MLS Fantasy is back! With a thrilling Leagues Cup coming to an end, it’s back to business with just eight rounds to go in MLS Fantasy.
There are several new high-profile names in the player pool, and while I expect some to be key contributors down the stretch, I’m taking a “wait-and-see” approach before they earn a spot on my fantasy team.
Let’s get right back into it and hit on the top plays and values to target in Round 23.
Teams on a BYE: CLB, COL, PHI, LAFC, VAN
Get more advice on the MLS Fantasy Insider Round 23 preview podcast.
Goalkeepers
Matt Freese and New York City FC boast some of the best clean sheet odds on the board this week. Facing a Chicago Fire unit that has scored just twice in their last four games, I’m counting on NYCFC to ride the momentum from their Leagues Cup run to a strong showing in a favorable home game at Citi Field.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Matt Freese | NYC | vs. CHI | $8.0 |
2. Steve Clark | HOU | vs. TOR | $7.3 |
3. Joe Willis | NSH | vs. ATX | $7.0 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Alex Bono | DC | vs. DAL | $4.0 |
Defenders
Julian Gressel’s impressive run of seven straight games with a goal or an assist came to an end in Round 22. Gressel continues to play higher up the field and stands over a share of Inter Miami’s set pieces, giving us added attacking firepower as a defender in MLS Fantasy. As a mostly boom-or-bust play, a viable strategy is to use Gressel off the bench and see how the early slate plays out before locking his score into your lineup.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Julian Gressel | MIA | vs. CIN | $8.7 |
2. Griffin Dorsey | HOU | vs. TOR | $6.6 |
3. Thiago Martins | NYC | vs. CHI | $9.2 |
4. Walker Zimmerman | NSH | vs. ATX | $8.0 |
5. Jordi Alba | MIA | vs. CIN | $10.5 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Aaron Herrera | DC | vs. DAL | $5.5 |
2. Shaq Moore | NSH | vs. ATX | $5.5 |
Midfielders
The LA Galaxy’s three-headed monster of Riqui Puig, Joseph Paintsil, and Gabriel Pec ran roughshod in Round 22. The lethal threesome combined for five goals, five assists, and 70 fantasy points, and now they have more attacking firepower to add to the mix with the addition of German midfielder Marco Reus. Puig has topped double-digit fantasy points in four of his last six appearances, making him a prime candidate to wear the captain’s armband on Saturday.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Riqui Puig | LA | vs. ATL | $15.1 |
2. Hany Mukhtar | NSH | vs. ATX | $12.1 |
3. Carles Gil | NE | at MTL | $14.3 |
4. Joseph Paintsil | LA | vs. ATL | $10.5 |
5. Luciano Acosta | CIN | at MIA | $16.5 |
6. Héctor Herrera | HOU | vs. TOR | $11.5 |
7. Santiago Moreno | POR | vs. STL | $10.5 |
8. Marco Reus | LA | vs. ATL | $10.0 |
9. Santiago Rodríguez | NYC | vs. CHI | $11.0 |
10. Erik Thommy | SKC | vs. ORL | $10.3 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Eryk Williamson | POR | vs. STL | $5.0 |
2. Pedro Santos | DC | vs. DAL | $6.1 |
3. Jacob Shaffelburg | NSH | vs. ATX | $6.5 |
Forwards
Cristian Arango is in a good spot to add to his league-leading 17 goals against San Jose on Saturday. He comes in fresh after serving a four-match suspension, and Chicho will be salivating to feast on an Earthquakes defense that has conceded a league-worst 61 goals on the season.
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Cristian Arango | RSL | vs. SJ | $15.8 |
2. Gabriel Pec | LA | vs. ATL | $13.7 |
3. Jonathan Rodríguez | POR | vs. STL | $13.2 |
4. Christian Benteke | DC | vs. DAL | $11.1 |
5. Luis Suárez | MIA | vs. CIN | $12.8 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Iuri Tavares | CLT | vs. RBNY | $4.7 |
2. Paul Arriola | DAL | at DC | $5.6 |
Player | Team | Opponent | Price |
1. Cristian Arango | RSL | vs. SJ | $15.8 |
2. Riqui Puig | LA | vs. ATL | $15.1 |
3. Gabriel Pec | LA | vs. ATL | $13.7 |
MLS Pick’em Round 23
Playing MLS Pick’em is simple. Pick the correct answer to all the questions in a round, and you could to a 2024 MLS regular-season match!
Pick’em advice:
- Pick 1: Who is going to win? Nashville SC vs. Austin FC
Nashville SC – New Nashville SC coach B.J. Callaghan will look to notch his first win against an Austin FC side that have struggled on the road and are winless in three straight MLS matches. Including Leagues Cup, Nashville are winless in eight consecutive games. This one sets up as a good “get right” game as Nashville make a push for a playoff spot down the stretch.
- Pick 3: Who is going to score first? Dejan Joveljic (LA) or Daniel Ríos (ATL)
None – It’s not a given that both players in question are in the starting XI, and there’s a possibility that they don’t play at all. Joveljic is still recovering from a hamstring injury and Ríos seems to be cooling off with just a single goal on four shots total over his last three league outings. Joveljic has missed three straight while Ríos moved back to the bench last game. If the stars align, “None” is a borderline free square here.
