MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 26 - 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
GW14
Home: Miguel Almiron (New England 1-1 Atlanta & Atlanta 3-1 Philadelphia) - 18pts
Away: Alberth Elis (RSL 2-1 Houston & Montreal 1-0 Houston Dynamo) - 8pts
Wildcard: Maxi Urruti (LA Galaxy 2-3 FC Dallas & FC Dallas 2-1 LAFC) - 3pts
GW15
Home: Alberth Elis (Houston Dynamo 2-0 Colorado Rapids) - 2pts
Away: Sebastian Giovinco (Philadelphia Union 0-2 Toronto) - 6pts
Wildcard: Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas 2-0 Montreal Impact) - 13pts
GW16
Home: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto 4-4 D.C. United) - 9pts
Away: Josef Martinez (Columbus Crew 0-2 Atlanta United) - 6pts
Wildcard: Teal Bunbury (San Jose Earthquakes 2-2 New England Revolution) - 2pts
GW17
Home: Josef Martinez (Atlanta United 1-1 Portland Timbers) - 3pts
Away: Sebastian Giovinco (NYCFC 2-1 Toronto) - 3pts
Wildcard: Dom Dwyer (Orlando City 0-2 Montreal Impact) - 3pts
GW18
Home: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United 4-0 Portland Timbers) - 14pts
Away: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (San Jose Earthquakes 3-3 LA Galaxy) - 13pts
Wildcard: Adama Diomande (LAFC 4-1 Philadelphia Union) - 17pts
GW19
Home: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy 2-2 D.C. & LA Galaxy 4-0 Columbus) - 18pts
Away: Miguel Almiron (FC Dallas 3-2 Atlanta & Philadelphia 0-2 Atlanta) - 21pts
Wildcard: Alberth Elis (Houston 2-2 LAFC & Houston 3-0 Minnesota) - 19pts
GW20
Home: Maxi Moralez (NYCFC 3-0 Montreal & NYCFC 2-0 Columbus) - 18pts
Away: Ignacio Piatti (NYCFC 3-0 Montreal & Montreal 2-0 San Jose) - 17pts
Wildcard: Nemanja Nikolic (Chicago 3-4 Philadelphia & Dallas 3-1 Chicago) - 8pts
GW21
Home: Darwin Quintero (Minnesota 2-1 New England & Minnesota 5-1 LAFC) - 23pts
Away: Diego Fagundez (Minnesota 2-1 New England & New York Red Bulls 2-0 New England) - 13pts
Wildcard: Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders 2-0 Vancouver Whitecaps) - 17pts
GW22
Home: Wayne Rooney (D.C. 0-1 NY Red Bulls & D.C. 2-1 Colorado Rapids) - 8pts
Away: Maxi Moralez (Orlando City 0-2 NYCFC & Seattle Sounders 3-1 NYCFC) - 17pts
Wildcard: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LAFC 2-2 LA Galaxy & LA Galaxy 4-3 Orlando) - 29pts
GW23
Home: Josef Martinez (Atlanta United 2-2 Toronto) - 15pts
Away: Raul Ruidiaz (Minnesota United 1-2 Seattle Sounders) - 7pts
Wildcard: Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact 1-1 D.C. United) - 3pts
GW24
Home: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy 2-2 Minnesota United) - 8pts
Away: Bradley Wright-Phillips (Chicago Fire 0-1 New York Red Bulls) - 8pts
Wildcard: Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers 1-2 Vancouver Whitecaps) - 13pts
GW25
Home: Carlos Vela (LAFC 2-0 Real Salt Lake & LAFC 2-0 Colorado Rapids) - 11pts
Away: Diego Valeri (D.C. United 4-1 Portland & Sporting KC 3-0 Portland) - 4pts
Wildcard: Luciano Acosta (D.C. 4-1 Portland & D.C. 2-0 New England) - 17pts
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), 18 (14), 2 (15), 9 (16), 3 (17), 14 (18), 18 (19), 18 (20), 23 (21), 8 (22), 15 (23), 8 (24), 11 (25) = 275 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), 8 (14), 6 (15), 6 (16), 3 (17), 13 (18), 21 (19), 17 (20), 13 (21), 17 (22), 7 (23), 8 (24) = 214 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), 3 (14), 13 (15), 2 (16), 3 (17), 17 (18), 19 (19), 8 (20), 17 (21), 29 (22), 3 (23), 13 (24), 17 (25) = 256 points
Gameweek 26: Home Captain
Fixtures: NYCFC vs. New York Red Bulls & New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United
Player: Bradley Wright-Phillips (RBNY)
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $10.4 million
With the New York Red Bulls in action twice for Week 26, at the tip of of the captaincy spear is one of MLS's consistency scorers in Bradley Wright-Phillips. The Englishman's 15 goals this season is the same number as Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy) and Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew), with a brace of victories a necessity for the Red Bulls as we enter the business end of the season.
