MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 14 - 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
GW13
Home: Carlos Vela (LAFC 1-1 D.C. United) - 5pts
Away: Diego Valeri (Colorado Rapids 2-3 Portland Timbers) - 7pts
Wildcard: Ola Kamara (LA Galaxy 1-0 San Jose Earthquakes) - 2pts
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), 5 (13) = 128 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), 7 (13) = 91 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), 2 (13) = 112 points
Gameweek 14: Home Captain
Fixtures: New England Revolution vs. Atlanta & Atlanta vs. Philadelphia Union
Player: Miguel Almiron (ATL)
Position: Midfielder (CAM)
Player Price: $14.8 million
Atlanta United were missing during Gameweek 13's low-scoring festivities, with MLS Fantasy players without the likes of Josef Martinez and Miguel Almiron to choose from. One week removed however and Atlanta are in action twice this week and have taken all the attention for player selection ahead of a Double Gameweek.
Due to his points potential as a free-roaming CAM, and currently averaging 9.83 points-per-game from 11 appearances, the Paraguay international isn't tied up in international football and is primed for another potentially massive haul as Atlanta visit New England before hosting Philadelphia Union.
The trip to Brad Friedel's New England side is the harder of the two fixtures to trust for MLS Fantasy players, with the Revolution a compact and attacking unit whose high-press is making them wildly unpredictable on a week-to-week basis. In Teal Bunbury and Cristian Penilla the hosts have some in-form firepower, though defensively besides Matt Turner in goal there is room to exploit, which makes Barco, Martinez, and Almiron all must-have options this week.
Points at New England will be a bonus for what appears to be a favourable home win on the cards against Philadelphia Union. Almiron is the no-brainer this week that will be heavily backed by MLS Fantasy players, and our own personal go-to for the captaincy this week.
The only downside is that unlike our other two picks who are in-form, Almiron hasn't scored or assisted in his last 3 matches, so this selection is purely one of faith and expectation, rather than backing a form player.
Gameweek 14: Away Captain
Fixtures: Real Salt Lake vs. Houston Dynamo & Montreal Impact vs. Houston Dynamo
Player: Alberth Elis (HOU)
Position: Forward (RW)
Player Price: $11.3 million
Since the start of the MLS we came in as football fanatics that would arguably possess limited knowledge about most MLS players outside of the household names, and without doubt the one name who has impressed us most due to his style of play is Houston's rapid winger, Alberth Elis.
The 86 point Forward has scored 7 goals this season, including 3 goals in his last 2 fixtures, which puts Elis in an almost irresistible position this week in MLS Fantasy.
With Real Salt Lake defensive assets heavily favoured, with Rimando and Glad likely to be in most active teams, Alberth Elis is likely to be the player that breaks hearts this week and continue his fine form on the road.
Elis fits the bill as an away captain choice this week as a visit to RSL is then followed by a trip to a Montreal Impact side who have been out of sorts in recent weeks. Montreal lost at home to a 10-man LA Galaxy side at home during Week 12, and recently lost comfortably 2-0 on the road against Minnesota for Week 13.
Picking Elis is picking a form player, especially as the Dynamo have a good habit of netting away on the road. The chances of many people putting the armband on Elis will undoubtedly be few, but if Atlanta aren't firing it might be nice to think of a backup.
Gameweek 14: Wildcard Captain
Fixtures: LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas & FC Dallas vs. LAFC
Player: Maxi Urruti (DAL)
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $9.1 million
Last up for selection is our wildcard pick, and we've been going back and forth over this selection for some time, but the penny has ultimately dropped in favour of another in-form player heading into Double Gameweek 14.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic back in contention after suspension, despite not scoring in his last 4 MLS fixtures, the former Swedish international who will not be going to the World Cup in Russia this summer, has been overlooked in this captaincy slot.
Maxi Urruti, who has scored in his last 4 MLS matches, gets the seal of approval. Dallas are currently 4th in the Western Conference on 20 points, 4 ahead of LA Galaxy in 7th having played a game less than the team from California, and could really cement their play-off credentials with a victory at StubHub Center.
LA Galaxy have won their last 2 matches by a 1-0 margin without Zlatan in the starting squad, but after overlooking Urruti and Dallas for much of this season, we won't be for this Double Gameweek, one which could really go in Dallas's favour.
The Texan side play both of the LA teams who have a number of international departures to contend with, so there's a real prospect that the floodgates could open in both fixtures, and with the Galaxy trying to keep it tight at both ends, it is only right to suggest that Dallas will be the ones to bank on over the course of two matches, especially as LA travel to a red-hot Portland side at the weekend.
Should Urruti get the chance to add to 4 goals in 4 matches, this could be the Gameweek which sees the Forward earn a double-digit Fantasy score for the first time this season.
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All aboard.
