All of the talk about the lack of goal scoring throughout the first couple of weeks of the MLS season is now a thing of the past. The best in North America’s top soccer league have really put on a show over the past few weeks with the scoreboard operators having plenty of work, which has been to the delight of fantasy draftniks.
We are far enough along in the 2015 MLS season that we can look back at the year to this point and break down the best of the best so far, so here’s a breakdown of the top five players in the MLS right now.
5. Fabian Castillo, FC Dallas
It should be no surprise that Castillo is ranked right up there with the top assist men in the league with four helpers in 11 games so far this season. The 22-year-old Colombian has been a force in the middle for FC Dallas, who is currently in first place. They’ve scored 17 goals so far this season, which is tied for the most in the MLS. Castillo’s ability to finish with goals only add to his elite skill set as a playmaking midfielder that can do it all.
4. Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
It has taken some time for the Italian international to get used to playing in the MLS but he has turned it up of late and now has four goals and four assists in nine games for Toronto. He is already up to 42 shots on the season, which is quite valuable to fantasy owners. Giovinco has all of the tools to be an elite striker in the MLS and he will only get better as he continues to get used to a new league while developing chemistry with his new teammates.
3. Obafemi Martins, Seattle Sounders
It’s certainly unfair for the rest of the league that the Sounders have two players ranked among the top three on this list but that is the case with Martins locking down the No. 3 spot. His six goals this season are one back of the league lead but the Nigerian could very well be back on top of the MLS goal scoring leaders in the near future. His unique combination of finishing ability and raw physical skills make him tough for any opposing team to contain for a full 90 minutes. It’s no surprise that Seattle is tied for the league lead with 17 goals.
2. Kei Kamara, Columbus Crew
Kamara entered the weekend tied for the MLS lead with seven goals in 10 games this season and he is the biggest reason why Columbus has been so competitive this season. There aren’t many players in the league that can match Kamara’s raw physical attributes and his finishing ability has been key for the Crew so far in 2015. Kamara doesn’t mean much room to find the back of the net and as long as he continues to produce he will deserve this spot as the No. 2 player in the MLS at this point.
1. Clint Dempsey, Seattle Sounders
Even though he has missed a couple of games this season, Dempsey has proven that he deserves the top spot in these rankings. When he’s played, he’s posted some terrific numbers, recording at least a goal or an assist in each of his last nine contests – including appearances with the US national team. He now has seven goals and four assists in eight games for Seattle this season. The combination of his physical skill set, experience and ability to pick up his level of play at the most important times in every game are what separate Dempsey from the rest of the pack as the best player in the MLS right now. There is no reason to think he will slide from this spot as long as he continues to produce.