RBNY boast a game in hand over Atlanta, though are 3 points behind an Atlanta side with 51 already registered. In order to claw to the same number of points as Atlanta in the Eastern Conference, they'll need to go through their city rivals, NYCFC at Yankee Stadium, before hosting a rejuvenated D.C. United at home.
The NYC derby match has huge implications for both sides, with Dominic Torrent's side desperate to stay in title contention in the East after slipping to a surprise 2-0 defeat to Philadelphia Union in Week 25. Lose, and both teams can start to kiss goodbye to their Supporters' Shield chances, whilst a draw plays into the hands of Atlanta very nicely.
This big occasion could see Bradley Wright-Phillips come to centre stage as the figurehead who fires the Red Bulls to glory, and we wouldn't put it past him. BWP has scored 4 goals in his last 7 appearances, though only 1 of them has come in the last 4 matches.
BWP owners will feel more optimistic about a home tie against D.C. United, with the Englishman already netting against DC this season to inflict Ben Olsen's side a first home defeat at Audi Field.
It's a safe pick as captain, but perhaps a necessary one, as Fantasy players attempt to not get lost in the shuffle in the home stretch.
Gameweek 26: Away Captain
Fixture: Orlando City vs. Atlanta United
Player: Josef Martinez (ATL)
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $12.5 million
We'd love to say something that every person that watches MLS hasn't already said, but right now we're lost for words with Josef Martinez. The Atlanta player is letting his actions speak loudly on the pitch, with the Forward equalling the most goals in a single MLS season (27) when he netted against the league's oldest side, Columbus Crew.
For MLS Fantasy players, Martinez will be an automatic lock this week as he attempts to break the scoring record in MLS within a single season, and in firing Atlanta closer to the Supporters' Shield title.
Martinez and company will have to go through a developing rivalry in MLS against Orlando City, with Atlanta already victorious at Orlando's Stadium, 2-1, a game which saw Ezequiel Barco score his first goal for the club.
The incoming Golden Boot winner has scored in each of his last 8 games, scoring 13 goals in those 8 games, so at this stage on such a hot streak, there's absolute no doubt that we downed tools to include the Venezuelan in our captaincy picks this week. Martinez is your main if you don't fancy backing an option from the Red Bulls.
Gameweek 26: Wildcard Captain
Fixture: Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders
Player: Nicolas Lodeiro (SEA)
Position: Midfielder (CAM)
Player Price: $13.0 million
Last up for selection, we chose a wildcard captaincy pick this week based on a player who will almost certainly be overlooked when push comes to shove to the Double Gameweek, and a player who should be in teams across the board.
Nicolas Lodeiro has managed 5 consecutive Week's of 10+ Fantasy points, with the Uruguay international, who is only owned by 1.28% of players, spearheading Seattle's root up the table.
Seattle sit in 7th place in the Western Conference and have once again found form in the second half of the season after an incredibly slow start, and face a Portland team who are out of form, and directly about The Sounders in 6th in the standings. Like the NYC derby, this match ends Week 26 and has huge play-off implications, with the loser probably feeling the pressure until the end of the regular season.
In Nicolas Lodeiro we are dealing with the number one ranked Fantasy player based on points-per-game, so the law of averages quite literally saw that Lodeiro is a safe bet to add to his points after mauling LA Galaxy 5-0 last weekend.
At $13.0 million, Lodeiro is the most expensive player in the game (and is priced the same as Mohamed Salah is you don't factor in the difference in currency), so expectation is real this week for the midfield maestro.
You can read more of our latest news from in the FPL, Premier League, and around the footballing world on our Football page by clicking here, or by clicking the image below.
For more MLS, follow @RealHypeTrain and @HypeTrainMLS on Twitter for the latest social media insight from The Hype Train.
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in the Fantasy Premier League (#FPL), providing beautiful graphics and weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb ranking tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review movies, live sport, and professional wrestling.
As well as providing FPL articles on our website, we are a founding Contributor to the new Fantasy Football Hub, where you can find more unique articles, including weekly Power Rankings, from The Hype Team. You can support us and read exclusive members only content for just £2 per-month by clicking here.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog 2016' by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), with the final presentation held at Old Trafford in Manchester.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.
