The 2016 MLS playoffs kick off on Wednesday with an opening round doubleheader. First up, Toronto FC hosts the Philadelphia Union and then it’s the LA Galaxy clashing with Real Salt Lake. While the regular season gives us a strong body of work to based our MLS fantasy picks off we will also take everything with a grain of salt with an understanding that everything resets now that the postseason has arrived. The price tags on several different players have reset and we are basing our choices in large part on the two teams we think will win their matchups. Here is a look at our optimal lineup for Wednesday’s DraftKings MLS Fantasy Leagues.
GK: Clint Irwin, Toronto FC
Salary: $5,500
Philadelphia hasn’t won a game since a 2-0 win over Sporting KC back in late August and we aren’t expecting their current drought to end when they visit Toronto FC on Wednesday night. This will be TFC’s first home playoff game and the crowd will be absolutely electric by the time the game starts. Irwin has been solid for Toronto all season and we have locked him in as the top goalkeeper option on the board for Wednesday night.
D: Ashley Cole, LA Galaxy
Salary: $4,200
The Galaxy experienced a bit of a tail off towards the end of the season but rebounded with a win and a draw to close out the season and should benefit from the home advantage with Real Salt Lake in town on Wednesday. RSL hasn’t won a game since a 2-1 victory over Colorado in late August so we have the Galaxy pegged to win and advance. Cole has quietly put together a solid season with LA and he is available at a reasonable enough price to take him in DraftKings competitions on Wednesday night.
D: Drew Moor, Toronto FC
Salary: $3,900
Our first choice would have been to roll Justin Morrow as our top option from TFC but his price on DraftKings skyrocketed to $6.1K and that is much higher than we were willing to spend on a defender. Moor makes the most sense as the top alternative based on his price tag and the fact that he has shown flashes of offensive potential throughout the season.
M: Sebastian Lletget, LA Galaxy
Salary: $5,600
Llettget is an intriguing play for Wednesday based on the potential value he provides at under $6K. Lletget finished third behind only Giovani dos Santos and Steven Gerrard in terms of assists with eight for the Galaxy so he could be a sneaky good play for Wednesday’s contests.
M: Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC
Salary: $4,500
Osorio scored an outstanding goal in TFC’s regular season finale and could be primed for another strong performance in their first home playoff game. The Canadian midfielder will be looking to make an impact and at under $5K he is definitely worth taking a chance on in this spot.
F: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
Salary: $14,300
Giovinco finished the regular season with a ridiculous 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points and now he gets the opportunity to make his mark in the postseason in Toronto’s first-ever home playoff game. Giovinco could absolutely go off against the Union in this game so we are willing to spend a little more money to lock him in as the top forward option on the MLS fantasy board for Wednesday night.
F: Yura Movsisyan, Real Salt Lake
Salary: $7,400
While we like Toronto and LA to win their respective games, RSL could push the Galaxy hard in their Western Conference matchup with Movsisyan among the keys to their attack. Movsisyan tied Joao Plata for the team lead with nine goals this season and at such a reasonable price he is worth taking a chance on to deliver a strong performance as our second forward for Wednesday night’s DraftKings contest.
FLEX: Jeff Larentowicz, LA Galaxy
Salary: $3,900
Larentowicz isn’t a flashy option by any means but after locking in a couple of star forwards in Giovinco and Movsisyan he represents the selection with the highest upside of the players we can still afford with our remaining cap space. Larentowicz isn’t an elite option by any means but he could still be a strong MLS fantasy sleeper pick if he finds a way to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
