MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 13 - 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
GW6
Home: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United 5-0 LAFC) - 20pts
Away: Carlos Vela (Atlanta United 5-0 LAFC) - 3pts
Wildcard: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy 0-2 Sporting Kansas City) - 2pts
GW7
Home: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United 2-2 NYCFC) - 10pts
Away: Sacha Kljestan (Philadelphia Union 0-2 Orlando City) - 8pts
Wildcard: Maxi Moralez (NYCFC 4-0 RSL // Atlanta 2-2 NYCFC) - 23pts
GW8
Home: Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls 1-2 Chicago Fire) - 10pts
Away: Miguel Almiron (LA Galaxy 0-2 Atlanta United) - 14pts
Wildcard: Alberth Elis (Houston Dynamo 5-1 Toronto) - 8pts
GW9
Home: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United 4-1 Montreal Impact) - 15pts
Away: Dom Dwyer (Colorado Rapids 1-2 Orlando City) - 2pts
Wildcard: Carlos Vela (LAFC 1-0 Seattle Sounders) - 5pts
GW10
Home: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto 3-0 Philadelphia Union) - 12pts
Away: Miguel Almiron (Chicago Fire 1-2 Atlanta United) - 10pts
Wildcard: Darwin Quintero (Minnesota United 1-0 Vancouver Whitecaps) - 3pts
GW11
Home: Carlos Vela (LAFC 2-0 Minnesota United & LAFC 2-2 NYCFC) - 18pts
Away: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta 0-2 Sporting KC & Orlando City 1-2 Atlanta) - 12pts
Wildcard: Darwin Quintero (Toronto 1-2 Seattle & New England 3-2 Toronto) - 16pts
GW12
Home: David Villa (NYCFC 4-0 Colorado Rapids) - 17pts
Away: Magnus Eriksson (Vancouver 2-2 San Jose & San Jose 1-3 D.C. United) - 7pts
Wildcard: Kei Kamara (Vancouver 2-2 San Jose & Dallas 2-2 Vancouver) - 9pts
Totals
Home Total: 3 (1), 10 (2), 0 (3), 2 (4), 6 (5), 20 (6), 10 (7), 10 (8), 15 (9), 12 (10), 18 (11), 17 (12) = 123 points
Away Total: 5 (1), 2 (2), 2 (3), 4 (4), 15 (5), 3 (6), 8 (7), 14 (8), 2 (9), 10 (10), 12 (11), 7 (12) = 84 points
Wildcard Total: 9 (1), 9 (2), 10 (3), 13 (4), 3 (5), 2 (6), 23 (7), 8 (8), 5 (9), 3 (10), 16 (11), 9 (12) = 110 points
Gameweek 13: Home Captain
Fixture: LAFC vs. D.C. United
Player: Carlos Vela
Position: Forward (CAM)
Player Price: $13.2 million
Without Atlanta United featuring during Gameweek 13 our initial assumption would be that our teams would feel naked without the likes of Miguel Almiron and Josef Martinez vying for our attention. As we approach this weekend's round of fixtures, we couldn't have been more wrong, especially when considering the all-important captaincy choices.
With MLS Fantasy's top player Almiron resting his feet, the next best juggernaut is primed and ready, and has the mother of all favourable fixtures at home this weekend.
Carlos Vela is the second player after Almiron to reach 100 points in MLS Fantasy this season, which has come from 7 goals and 5 assists from 11 appearances. Vela's the obvious pick that we won't overlook this week and is averaging over 7 points per game in his last 4 MLS fixtures.
6 of Vela's goals have come away from home, and half of his away goals have been screamers (against LA Galaxy, Vancouver, and most recently against Portland), with Vela's quality in front of goal shining against any and all opposition.
Bob Bradley's LAFC side are 2nd in the Western Conference with 20 points, and take on D.C. United, who are rock bottom of the Eastern Conference with 8 points, though Wayne Rooney's potential new team did register a deserved victory on the road against San Jose Earthquakes, much to the dismay of MLS Fantasy owners last week.
