MLS Fantasy 2020: Week 6 Fantasy Forecast
Ahead of each Week in MLS Fantasy the Hype Train provides its informative Fantasy Forecast, where members of the Hype Team will duel for MLS supremacy in predicting scores, as well as going head to head in picking a Scout Picks squad for the relevant round of games. In addition, we give our insight into who are the players to watch and those to drop, as well as providing insight into captaincy picks, differential players for the week, and more. Welcome to the Forecast. All aboard.
How does our Forecasting work?
The Hype Team will compete in a weekly head to head dual of wits. The 3 members of the team will provide weekly insight for the Gameweek ahead, providing score predictions, a Scout Picks squad that follows MLS Fantasy rules, and will provide what insight they can for the fixtures at hand.
MLS Fixture Prediction: As pundits, we are testing our football acumen with MLS predictions and will be providing regular updated tables and stats in each edition of the MLS Forecast. A perfect score is worth 3 points whilst a correct result is worth 1 point. An incorrect score is worth nothing.
Gameweek Insight: We've left an open space for the team to write that helps with the Gameweek hustle; identifying captaincy picks, transfers, attacking options, clean sheet potential, teams to look our for and avoid, differential players, as well as general analysis and comments.
Scout Picks: Picking a squad of 15 for a single Week, within their budget limitations, using the rules of MLS Fantasy - formations, the player limits of 3 players-per-club, and each team must pick a captain.
MLS Fantasy 2020: Week 6 Fixtures (18)
Thu 10th September 2020:
Inter Miami 0-2 Atlanta United
Minnesota United 0-1 FC Dallas
Montreal Impact 1-2 Toronto
Colorado Rapids 1-3 Houston Dynamo
Real Salt Lake 0-2 LAFC
Fri 11th September 2020:
Seattle Sounders 3-1 San Jose Earthquakes
Sat 12th September 2020:
Chicago Fire 2-2 Columbus Crew
Sun 13th September 2020:
D.C. United 0-0 NY Red Bulls
NYCFC 2-0 FC Cincinnati
Orlando City 1-0 Inter Miami
Philadelphia Union 3-2 New England Revolution
Nashville 0-2 Atlanta United
Real Salt Lake 2-0 Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas 1-1 Houston Dynamo
Mon 14th September 2020:
Sporting KC 1-0 Minnesota United
Vancouver Whitecaps 1-2 Montreal Impact
LAFC 4-1 Portland Timbers
San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 LA Galaxy
MLS Fantasy 2020: Week 6 Insight
The MLS have changed six fixtures a few days out from the games happening, which as a content creator threw a curveball into our planning, with COVID-19 and the BLM movements making the MLS unmanageable with sudden changes so close to the deadlines. After finalising our teams and content, we had to effectively start from fresh. It is so hard to keep up with MLS changes in the current climate, and broadcasters much also be frantically at odds with the MLS with sudden changes to timeslots for their content.
In truth, I have been critical about all the changes to the MLS game, and the actual football is being overshadowed with criticism of the leagues inability to manage itself. All the changes, controversy, the fixture cancellations, the adding of fixtures a day out, and the annoyance of the new MLS fantasy rules aren’t a great advert for MLS Fantasy, and us wanting to produce content on a regular balance.
Season Points & Price Increase Review:
Week 4: +$3.0mil - Points: 46 - Returns: 3
Week 5: +$3.7mil - Points: 95 - Returns: 8
So, even though there was a fifty-point difference between MW4 & MW5 the price increase was virtually the same, with a $0.7mil increase on the previous week which was a train wreck. Having a better week, with eight solid returns, I expected my team to be way, way over budget. I had a complete different team bar one or two players, and I think the reason why the price wasn’t as aggressive is that some of the players in my team such as Brooks Lennon (ATL), Zelarayan (CLB), and Tinnerholm (NYC) haven’t been consistent performers.
