Fantasy MLS: Saturday Cheat Sheet and Rankings

MATCHES (EDT)

5:00 p.m: Seattle Sounders v. New York City FC
7:00 p.m: D.C. United v. New England Revolution
7:00 p.m: Philadelphia Union v. Vancouver Whitecaps
7:30 p.m: Montreal Impact v. Sporting KC
7:30 p.m: Columbus Crew v. New York Red Bulls
7:30 p.m: Orlando City v. Toronto FC
8:00 p.m: FC Dallas v. Real Salt Lake
10:00 p.m: San Jose Earthquakes v. Los Angeles Galaxy

ODDS REPORT

RANKINGS

PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS

GOALKEEPER

Evan Bush, MON v. SKC ($3,900): Few of the highly priced choices appeal to me this week, but several of the cheaper keepers stand out, including Bush. The Montreal Impact host a Kansas City side that lacks any semblance of the offensive aptitude they had in 2015 with an MVP-caliber Benny Feilhaber. Dom Dwyer does enough heavy lifting to get some shots off, but there's no guarantee any are in dangerous positions. Graham Zusi is still at Copa America, too, which leaves Sporting KC with an out-of-form and undermanned group. Sure, they beat Dallas 2-0 last week, but they were held scoreless in three of the previous five. Montreal are a disciplined side, even without star defender Laurent Ciman, and Bush is a talented keeper at home and with a great price this week.

Luis Robles, NYRB at CLB ($4,200): The Red Bulls played on the road Wednesday and will do so again Saturday against Columbus, but the good news is they rested many starters in the former fixture. This team is showing plenty of signs that they're closer to the 2015 Supporters Shield winning group than their early 2016 form suggested. With Gideon Baah healthy, and recent acquisition Aurelien Collin seeming to mesh well in the back, the Red Bulls have eased concerns about the back line. They play a high pressure system that could make a Columbus team missing key players very uneasy. Robles may scare fantasy players after his minus-2 point outing midweek, but don't lose sight of the 14 or more points in the four matches before that.

DEFENDER

Ashley Cole, LAG at SJE ($4,800): It's a little strange to think that you have to scroll down on the DraftKings defender listing to find Cole. The former Invincible finally looks acclimated to Major League Soccer and is fresh off a seven-cross performance. He's shown plenty of capability in the final third so far this season, but also seems a little reserved to truly commit to attacking moves. Alan Gordon could very well start for the Galaxy, which suggests plenty of crosses from teammates. Look for Cole to pitch in with a handful of his own in this edition of the California Clasico.

RJ Allen, NYC at SEA ($3,900): Finding a credible sub-$4,000 fullback is not easy these days, but Allen gives us just that. In the slate's opening match, Allen should complement an attacking group that now includes a healthy(ish?) Frank Lampard and a promising talent in Jack Harrison. The team is playing far from New York City, but a road match to a Seattle Sounders side playing far from their best soccer isn't very concerning. With Seattle's inability to lock down the midfield, Allen could find plenty of space to get up the flank and continue to show the impressive passing and service that has kept him in the team's starting lineup.

Dylan Remick, SEA v. NYC ($3,400): Look no further than the other side of that matchup for your best cheap defensive play this week. Remick looks like he could finally be receiving healthy minutes again in Seattle and has proven to be a very capable MLS fullback. Remick picks his chances very wisely for a younger player and his stat line showed it last match with six crosses, four tackles won and two interceptions. While New York City may be trending towards an exciting attack, they haven't had many games in which they shut down opposing sides on the wing. Remick plays in the earliest match on this slate, so we'll be able to confirm his starting spot with plenty of time to spare.

MIDFIELDER

Mauro Diaz, FCD v. RSL ($9,000): There's a big decision this week in the top midfield tier: Sacha Kljestan or Diaz. While both are great choices, Diaz may be overlooked this week against Real Salt Lake sans-Kyle Beckerman thanks to some recent ho-hum performances and the frequent "rests" he frustrates fantasy players by receiving. Don't be fooled, though, as a fresh and fit Diaz is one of the most feared things in MLS. Look for Dallas to attack a vulnerable Real Salt Lake back line with their speed and smart runs, letting Diaz pull the strings as few others can. Kljestan may be the safer pick, but Diaz is just as capable of thriving and saves you a few pennies.

Cristian Techera, VAN at PHI ($7,400): The cat is out of the bag with Techera, as his price continues to creep towards the highest tier of midfielders. While he's not quite the playmaker or the scorer we'd want for a top-shelf selection, he's almost guaranteed to grab a half-dozen crosses. His opponent, the Philadelphia Union played midweek and are still batting well above their average. Vincent Noguiera recently left the Union and Vancouver should be able to find holes in a midfield that will need time to adjust. Looks for Techera to achieve more than his recent attacking stats (sans crosses) suggest he is capable of this weekend.

Roland Alberg, PHI v. VAN ($3,800): I mention Alberg not to pretend I have unearthed a gem, but for the benefit of those who haven't been paying attention to MLS while Copa America and the European Championship are ongoing. Alberg is fresh off a midweek hat trick, and 44-point DraftKings haul. In the Union's prior match, he scored a game-winner. Jim Curtin removing Alberg in the 77th minute may suggest another start, as the Dutch talent begins to solidify the spot many thought he had locked up as soon as he was signed in the offseason. A majority of our opponents will likely look to Alberg, but this probably isn't the week to run away from the obvious value play.

FORWARD

David Villa, NYC at SEA ($10,500): Villa is really neck and neck with Sebastian Giovinco these days as a fantasy MLS standout. While Giovinco gets much of the attention and lip service, Villa continues to rain shots towards opposing goals with seven, 10 and nine shots in his last three matches, respectively. He's been scoring plenty, too, but not quite at the rate his shot totals suggest we could see. It's an absolute joy to watch Villa work harder than 99 percent of the other aging stars who have ever signed an MLS contract, each and every week. It's usually just as enjoyable to see his work translate to daily fantasy sides, and I don't doubt this week in Seattle will be any different.

Maxi Urruti, FCD v. RSL ($6,700): This pick requires a considerable climb out onto a limb, as Urruti has been off many fantasy radars for months. He has just two points in four of his previous five appearances. That said, Urruti should benefit greatly from FC Dallas being back to full strength. The Argentine suits this Dallas side, making runs all over the attacking third and getting into dangerous spots to both set up a teammate and score on his own. He's not going to overpower any defense, even RSL's, and he's not going to rattle off eight shots, but he can chip in with a good fantasy outing on a roster that needs a moderately priced option. Few will own Urruti, but if we believe Dallas can take care of RSL, surely their forward is worth a look.

Emmanuel Boateng, LAG v. SJE ($4,700): Despite the production not being there, I continue to look to Boateng as a viable fantasy option in Los Angeles. His speed is off the charts, and the talent around him is considerable even when some of the team's stars are missing. Bruce Arena is letting Boateng get significant minutes at just 22 years old, and he's already shown some serious growth this year. Playing at home, San Jose will try to be on the front foot, helping Boateng to get some looks on the counter. You're not going to get a mammoth output from him this week, but he has a great chance to make value if you're looking to spend on other positions.