MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 27 - 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

GW26

Home: Bradley Wright-Phillips (NYCFC 1-1 NY Red Bulls & NY Red Bulls 1-0 D.C. United) - 8pts

Away: Josef Martinez (Orlando City 1-2 Atlanta United) - 7pts

Wildcard: Nicolas Lodeiro (Portland Timbers 0-1 Seattle Sounders) - 4pts

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), 8 (26) = 283 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), 4 (25), 7 (26) = 225 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), 4 (26) = 260 points

Gameweek 27: Home Captain

Fixtures: NY Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo & Monteal Impact vs. NY Red Bulls

Player: Bradley Wright-Phillips (RBNY)

Position: Forward (CF)

Player Price: $9.9 million

If you take 28-goal Josef Martinez out of the question, Bradley Wright-Phillips has been the standout Forward in MLS this season alongside Fantasy favourites Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Carlos Vela and perhaps Minnesota's Darwin Quintero at a push.

Moving from Week 26 to a second consecutive Double Gameweek for Week 27, New York Red Bulls find themselves in second in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Supporters' Shield favourites, Atlanta. A brace of winnable fixtures for the Red Bulls could put Chris Armas's side top of the pile, putting pressure on Atlanta to force a victory at D.C. United this weekend.

Key to their success yet again this season has been the reliance on Bradley Wright-Phillips, and as the season hits a crucial period, there's no doubting that the Bulls will need all the energy drink and BWP's goals if they're going to be in with a sniff of claiming the league title crown (how vital does RBNY's 1-0 win at Atlanta look now?).

Wright-Phillips has started each of the last 5 games and has scored twice in those 5, and has 5 goals in his last 10 MLS appearnces. Scoring in alternate matches, BWP is due a strike as New York host a Houston side who have crumbled in recent months, before heading to Canadian soil to take on a Montreal side who are clinging hold of their own play-off chances in the east.

For MLS Fantasy players, BWP poses a potentially safer route to points, with other captaincy favourite Sebastian Giovinco poised for a pair of tough fixtures against Portland and LAFC. Wright-Phillips suitors might only be detracted by the hint of rotation, but it's now or never for the Red Bulls. Their star man won't be left out.

Gameweek 27: Away Captain

Fixtures: Portland Timbers vs. Toronto & Toronto vs. LAFC

Player: Sebastian Giovinco (TOR)

Position: Forward (CAM/CF)

Player Price: $12.5 million

Talking of tricky fixtures, our away captaincy contender treads in much-dreaded waters, but there's a lot of room for optimism surrounding Sebastian Giovinco for MLS Fantasy players.

With 163 points this season, Gio has amassed just 3 points less than Bradley Wright-Phillips in 4 games fewer - played in part because of a discipline issue for the Italian this season that has died down in recent months after a frustrating start to the season.

Giovinco has scored 6 goals in his last 6 matches, only failing to find the net away at San Jose Earthquakes, which saw Gionly playing 32 minutes as a substitute. Aside from that, goals against Chicago in back-to-back matches, Atlanta, NYCFC and a brace against Montreal Impact, all highlights that Giovinco is once again in a rich vein of form and is fixture-proof heading into the business end of the season.

Portland have matched a lengthy unbeaten run with 8 games without a win, whilst LAFC have managed 7 points from their last 3 matches as they look to lock down a play-off spot.

Meanwhile, Toronto put the sword to Montreal Impact during Rivalry Week thanks to a Giovinco brace and will be looking to continue momentum as their own play-off hunt intensifies before the end of the season.

Toronto sit in 9th place in the Eastern Conference with 27 points, 6 shy of 6th placed Montreal who boast 33 points, though the Canadian Cup holders have 2 games in hands over the Impact. A decent Double Gameweek could propel Toronto into the conversation, which would send mixed signals to us as the reigning MLS Cup holders have probably not deserved a play-off birth given their inconsistency this season.

Put simply, MLS Fantasy players have it in good faith that Toronto's play-off hopes rest on a few souls, with Giovinco and Osorio amongst the likely players to make any such late push happen. Your conviction with putting the armband on Giovinco rests solely down to your gut instinct about how you think Toronto's season might ultimately shape-up.

Gameweek 27: Wildcard Captain

Fixtures: D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union & D.C. United vs. Atlanta United

Player: Luciano Acosta (DC)

Position: Midfielder (CAM)

Player Price: $10.0 million

Rounding off our captaincy contenders this week, we stay put with a full-house of Eastern Conference players as D.C. United enter another Double Gameweek with a set of home fixtures.

Luciano Acosta has been pivotal in DC's late surge up the Conference standings, with Rooney's attacking role providing the attacking midfielder with a free-role, giving the Argentine playmaker more room in advanced areas of the pitch.

D.C. will be looking to get their play-off push back on track and are only 6 points behind Montreal Impact with 4 games in hand. The tests of in-form Philadelphia Union and title-chasing Atlanta shouldn't detract from potential suitors due to DC's decent home form, which included a recent 4-1 home demolition of Portland Timbers.

Acosta's selection is also tactical as we were concerned with overloading our picks with Forward's, when in truth a majority of points lies with midfield picks. Diego Valeri disappointed last time out in a Double Gameweek, with Dallas's Barrior the next best left-field pick. Not many of your friends or mini-league rivals will bank on Acosta with the armband, so this might be one shrewd pick to kick-start an awkward start to the Fall Season.

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All aboard.