This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
Few MLS slates are less exciting than this one for fans of the league, but for fantasy players, there's plenty to pick from. Many of the worst defenses are playing, and the attacking options are just limited enough to force some diverse lineups. There's no template team for this slate, and we'll try to get you some interesting picks to think about as you construct your entries.MATCHES (EDT)
7:00 p.m: D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union
7:30 p.m: Toronto FC vs. New England Revolution
7:30 p.m: Montreal Impact vs. Houston Dynamo
9:00 p.m: Colorado Rapids vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
10:00 p.m: Real Salt Lake vs. Chicago Fire
ODDS REPORT
EXPECTED CORNER TAKERS
D.C. United: Lloyd Sam, Taylor Kemp, Luciano Acosta
Philadelphia Union: Tranquillo Barnetta
Toronto FC: Sebastian Giovinco
New England Revolution: Chris Tierney, Lee Nguyen
Montreal Impact: Ambroise Oyongo
Houston Dynamo: Cristian Maidana,
Colorado Rapids: Shkelzen Gashi
Vancouver Whitecaps: Christian Bolanos
Real Salt Lake: Joao Plata, Javier Morales
Chicago Fire: John Goossens
PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
GOALKEEPER
Evan Bush, Montreal Impact ($5,400): Montreal's opponent, the Houston Dynamo, has been one of the league's worst goalscoring teams this season, even after a hot start where it had 11 goals in three matches. Since then, it has scored more than one goal just twice in 18 opportunities. That's pathetic. The solution: Trade Giles Barnes, the Dynamo's best attacking threat. Houston have been shut out in three of its last four matches, and while Montreal haven't kept opponents off the score sheet lately, I'm shocked it doesn't have the best clean-sheet odds Saturday. With the Dynamo winless on the road this season, Bush is the no-brainer option, especially for those who don't want to pay $14,000 for Sebastian Giovinco.
Andre Blake, Philadelphia Union ($3,800): Those squeezing in Giovinco might not have the luxury of paying $5,400 for a keeper. If so, Andre Blake is your go-to guy. In a match featuring arguably the league's two best goalkeepers, Blake will hope to mirror his last match against DC United when he posted a three-save clean sheet. DC United have remodeled their attack since then and Philadelphia have been weak along their back line, but Blake has the other-worldly talent to keep even the best of opportunities out of the net. He's well worth the gamble for this cheap a price.
DEFENDER
Taylor Kemp, DC United ($5,400): If you're paying up for a defender this weekend, Kemp appears to be a great choice. He costs $1,300 less than Chris Tierney and $800 less than an increasingly expensive Ambroise Oyongo. With Fabian Espindola gone, Kemp makes a great case for taking at least half of the team's corner kicks thanks to his gifted left foot, and he totalled 12 crosses last match. He's arguably been DC United's best player this season. Against a Philadelphia team that hasn't defended well on the flanks, Kemp's range of outcomes is fairly promising.
Hassoun Camara, Montreal Impact ($4,000): Camara was outstanding last match, as Montreal fought to a draw in DC. He has quietly been accumulating a healthy floor with tackles won and interceptions, but he's also not shy to jump into the attack with crosses and an occasional dangerous shot or set-piece header. We noted above that Montreal's clean-sheet chances are high, but its poor attack should also allow Camara some freedom to get upfield. Keep an eye on Montreal's lineup to make sure Camara is starting at fullback, and if not you should comfortably be able to switch to his potential replacement Donny Toia.
Marcel de Jong, Vancouver Whitecaps ($3,500): De Jong is a player whose price tag is sure to rise quickly as he continues to accumulate starts with the Whitecaps. He's an athletic fullback, with the capability to play higher on the wing when called upon. With Jordan Harvey set to miss a few more weeks with an injury, and Jordan Smith sent back early from loan to Saprissa, De Jong and rookie Cole Seiler have an opportunity to make their case for more regular appearances. The price is right, and while the opponent could prove difficult, we won't be asking for many points to make value. Seiler may also start at the opposite fullback spot and is $300 cheaper, but his attacking upside is far more limited than Marcel de Jong's.
