Fantasy Soccer Advice

MLS Fantasy Week 27 positional rankings and gaming advice

Kai Wagner Fantasy

Four teams play twice in Round 27 of MLS Fantasy, forcing fantasy managers to decide if itā€™s worth it to load up on double-game-week players or roll with the tried-and-true point producers. With just three rounds to play, including next weekā€™s colossal DGW, now is the time to get locked in for a final push up the leaderboards. Letā€™s get right into it and look at the top plays and values at each position.

Get more advice on the _MLS Fantasy Insider Round 27 preview_ podcast

Goalkeepers

Andre Blake collected his first clean sheet in eight tries in Saturdayā€™s 0-0 draw with LAFC and heā€™ll look to carry that momentum into Round 27 with a home game vs. FC Dallas on Wednesday before going on the road to face Columbus over the weekend. If youā€™re looking to save at the GK position, consider Marko Ilic ā€“ who is the only goalkeeper with two home games this week and would allow you to use three Philadelphia field players to maximize point potential.

Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Andre Blake
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$8.0
2. Maarten Paes
DAL

at PHI, at HOU

$7.0
3. Maxime CrƩpeau
LAFC

vs. RSL

$6.6
4. Carlos Coronel
RBNY

vs. CHI

$6.8
5. Pedro Gallese
ORL
vs. MTL
$8.2
Value Goalkeepers
Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Marko Ilic
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$6.2
2. Yohei Takaoka
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$6.0
3. Earl Edwards Jr.
NE
vs. CLT
$5.8

Defenders

Kai Wagner came away with 11 points in Saturdayā€™s shutout of LAFC, and he stands out as the best defender with two games on the schedule this week. Thereā€™s reason for hesitation considering heā€™s one yellow card away from suspension, but if he can avoid any hiccups on Wednesday, Wagner is the type of player that could return big dividends from point contributions on both ends of the field. Heā€™s averaging over 14 fantasy points per round in six previous DGWā€™s this season, putting him in captain consideration as a risky differential play.

Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Kai Wagner
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$11.7
2. Richie Laryea
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$9.1
3. Jack Elliott
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$7.6
4. Andreas MaxsĆø
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$8.2
5. Damion Lowe
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$8.8
6. Keegan Rosenberry
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$7.4
7. Ranko Veselinovic
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$8.4
8. John Tolkin
RBNY
vs. CHI
$10.1
9. Marco Farfan
DAL
at PHI, at HOU
$6.4
10. Ɓlvaro Barreal
CIN
at TOR
$11.3


Value Defenders
Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Nathan Harriel
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$5.9
2. Lalas Abubakar
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$5.8
3. Ali Ahmed
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$5.8


Midfielders

Ryan Gauld notched his 10th assist of the campaign in Saturdayā€™s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake, marking the first time in his career that heā€™s hit double-digit goals and assists. With two matches in hand this round, including one at home against a D.C. United side that shipped five goals over the weekend, look for Gauld to continue to play an integral role in Vancouverā€™s attack down the stretch.

Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Ryan Gauld
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$13.7
2. DƔniel Gazdag
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$11.6
3. Connor Ronan
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$9.7
4. Alan Velasco
DAL
at PHI, at HOU
$7.1
5. Carles Gil
NE
vs. CLT
$14.2
6. Paul Arriola
DAL
at PHI, at HOU
$6.7
7. Emanuel Reynoso
MIN
vs. SJ
$10.7
8. Hany Mukhtar
NSH
vs. SEA
$12.9
9. Luciano Acosta
CIN
at TOR
$14.7
10. Riqui Puig
LA
vs. POR
$12.0
11. HĆ©ctor Herrera
HOU
vs.DAL
$11.5
12. Eduard Lƶwen
STL
vs. SKC
$11.1

13. Cristian Espinoza

SJ
at MIN
$13.1
14. Facundo Torres
ORL
vs. MTL
$11.3
15. TomƔs Chancalay
NE
vs. CLT
$8.8
16. Frankie Amaya
RBNY
vs. CHI
$8.2
17. Facundo FarĆ­as
MIA
vs. NYC
$8.4
18. SebastiƔn Driussi
ATX
at COL
$10.2
19. Diego Rossi
CLB
vs. PHI
$9.8
20. Diego Fagundez
LA
vs. POR

$7.9


Value Midfielders
Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Cole Bassett
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$5.8
2. JesĆŗs Bueno
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$4.2
3. Paxton Pomykal
DAL

at PHI, at HOU

$5.3

Forwards

JesĆŗs Ferreira has made his mark on the scoresheet in three of his last four appearances, planting him high on the radar with two bites at the apple this round. FC Dallas play both matches on the road, and while Philadelphia present a stiff test, Ferreira should see plenty of chances at Houston over the weekend as they may exhaust everything they have in Wednesdayā€™s US Open Cup Final.

Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. JesĆŗs Ferreira
DAL
at PHI, at HOU
$9.3
2. Diego Rubio
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$8.5
3. Brian White
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$10.3
4. Mikael Uhre
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$7.1
5. Jader Obrian
DAL
at PHI, at HOU
$6.1
6. DĆ©nis Bouanga
LAFC
vs. RSL
$11.8
7. Cucho HernƔndez
CLB
vs. PHI
$12.5
8. Teemu Pukki
MIN
vs. SJ
$9.8
9. Carlos Vela
LAFC
vs. RSL
$10.6
10. Aaron Boupendza
CIN
at TOR
$9.2


Value Forwards
1. Calvin Harris
COL
vs. VAN, vs. ATX
$5.0
2. Giacomo Vrioni
NE
vs. CLT
$6.0
3. Talles Magno
NYC
at MIA
$4.3
Captain
Player
Team
Opponent
Price
1. Ryan Gauld
VAN
at COL, vs. DC
$13.7
2. Kai Wagner
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$11.7
3. DƔniel Gazdag
PHI
vs. DAL, at CLB
$11.6

MLS Squad Pick

Playing MLS Squad Pick is quick and easy. Pick 5 players for your squad. If they all score in the same matchday, you could win a $160 MLSstore.com gift card!

Donā€™t forget, each round you play gives you one (1) entry into the end-of-season Grand Prize drawing for $10,000!

Expert advice

  • Hany Mukhtar has two goals and two assists over his last three appearances, and heā€™s currently tied atop the Golden Boot presented by Audi leaderboard with 15 goals on the season. Look for the reigning league Landon Donovan MLS MVP to continue to be a big threat around the goal at home against Seattle.
  • Brian White has emerged as Vancouverā€™s primary scoring threat, and, with 12 goals, heā€™s on the brink of a career-best season. Heā€™s in prime position to find the net again in a cushy home matchup against a D.C. United defense that conceded five goals last weekend.
  • Carles Gil has found his goalscoring form, bagging twice across New Englandā€™s last three games. A home match against Charlotte FC presents a good opportunity for Gil to keep it rolling as the Revs jockey for Audi MLS Cup Playoffs positioning down the stretch.
  • Teemu Pukki has scored a goal in four of his last five appearances, firing off four shots in three straight. With Minnesota United currently just two points back of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, we can expect Pukki to continue to lead the line as the Loons make a postseason push.
  • DĆ©nis Bouanga is one goal back in the Golden Boot standings, and heā€™s the type of striker that rack up goals in a hurry. He was rested ahead of Wednesdayā€™s Campeones Cup and only played one half in Saturdayā€™s 0-0 draw at Philadelphia, but I fully expect him to be back among the goal scorers at home against Real Salt Lake on Sunday.

Check out my squad for Round 34:

round 34 squad pick

MLS Parlay Predictor

Playing MLS Parlay Predictor is simple. Pick the results of all 6 games correctly in a single matchday, and you could win a 2023 MLS Season Pass full-season subscription on Apple TV!

Each round you predict gives you one (1) entry into the end-of-season Grand Prize drawing for $10,000!

Expert advice:

  • NYCFC are unbeaten in five straight matches (3W-0L-2D) and have won seven of eight all-time meetings with Inter Miami, with just one loss.
  • After dropping the inaugural encounter with Charlotte FC in 2022, the Revs have won three straight, including the 2023 season opener.
  • FC Dallas have a slight edge in the history of the Texas Derby with the Houston Dynamo (14W-13L-8D).
  • The Portland Timbers have won four straight MLS matches and are unbeaten in their last three contests with LA Galaxy (1W-0L-2D).
  • LAFC have won seven straight games against Real Salt Lake in MLS regular season play.

Check out my predictions for Round 34:

round 34 parlay predictor