This article is part of our MLS Fantasy Strategies series.
Round 16 of MLS Fantasy Manager has just two teams playing twice, but things get a bit complicated from a roster standpoint, as they are both off in Round 18, when eight teams (Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, Philadelphia Union and San Jose Earthquakes are the others) will go without a league match. As a result, fantasy managers who are considering going heavy for this weekend's games need to make sure they're well prepared for the impending empty matches.| DGW Teams | Sat-Sun | Wed |
| New York City FC | v. New York Red Bulls | at New England Revolution |
| New England Revolution | at Montreal Impact | v. New York City FC |
FORWARDS
David Villa ($12.0m)
Villa leads Major League Soccer in goals (11), shots (99) and shots on target (42), including two goals, 21 shots and 11 shots on target in his last three games. His salary is tied for the highest in MLS Fantasy, which is why he's only owned by 34.1 percent of managers, but with two matches this game week he's a must-play, even with one match being the Hudson River Derby, which has been far from friendly for the NYC side.
MIDFIELDERS
Lee Nguyen, ($11.8m)
Nguyen has an assist in four of his last five games, scoring 49 fantasy points over that span. New England has a tough rough match at Montreal to start their double game week, but they host NYC FC to close it out, followed by a home game against Columbus in Round 17, which could make plenty of people jump on the Nguyen wagon. But again, the Revs are off in Round 18, which means Nguyen will move to the fantasy bench or be transferred out quickly.
Jack Harrison ($5.6m)
Harrison, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, has started each of the last three games, a pretty significant situation with David Villa, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo around him to take pressure off and create space. Harrison himself has shown some nifty play of late, and his reduced salary is extremely helpful to fill other roster spots.
GOALKEEPERS AND DEFENDERS
If you're searching for clean sheet bonus points during the double game week, you should probably just give up on the idea. NYC FC and the Revs have allowed the most and second-most goals in the Eastern Conference, and while the former just posted a shutout against the Sounders in Seattle, there's little reason to think they'll be able to do the same to the Red Bulls, who beat them 7-0 earlier this season. The NYC FC v. Revs game could be easier if there is some squad rotation, but even then the defenses shouldn't be markedly improved.
Complicating matters, the Revs appear to have a goalkeeper competition, with Brad Knighton ($5.0m) offering a discount over Bobby Shuttleworth ($5.6m), but with neither playing particularly well, it's possible each gets a start during the DGW, which negates the strategy of getting one for two games.