With other options such as Bradley Wright-Phillips, Kaku, Romain Alessandrini, and Giovinco all in contention, it appears without Almiron in the fold the safe points rest firmly with Carlos Vela.
Gameweek 13: Away Captain
Fixture: Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers
Player: Diego Valeri
Position: Midfielder (CAM)
Player Price: $11.5 million
Gameweek 13 has been very kind to home teams when it comes to the selection of picks that MLS Fantasy players will ultimately bank on, though a few standout midfield options, and one in attack, came to the forefront of our attention.
NYCFC's David Villa was our main serious consideration for a trip to a Houston side who score as many goals in attack as they leak in defence, whilst we glanced over Ignacio Piatti's potential for an away day at a compact Minnesota United side. This meant we rested our cards with a Midfielder who true MLS fans will know is the real deal in the league.
Diego Valeri's not managed a goal or assist in his last 2 matches against Seattle Sounders or LAFC, but managed all 7 of his attacking returns (4 goals, 3 assists) in the five matches prior.
Set piece potential is at the heart of Valeri's attraction in MLS Fantasy, with the 2017 MLS MVP on free-kicks, corners, and penalties, meaning that in current form it is a matter of when, not if, Valeri's next points haul is coming.
Despite not managing an attacking return against LAFC in a 2-1 victory for Portland, a win which moved the Timbers up to 3rd in the Western Conference on 17 points, just 3 points behind LAFC, Valeri was able to pick up 7 Fantasy points due to his bonus potential. Valeri's 4 tackles, 4 key passes, 1 big chance created, 7 recoveries, and 6 shots, amassed 5 bonus to soften the blow of not scoring or assisting.
Portland travel to a Colorado Rapids side who are rock bottom in the Western Conference with just 8 points, and have just come back home after a 4-0 defeat to NYCFC at Yankee Stadium, so the potential to pick the bones for Valeri is a real possibility, and our top midfield consideration for an away player this Gameweek.
Gameweek 13: Wildcard Captain
Fixture: LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Player: Ola Kamara
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $8.3 million
Last up for captaincy consideration is our wildcard pick, a selection that is left-field from what MLS Fantasy players are likely to go with this weekend, and the only true standout option this week that took our attention immediately was LA Galaxy's Ola Kamara. The Galaxy player is on the outer edges of consideration this week when San Jose Earthquakes travel to California with Bradley Wright-Phillips, Carlos Vela, David Villa, and Sebastian Giovinco, ahead of Kamara in the race for selection.
LA Galaxy are currently 7th in the Western Conference on 13 points and well in with a chance of making play-offs this season, despite losing 4 of their last 5 matches.
Ola Kamara's Last 4 MLS Fantasy Returns
Week 9 - LA Galaxy 2-3 New York Red Bulls: 1 goal (8 points)
Week 10 - Houston Dynamo 3-2 LA Galaxy: 1 goal (8 points)
Week 11 - FC Dallas 3-2 LA Galaxy: 1 goal (9 points)
Week 12 - Montreal Impact 0-1 LA Galaxy: 1 goal (8 points)
LA Galaxy's win over Montreal was their first positive result since Week 7's 1-0 win at Chicago Fire with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring the only goal of the game, though in this away victory Zlatan took the headlines for the wrong reasons having been sent-off before half-time for slapping a Montreal player.
This leaves LA Galaxy pinning their hopes on 5-goal Kamara and Romain Alessandrini as the focal points of interest for Fantasy players as 10th in the West, San Jose Earthquakes, come to the StubHub Center on the back of a 3-1 home defeat to D.C. United.
Perhaps with a wealth of selection dilemmas this week we'd chance only one of the LA Galaxy attacking options, though with Kamara's form which has seen goals in his last 4 MLS matches, we'd bank on Kamara making it 5 in 5 ahead of anything else this weekend if we had to predict how the weekend ahead might pan out.
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All aboard.
