MLS Fantasy 2018: Gameweek 33 - 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
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
GW31
Home: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United 2-1 New England Revolution) - 1pt
Away: Nemanja Nikolic (Colorado Rapids 0-3 LAFC) - 4pts
Wildcard: Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders 4-1 Houston Dynamo) - 13pts
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), 12 (31), 1 (32) = 350 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), 11 (31), 4 (32) = 273 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 (30), 23 (31), 13 (32) = 333 points
Gameweek 33: Home Captain
Fixture: D.C. United vs. FC Dallas
Player: Wayne Rooney (DC)
Position: Forward (CF)
Player Price: $12.8 million
We're not going to take time treading on water with our home selection this week, as a rare opportunity to promote our Player of the Week has arrived, and with Wayne Rooney bang in form for D.C. United heading into a final four game stretch of the regular season, the former England international has come good after his move from Merseyside.
Rooney's not our automatic captaincy pick this week, as you'll see below, but with .D.C any home match is winnable, even against a well-drilled Dallas outfit at Audi Field. The hype with Rooney in MLS is real and in the below article below we chart his season so far.
Gameweek 33: Away Captain
Fixture: D.C. United vs. FC Dallas
Player: Michael Barrios (DAL)
Position: Midfielder (RW)
Player Price: $10.9 million
There is a glaring lack of obvious player picks away from home heading into Week 33's reduced fixtures, with Dallas, Houston, Colorado and lowly Orlando, all on the road this weekend amidst the international festivities.
Of the sides we trust away from home given their form, only Dallas stand out, but face a potentially daunting trip to a rejuvenated D.C. United (who would have imagined those words spoken at the beginning of the season?).
Our captaincy selection boasts on the side of form, as class is key in MLS. Even with the prospect of a difficult fixtures, top draw players always seem to find a way, and there is no doubting that Dallas have the tools to potentially down D.C. United's spirits this weekend.
Dallas are 4 points clear of Sporting KC at the top of the Western Conference and look the likely winners of the bracket, though a loss in D.C. United will set up for a dramatic end of season finish in the mid-west.
Amongst the players of interest from Dallas is right-winger Michael Barrios, whose hat-trick earlier in the season saw Dallas beat Sporting KC away from home, earning 3 crucial points.
Barrios has managed an attacking return or more in 9 of his last 11 matches, which all started with his Week 22 treble at SKC. This run of 11 games has yielded all of Barrios's 6 goals and 5 of his 6 assists.
The Columbis will be a key, and potentially overlooked, point of contention for MLS Fantasy players to follow this weekend, as D.C. United aren't proving the most secure at home. United have only kept 2 clean sheets from a possible 12 home games at Audi Field this season, which is more the reason to not threat about backing those who oppose the dominance of Rooney and Acosta's selection this week.
Gameweek 33: Wildcard Captain
Fixture: Minnesota United vs. Colorado Rapids
Player: Darwin Quintero (MIN)
Position: Forward (RW/CF)
Player Price: $14.3 million
We round off our captaincy selections with a personal favourite here at Hype Train HQ, with another home game for Minnesota United paving the way for Darwin Quintero's season to build on a brilliant maiden season in MLS. Not only do we view him as one of the best individual talents in the league, but we definitely consider the Colombian as thee captaincy option this week as the West's second to bottom side, Colorado Rapids, visit The Loons this weekend.
Despite some time on the shelf with injury, Quintero has as many attacking returns (24) as he does appearances in MLS this season. The attacker scored Minnesota's lone goal in a recent 5-1 thrashing at Philadelphia Union, but at home Minnesota are different prospects all together.
Minnesota's last two home games have been victories against play-off worthy sides in Portland Timbers and New York City FC, with Quintero scoring or assisting in each of his last 4 league appearances.
Colorado have conceded 62 goals this season, only Orlando (68) and San Jose (69) have shipped more. Quintero might be living in the shadow of D.C. United's rise to play-off hopefuls, and his own club might be festering well below the post-season in the West, but as with Barrios above, quality finds a way.
Had it not been for a spell on the sidelines, we'd be talking about Darwin Quintero as one of the top 4 or 5 MLS Fantasy point scorers, and this weekend could bridge the gap of what we have been watching all season - an incredibly talented player dragging Minnesota into a brighter future.
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All aboard.
