MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 31 - 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 31 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
GW27
Home: Bradley Wright-Phillips (NY Red Bulls 1-0 Houston Dynamo & Montreal Impact 3-0 NY Red Bulls) - 4pts
Away: Sebastian Giovinco (Portland Timbers 2-0 Toronto & Toronto 2-4 LAFC) - 13pts
Wildcard: Luciano Acosta (D.C. United 0-2 Philadelphia Union & D.C. United 3-1 Atlanta United) - 16pts
GW28
Home: Maxi Moralez (NYCFC 0-1 New England & NYCFC 1-1 D.C. United) - 12pts
Away: Wayne Rooney (NYCFC 1-1 D.C. United) - 6pts
Wildcard: Graham Zusi (Sporting KC 1-0 Orlando City) - 9pts
GW29
Home: Wayne Rooney (D.C. United 2-1 Minnesota & D.C. United 3-3 New York Red Bulls) - 14pts
Away: Darwin Quintero (D.C. United 2-1 Minnesota United & Real Salt Lake 1-1 Minnesota United) - 11pts
Wildcard: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto 5-3 LA Galaxy) - 9pts
GW30
Home: Miguel Almiron (San Jose 3-4 Atlanta & Atlanta 2-0 Real Salt Lake) - 24pts
Away: Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers 3-2 Columbus Crew & Minnesota 3-2 Portland Timbers) - 3pts
Wildcard: Raul Ruidiaz (Seattle Sounders 0-1 Philadelphia Union & LA Galaxy 3-0 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), 4 (27), 12 (28), 14 (29), 24 (30) = 337 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), 13 (27), 6 (28), 11 (29), 3 (30) = 258 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), 16 (27), 9 (28), 9 (29), 4 (3) = 298 points
Gameweek 31: Home Captain
Fixtures: NYCFC vs. Chicago Fire & Minnesota United vs. NYCFC
Player: Maxi Moralez (NYC)
Position: Midfielder (CAM)
Player Price: $10.3 million
New York City have seemingly featured in more Double Gameweek’s than most teams this season, with the likes of Maxi Moralez and David Villa thrust into this position 4 times throughout the season.
NYCFC have failed to win any of their last 5 competitive MLS fixtures and it is only down to their stature and potential that they take top billing in our captaincy article again this week, with Maxi Moralez a reliable source of points when these Double Gameweek’s come around the corner.
Moralez picked up 12 points during Week 28’s brace of fixtures without scoring or assisting, and prior to that scored and assisted once during Week 22 on the way to 17 points. Week 20 also yielded 2 assists and 18 points for Maxi, whilst NYC’s first Double Gameweek of the season was Moralez’s most profitable, with 18 points on the board.
With NYCFC first hosting Chicago before travelling to Minnesota at the weekend, a play-off place can be confirmed with victories in winnable fixtures. All we must do as Fantasy players is hope that the NYCFC we know show up to the party.
Gameweek 31: Away Captain
Fixtures: NYCFC vs. Chicago Fire & Chicago Fire vs. LAFC
Player: Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $10.3 million
Chicago Fire haven’t featured prominently this season in our MLS Fantasy articles, with Week 31 offering a way in for a side who have gone 3 games unbeaten in MLS (which was preceded by 8 consecutive defeats).
Nemanja Nikolic’s return to form has come at the right time for us to heavily consider the Serbian as an alternative captaincy choice to the obvious pick of Maxi Moralez.
The Fire’s main outlet in attack has scored 4 goals in his last 4 games, last netting a brace during Week 29’s 4-0 home rout of Orlando City, the only team below Chicago in the Eastern Conference.
The potential upside of banking on Nikolic is New York’s lack of form heading into the opening fixture this evening at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC haven’t won any of their last 5 matches, and only 1 in their last 8 matches against an inconsistent Toronto side, so a shock could be on the cards. If that’s the case, Nikolic will be key at stealing away NYC’s clean sheet potential this week.
Gameweek 31: Wildcard Captain
Fixture: Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids
Player: Nicolas Lodeiro (SEA)
Position: Midfielder (CAM/LW)
Player Price: $13.8 million
With Double Gameweek coverage in Moralez and Nikolic this week, there should be a lot of money left behind to consider a few pricey inclusions in your Fantasy team this week and with a home encounter against Colorado Rapids, Nicolas Lodeiro stands forward as the best single Gameweek player in our estimation.
Seattle recently went through a torrid time last week during Week 30’s brace of fixtures, first losing at home 1-0 to Philadelphia Union, before losing 3-0 away from home to an LA Galaxy side who have rarely muttered the words ‘clean sheet’ this season.
Without a goal in their last 2 games, Seattle are just 3 points ahead of 7th placed LA Galaxy with 5 games left of the season, with a home encounter against lowly Colorado coming up at the right time for The Sounders.
The Rapids have lost their last 5 MLS matches, and haven’t won in 7 matches. Seattle won 2-1 away from home during Week 17 on Independence Day to make potential returns for Lodeiro even sweeter.
About the man himself, the Uruguay international managed 12 points last week despite not scoring or assisting. Lodeiro picked up 6 attacking bonus against Philadelphia and just 2 in the damning loss to LA Galaxy.
Dropping in value by $500k, Lodeiro’s now $13.8 million price is slightly more affordable and with Portland hosting Dallas and Atlanta heading into a crunch Supporters’ Shield clash at Red Bull Arena, the road has been paved with Lodeiro to become a major player this week as Seattle looked to cement a play-off place.
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.
