MLS Fantasy 2019: Week 13 Captaincy Picks
Picking a Captain to double down on in MLS Fantasy is the most important choice ahead of each round of games for players around the world. There's a lot of self-help out there for MLS enthusiasts, with our Hype Team providing three major consideration for the armband for each and every week. We'll be detailing the popular choice for captain, a few alternative picks in case Plan A doesn't go to plan, and a Wildcard pick of our choosing to add to the chaos. All aboard.
MLS Fantasy: Week 13 Deadline
For the 2019 MLS Fantasy season there is a 'Rolling Lockout', which means you can make substitutions and transfers until the second a player's game kicks off, which means you can chop and change your lineup as any Week progresses.
Captaincy in MLS Fantasy
There are a few differences with picking a captain in MLS compared to playing other games such as FPL. The major element to note with our Captaincy article is that for the 2019 we will have one major essential pick, decided by a poll, as well as a series of alternatives in case your original pick doesn't go to plan, and a wildcard selection who might prove to be a worthwhile differential
We've listed the differences below that make captaincy in MLS Fantasy unique:
- With the Rolling Lockout, you can change your captain until the selected captaincy pick plays
- Once the team your captaincy pick takes to the field, you can no longer change your captain
- If your captaincy pick doesn't play, then you'll end up with nothing
- There is no option to select a vice captain
Week 13: Essential Captaincy Pick
Our essential captaincy picks is voted on by members of our community on Twitter over at @HypeTrainMLS. We pit four popular choices against each other to see who wins the popular vote.
Fixture: Montreal Impact (H)
Player: Carlos Vela (LAFC)
Position: Forward
Player Price: $14.9 million
Gameweek 12 came and gone, and the results of the weekend already sealed our written articles for the week to come. Our captaincy poll ahead of Week 13 features Double Gameweek options from New York Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps, and one exception, though the exception just happens to be Carlos Vela, the runaway leader in goals in MLS this season.
LAFC were part of the extended Double Gameweek during Week 12, with Bob Bradley's picking up 4 points in back-to-back games against Dallas. Carlos Vela scored 2 of LA's 3 goals in the last week and even missed a penalty in the away 1-1 draw in Dallas.
With 14 appearances on the board so far, Vela is matching his games with goals, having notched 14, only failing to score in 3 matches this season. Vela is also averaging an assist every other game.
In MLS Fantasy, Vela was not only the first player to reach 100 points this season, but as of last week the Mexican international reached 150 points without any other players even reaching 100 yet. Toronto's Alejandro Pozuelo at one stage had reached the 100 mark, in just 10 appearances, but was sent off for a straight red card offence in a 3-0 loss to Real Salt Lake.
With Vela dominating the captaincy ranks again, even the few that commented on our poll are all in universal agreement: it's just impossible to overlook Vela as captain this week, especially as New York Bulls have proven to be an inconsistent side this season, flush with rotation.
Montreal are LAFC's opponents, but that doesn't really matter, as quality players like Vela can score in any fixture, though Montreal have kept 6 clean sheets this season, including against a resolute New England Revolution side last weekend, that might prove to be a barrier to a big haul for Vela.
He's our pick, he'll probably be your pick, and there's no sign of this locomotive engine of Fantasy points slowing down anytime soon.
Week 13: Alternative Captaincy Picks
We don't have one specific alternative captain, but a few choices for consideration. This method bodes well with the flexible approach of MLS Fantasy of being able to chop and change your decision until the minute before a game.
Double Gameweek considerations...
The top picks from New York Red Bulls this week are midfielder choices, as RBNY are currently lacking a focal point in attack from a Fantasy perspective. With rotation likely, MLS Fantasy players will most likely settle with Daniel Royer ($8.4m) and Marc Rzatkowski ($9.2m) as their Double Gameweek cavalry.
Central midfielder, Rzatkowski, is the pricier option of the duo, but is averaging 6 points-per-game from midfield, compared to Royer's 5.5 points-per-game. Royer has 2 goals and 4 assists, whilst Rzatkowski has a goal and 2 assists this season, so it's clear that 26 bonus points are propping up Rzatkowski's appeal, whilst Royer is more reliant on attacking returns (6).
Vancouver are in the realm of being wildcard options this week due to their typically low ownership, with their main Fantasy outlets likely to be midfielder, Hwang In-beom ($7.1m) and Fredy Montero ($8.0m). Hwang is a lively attacking midfielder who will tick over with 4-6 points-per-game, whilst Montero, Vancouver's penalty taker and central Forward, has 2 goals in his last 4 games, and even though doesn't favour well in fixtures at The Red Bulls and at home to Dallas.
Single Gameweek considerations...
If, like us, you're a little sceptical about captaincy options from New York Red Bulls or Vancouver Whitecaps, you don't have to look far to potential alternatives.
Houston Dynamo travel away from home and go to Allianz Field to take on a Minnesota side who are unbeaten on home soil this season, and of course this means that Darwin Quintero ($10.6m) is one top nominee. At an affordable price with price inflation kicking in, Quintero is in a big downturn of form, managing just 2 goals (in the same game no less) in 7 matches, blanking in the remaining 6. With a good home fixture against a side who have historically struggled on the road, Quintero is one to look out for, just in case.
Orlando City were rampant against Cincinnati in a 5-1 victory, with Nani ($11.2m) wishing what could have been. Having missed the last 2 fixtures, the Midfielder played 66 minutes and managed just 2 points in City's rout, though having come back from injury recently, the win was the perfect opportunity to get back into top gear ahead of an important clash at home against LA Galaxy. Like Quintero, Nani is set-piece king at Orlando right now and has the opportunity to be the star man on show as Zlatan Ibrahimovic won't feature this weekend.
With Atlanta United in a good vein of form, Frank De Boer's side were humbled in a 1-0 away loss to New York Red Bulls, a result in recent years that Atlanta are familiar with at Red Bull Arena, though with Josef Martinez ($9.9m) on the road to Real Salt Lake, the Forward might just be the second-best option in attack this season. 4 goals and 2 assists in 7 matches and with 5 clean sheets in 6 matches, Atlanta look the likely target for Fantasy players across the park.
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All aboard.