MIDFIELDER
Ignacio Piatti, Montreal Impact ($8,200): I'm tired of writing about Piatti, and you might be tired of reading about him. I bet you're not tired of him winning you money, though. Piatti remains a MVP candidate this season and will have to carry the brunt of attacking responsibilities in this match with Didier Drogba serving suspension. It's possible that Houston will be missing one or two centerback options yet again, and DaMarcus Beasley remains out, only helping Piatti's outlook. The Impact are typically impressive in front of their home crowd, where the Argentinian has put up no fewer than 18 DraftKings points in four consecutive games. In the midfield, Piatti is really only challenged by Shkelzen Gashi this week and dollar for dollar, Piatti will give a stellar and in-form Sebastian Giovinco a run for his money as the most necessary player to roster.
Luciano Acosta, DC United ($5,600): If you're not using Andre Blake in goal, DC United's midfield could prove to be a treasure trove of value. Acosta is the key playmaker and finally has his feet wet in the DC United attack. His boxscores show 10 consecutive appearances without double-digit points, but I can assure you that will not last long. Philadelphia has kept just one clean sheet (against DC) in its last six matches and has been leaking goals. With a wealth of new offensive pieces, Acosta could truly step up and pull the strings in a capable front four. If you like to stack attackers from the same team, also consider Patrick Mullins ($4,200) who is listed as a midfielder but should line up as the lone striker.
Ilsinho, Philadelphia Union ($4,300): Less than a month ago, Ilsinho had a pair of goals against DC United, Philadelphia's opponent this week. His price tag makes me willing to bet on some increased effort with that performance in the back of his mind. Philadelphia traded Sebastian Le Toux, which increases Ilsinho's chances of playing a full 90 minutes, at least until Alejandro Bedoya gets acclimated to the team. The danger with Ilsinho is that he has faded from several matches this season, but on the bright side, he's never appeared shy to put a shot toward goal. Admittedly, Roland Alberg should be the safer play from the Union, but he costs $2,200 more. Manager Jim Curtin has been pressing all of the right buttons on offense this season, and I think he gives the talented Brazilian another opportunity to shine this weekend. Savvy fantasy managers should consider doing the same.
FORWARD
Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC ($14,000): Unless you're a daily fantasy hipster like myself, you are likely doing your best to fit Giovinco under the salary cap this week. He's terrorized opponents the last handful of match weeks, and despite playing 90 minutes Wednesday, I think he does the same to New England's back line. All-Star Andrew Farrell has been playing far below even replacement level, which should make you think long and hard about what the rest of the Revolution back four are playing like. The Atomic Ant is averaging more than eight shots over his prior five matches and has four goals and four assists to show for it. With a floor that sometimes feels like it's 20 points, not even a Jozy Altidore start could mess this match up for Giovinco.
Joao Plata, Real Salt Lake ($7,900): If you're going to mistake anybody in Major League Soccer for Giovinco, it might be Joao Plata. With blazing speed and small stature, Plata shares many of the qualities that make Giovinco so exciting to watch. His shot might not be as devastating and his pedigree is on a far lower level, but Real Salt Lake's Giovinco-lite is at times nearly as un-markable. While I'm slightly concerned about Plata playing a full match Wednesday, and RSL's opponent being better rested, I'm still pretty comfortable siding with the far better team. Real Salt Lake still has the day's highest expected goal total, and with Yura Movsisyan poised to miss another match, it will be looking to Plata to produce. He's looked to be on the brink of some special performances lately, and few teams offer as good a chance to shine as Chicago.
Matteo Mancosu, Montreal Impact ($3,300): Much like Michael de Leeuw and Patrick Mullins, taking advantage of new acquisitions and their low prices is a key part of daily fantasy. If they flop in their first few appearances, we didn't invest much. If they're motivated to impress the new teammates, coaches and fans, we often get some good point totals. Mancosu has been in Montreal for about a month since being loaned from Bologna, and should get the start at forward with Didier Drogba out. He has one goal and one assist in just 52 minutes of playing time and appears to be another great addition to a Montreal team that are looking to make a run at the MLS Cup. While his talent isn't in question, his playing time in this match might be. Fortunately, we should be able to see Montreal's lineup before the first match of the slate begins, so we can adjust if teammates Michael Salazar ($4,100) and Dom Oduro ($5,200) keep Mancosu from the starting 11.
