC not likely to impact on points potential for Week 6. In terms of captaincy, Almiron is a safe pick and through his influence is virtually guaranteed to earn points through auxiliary points (shots, passing, key passes, big chances created, recovered balls) even without goals or assists against his name. Almiron picked up 8pts doing that just against Minnesota, even though Martino's side were down to then men in the first half of the away victory.
Opponents LAFC enter the game after a 4-3 defeat against LA Galaxy, inspired on course by Zlatan Ibrahimovic's substitute appearance, which makes Almiron's inclusion an uncomplicated one for Gameweek 6.
Gameweek 6: Away Captain
Fixture: Atlanta vs. LAFC
Player: Carlos Vela
Position: Forward (CAM)
Player Price: $11.0 million
For the first time this season we have chosen captaincy picks from the same match, with both our Home and Away captain featuring in the fixture between Atlanta and LAFC, and in truth we don't really see a problem with hedging our bets with this attack-minded contest.
Bob Bradley's LAFC side have scored 8 goals in their opening 3 MLS matches, winning against both Seattle Sounders (0-1) and Real Salt Lake (1-5) before suffering a first defeat of the season away at city rivals LA Galaxy (4-3).
Carlos Vela was the top performing Fantasy player from LAFC's 4-3 defeat at LA Galaxy, with the Mexican international amassing 15 Fantasy points after scoring the opening two goals.
Vela has proven to be a quality asset for MLS and alongside Diego Rossi and Marco Urena possess firepower that can match Atlanta's own trifecta on their day. Vela is playing behind Urena in a CAM position, but like Almiron essentially has a free role in LA's attack, and also like Almiron is guaranteeing points for Fantasy players every time he steps on the field.
Atlanta, who have conceded in both home matches this season, will be without central defender Leandro González Pírez, who was sent off for a second yellow card offence against Minnesota, but Atlanta held their own to see out a 1-0 victory.
In a match that promises goals, Vela's taken to the MLS like a duck to water, and we think that Fantasy players will feel quite comfortable having an Almiron-Vela connection spearheading their teams this week.
Gameweek 6: Wildcard Captain
Fixture: LA Galaxy vs. Sporting Kansas City
Player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $10.4 million
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been the talk of the town in MLS this past week, with his 2 goal appearance against LAFC sparking interest around the world. Such an impact is enough to put Zlatan as our Wildcard captaincy pick this week, and it is the perfect position for the Swede this week.
Our main concern is that though being the talk of the town, having only just arrived in LA, he might doing a lot of talking on the bench again, and we may be left hoping and praying that lightning strikes twice.
LA Galaxy are hosting Sporting Kansas City, with the visitors sitting top of the Western Conference after Week 5's action. On their day, Kansas have a stern defence, and this season have a potent attack, with Johnny Russell and Felipe Gutierrez adding an attacking flair to a side that has scored 10 goals this season, the most with both of the new York teams, NYCFC and the Red Bulls.
Ibra's spot in our article though highlights his obvious quality, regardless of opposition, and for however few minutes. Zlatan has been training with the side all this week, and with LA Galaxy winning both of their home matches this season against Portland and LAFC, they enter Week 6 as a team look out for.
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All aboard.