Now, this is the MLS problem. In just two weeks the budget increase has been $6.7mil. The price increases appear to not matter about team performances, so I expect that my team will go up by an average of $3.0mil again next week. That $6.7mil is effectively swapping out a good midfield option such as Pozuelo for an inferior choice. In two weeks, I effectively have to downgrade one player. If this is the trend, in a further four weeks, I’ll have to downgrade another two players.
What I was concerned about before the season was that the price increases were going to be a consistent thing regardless of performance, and it looks like that is happening. By MW10 most active teams will find themselves having five or six good options, and then the remainder of the team will be filled with budget options.
Captaincy Picks:
Essential: Rossi (LAFC)
Alternative: Ondrasek (DAL)
Differential: Quintero (HOU)
MLS Scout Picks Squad: Week 6
Budget: $125.0 million (fixed)
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Guzan (ATL)
DEF: Segura (LAFC)
DEF: Cannon (DAL)
DEF: Lennon (ATL)
MID: Taider (MTL)
MID: Barco (ATL)
MID: Gregus (MIN)
MID: Quintero (DAL) - (C)
FOR: Rossi (LAFC)
FOR: Elis (HOU)
FOR: Ondrasek (DAL)
Substitutes
GK: Robles (MIA)
MID: Cuello (LA)
DEF: Washington (HOU)
DEF: Washington (NSH)
MLS Fantasy 2020: Week 6 Fixtures (18)
Thu 10th September 2020:
Inter Miami 1-0 Atlanta United
Minnesota United 2-1 FC Dallas
Montreal Impact 0-0 Toronto
Colorado Rapids 1-3 Houston Dynamo
Real Salt Lake 2-1 LAFC
Fri 11th September 2020:
Seattle Sounders 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes
Sat 12th September 2020:
Chicago Fire 0-2 Columbus Crew
Sun 13th September 2020:
D.C. United 0-0 NY Red Bulls
NYCFC 2-0 FC Cincinnati
Orlando City 0-0 Inter Miami
Philadelphia Union 1-1 New England Revolution
Nashville 2-1 Atlanta United
Real Salt Lake 2-2 Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas 2-2 Houston Dynamo
Mon 14th September 2020:
Sporting KC 2-1 Minnesota United
Vancouver Whitecaps 0-1 Montreal Impact
LAFC 3-2 Portland Timbers
San Jose Earthquakes 1-2 LA Galaxy
MLS Fantasy 2020: Week 6 Insight
10 Teams have a Double Gameweek:
Minnesota: Dallas (H), Sporting KC (A)
Dallas: Minnesota (A), Houston (H)
Montreal: Toronto (H), Vancouver (A)
Colorado: Houston (H), Real Salt Lake (A)
Houston: Colorado (A), Dallas (A)
San Jose: Seattle (A), LA Galaxy (H)
Inter Miami: Atlanta (H), Orlando (A)
Atlanta: Miami (A), Nashville (A)
LAFC: Real Salt Lake (A), Portland (H)
Real Salt Lake: LAFC (H), Colorado (H)
Week 5 Review:
Points: 113
Gameweek Rank: 56
Overall Rank: 212 (of 23,281 players)
The Hype Train League Rank: 23
Week 5 was the best of the Gameweek’s this season when it comes to Double Gameweek players coming good over the course of 2 games. Reliable options in Diego Rossi and Cristian Pavon came good and my love affair with Darwin Quintero continues after he got double-digits in both of Houston’s home wins against Minnesota (3-0) and Sporting KC (2-1).
The big question marks for me still arise over the West’s big hitters – Seattle, Portland and Sporting KC, due to the geographical nature of MLS’s current fixture list, means that these competitive fixtures against one another are diminishing some Fantasy assets.
Teams to Watch / Avoid:
Inter Miami (Watch... kind of): A brace of 0-0 draws last week against Atlanta and Nashville during Week 5 highlights how Miami are progressing as a club. Bottom of the Eastern Conference with 5 points from 9 outings and just a singular win, with 6 draws to boot, shows how narrow the margins are for Diego Alonso’s side. Defensively, it might be worth putting a Miami player in ahead of another Double Gameweek, but with just 6 goals to show for their season, it’s best to avoid their attacking options until that particular corner is turned.
