The MLS schedule for Saturday night is loaded with five games on the board and each of them featuring teams that are in the race for a playoff spot. At this point in the season, there is no doubt that playoff position matters and we feel we have found the perfect balance between star talent and value bargain plays. Here is a look at our optimal lineup for Saturday’s DraftKings MLS fantasy leagues.
GK: Adam Kwarasey, Portland
Salary: $5,300
Portland is coming off consecutive clean sheet wins and they will have the potential to pull out another one on Saturday against Real Salt Lake. Kwarasey has been a rock in goal for the Timbers with three saves in each of his last two shutouts, so it only makes sense to back to him in this spot. You’re getting him at a pretty decent price for a goalkeeper on a team that’s looking to continue their climb in the Western Conference.
D: Jack Jewsbury, Portland
Salary: $3,800
Sticking with the theme of the Timbers playing so well defensively and battling for important points in the playoff race, we will go back to Portland for a value defender play in Jewsbury. He hasn’t had the same fantasy impact as some of his fellow teammates but he is available at under $4K and that makes him a valuable play for us in this spot.
D: Kendall Waston, Vancouver
Salary: $3,600
Speaking of teams that have really played well of late, the streaking Whitecaps own the best record in the Western Conference after stringing together three straight wins. They have an excellent chance to keep it going against Sporting KC on Saturday. As is the case with Jewsbury, Waston is available at the right price and that makes it an easy decision to make him our second defender.
M: Pedro Morales, Vancouver
Salary: $8,700
Morales has been one of the most consistent MLS midfielders all season and while his four goals and four assists don’t jump off the chart, he has played an integral role in Vancouver’s success and will be crucial to their performance against Sporting KC this weekend. Morales probably should have better numbers at this point in the season but that makes us feel more comfortable about buying in with him for Saturday.
M: Michael Bradley, Toronto
Salary: $5,600
Last week we plugged in Bradley as a bargain play in the midfield and he rewarded us with a goal and three shots in a 3-1 loss to Sporting KC, so let’s go back to the wishing well. Toronto FC is playing with a sense of urgency as they try to avoid falling further down the Eastern Conference standings. Bradley plays a key role in Toronto’s midfield and is an absolute steal at under $6K.
F: Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls
Salary: $11,500
The Red Bulls are coming off another win over NYCFC but they still have some significant ground to make up on DC United at the top of the Eastern Conference. That makes this game against TFC important for them as well. Toronto has had no trouble scoring goals but they have had trouble keeping them out, so look for Wright-Phillips to do some damage as the most expensive player on our roster.
F: Will Bruin, Houston
Salary: $7,200
Houston enters this week sitting one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference and they get the opportunity to move a little closer to a playoff spot against New England on Saturday. Bruin isn’t an elite goal scorer but he is a solid option for our second striker spot. He comes in at a reasonable price, which we need since we have to have enough money left over to add a decent player at the FLEX position.
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FLEX: London Woodberry, New England
Salary: $4,000
With just over $4K left over, we are left plugging in the player with the highest possible upside. In this case, that is the Revolution defender Woodberry, who has been fairly consistent all season. New England will give the Dynamo all that they can handle and Woodberry will probably produce the best fantasy stat line out of all the players we can afford with the money we have left to use on the FLEX position.