Columbus (Watch): Currently the best team in MLS with 23 points, The Crew have shipped just 2 goals this season and play second-bottom Chicago Fire away from home. A defensive asset, despite only playing once, appears to be essential this week and I personally have been sticking with Mensah (currently on 55 points, the best player in the game) as he is mopping up bonus points in every game.
Atlanta (Avoid): A regular feature of our Forecast articles have been about Atlanta’s inconsistency. A couple of draws against Orlando and Miami during Week 5, both games without the influential Pity Martinez, puts Orlando down the Fantasy pecking order this week as they travel twice during Week 6.
Montreal (Watch): The Canadian mini-league between Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto has been my favourite part of MLS’s return. There’s absolutely no parity with the three teams and each result is tightly contested. Vancouver beat Toronto at home 3-2 in a thriller last Sunday, with Montreal beating Toronto 1-0 a few days prior – ending Toronto’s 19-game unbeaten streak in the regular season. With two bites at the cherry, Saphir Taider and a defensive option looks the way to go with Montreal this week.
Houston Dynamo (Watch): There are goals in this Houston side and Darwin Quintero is on fire in MLS Fantasy, earning 42 of his 46 points in the Dynamo’s last 3 outings. Quintero’s selection is a no-brainer this week, even with two away games against Colorado and Dallas.
New York City FC (Watch): As a one-off fixture, NYCFC’s home fixture against Cincinnati screams clean sheet and another opportunity for Ronald Matarrita ($10.0m) to make an appearance, if you can afford the big cost!
Real Salt Lake (Avoid): There’s a lot of drama surrounding the club with owner Dell Loy Hansen putting the club up for sale. LAFC return to Utah to play the match that was postponed due to the shooting of Jacob Blake, so expect fireworks and some big back page news if RSL lose the game.
Captaincy Picks:
Essential: Diego Rossi (LAFC)
Alternative: Darwin Quintero (HOU)
Differential: Corey Baird (RSL)
Other Week 6 Comments:
Week 6 is quite tricky to navigate as most of the Double Gameweek teams are hit and miss, whilst there are some standout teams playing once (NYCFC and Columbus spring to mind).
The basis of my team will be based around the key hitters – Rossi (LAFC) and Quintero (HOU) – whilst you can make an argument for the odd option from teams I’ve not considered at all this season – Minnesota, Real Salt Lake, Colorado and San Jose.
The one area of struggle for me personally has been getting the Goalkeeper right – Joe Willis (Nashville) has outscored my keeper choice since the game’s return, so I might chop and change my mind until the deadline and put in Robles on the bench as an autoroo pick should a clean sheet materialise against Atlanta.
Mason Toye ($4.5m) might be a good value asset as an attacking outlet for Minnesota if they turn up this week, though Gregus and Molino are better placed for points returns.
MLS Scout Picks Squad: Week 6
Budget: $125.0 million (fixed)
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: L. Robles (MIA)
DEF: R. Ziegler (DAL)
DEF: J. Mensah (CLB)
DEF: Z. Valentin (HOU)
MID: S. Taider (MTL)
MID: D. Quintero (HOU)
MID: R. Pizarro (MIA)
MID: K. Molino (MIN)
FOR: D. Rossi (LAFC) - (C)
FOR: Z. Ondrasek (DAL)
FOR: R. Quioto (MTL)
Substitutes
GK: W. Yarbrough (COL)
MID: E. Finlay (MIN)
DEF: L. Gonzalez Pirez (MIA)
DEF: D. Palacios (LAFC)
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.
We pride ourselves in providing beautiful graphics, statistics, in-depth analytical reporting and free weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb rankings tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review games, live sport, and professional wrestling.
In 2019, Hype Train Football Club was formed, becoming the first Fantasy Football website to take to the field. HTFC is a socially active team across social and web channels, providing regular match highlights, match reports, comprehensive player statistics and unique player profiles.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog' in 2016 by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), and were again shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 in the 'Best Fantasy Football Blog' category.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, follow Hype Train FC on Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.
