MLS Fantasy 2019: Week 18 Fantasy Forecast
Ahead of each Week in MLS Fantasy the Hype Train provides its informative Fantasy Forecast, where members of the Hype Team will duel for MLS supremacy in predicting scores, as well as going head to head in picking a Scout Picks squad for the relevant round of games. In addition, we give our insight into who are the players to watch and those to drop, as well as providing insight into captaincy picks, differential players for the week, and more. Welcome to the Forecast. All aboard.
MLS Fantasy: Week 18 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.
How does our Forecasting work?
The Hype Team will compete in a weekly head to head dual of wits. The 3 members of the team will provide weekly insight for the Gameweek ahead, providing score predictions, a Scout Picks squad that follows MLS Fantasy rules, and will provide what insight they can for the fixtures at hand.
MLS Fixture Prediction: As pundits, we are testing our football acumen with MLS predictions and will be providing regular updated tables and stats in each edition of the MLS Forecast. A perfect score is worth 3 points whilst a correct result is worth 1 point. An incorrect score is worth nothing.
Blank Box: We've left an open space for the team to write that helps with the Gameweek hustle; identifying captaincy picks, transfers, attacking options, clean sheet potential, teams to look our for and avoid, differential players, as well as general analysis and comments.
Scout Picks: Picking a squad of 15 for a single Week, within their budget limitations, using the rules of MLS Fantasy - formations, the player limits of 3 players-per-club, and each team must pick a captain.
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 18
NYCFC 2-0 Seattle Sounders
Orlando City 2-2 Philadelphia Union
Chicago Fire 0-3 Atlanta United
Minnesota United 0-0 San Jose Earthquakes
Sporting KC 0-3 LAFC
Houston Dynamo 4-1 New York Red Bulls
Real Salt Lake 2-1 Columbus Crew
Colorado Rapids 1-1 New England Revolution
FC Dallas 1-2 D.C. United
LA Galaxy 1-1 Toronto
Philadelphia Union 2-0 Orlando City
FC Cincinnati 0-2 Houston Dynamo
Columbus Crew 1-2 Seattle Sounders
Montreal Impact 1-0 Minnesota United
Sporting KC 1-0 Chicago Fire
LAFC 4-0 Vancouver Whitecaps
San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 Real Salt Lake
Atlanta United 2-0 New York Red Bulls
NYCFC 2-1 Portland Timbers
MLS Fantasy: Week 18 Insight
It has been a terribly long time since I have had Carlos Vela in my life, and I was actually in disbelief that Vela wasn’t picked for Mexico’s Gold Cup team. Vela is the most in-form player who plays on the American continents.
Watching the Premier League we understand why Raul Jimenez was picked after an outstanding season with Wolves, but come on, Vela was the best player in the America's and he isn’t representing. Their loss is our gain for this Gameweek, and I don’t really need to know who LAFC are playing, I just know Vela is the best player that side of the world right now.
MLS Fantasy Scout Picks: Gameweek 18
Overall Squad Value: $102.6 million
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Stuver (NYC)
DEF: Beitashour (LAFC)
DEF: Thompson (SJ)
DEF: Matarrita (NYC)
MID: Atuesta (LAFC)
MID: Vako (LAFC)
MID: Monteiro (PHI)
MID: Tajouri-Shradi (NYC)
FOR: Vela (LAFC) - (C)
FOR: Przybylko
FOR: Manotas (HOU)
Substitutes
GK: Kempin (CLB)
DEF: Hasler (SKC)
DEF: Keita (CLB)
MID: Zambrano (POR)
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 18
NYCFC 2-1 Seattle Sounders
Orlando City 2-2 Philadelphia Union
Chicago Fire 3-2 Atlanta United
Minnesota United 1-2 San Jose Earthquakes
Sporting KC 1-4 LAFC
Houston Dynamo 1-1 New York Red Bulls
Real Salt Lake 1-0 Columbus Crew
Colorado Rapids 1-1 New England Revolution
FC Dallas 1-2 D.C. United
LA Galaxy 2-3 Toronto
Philadelphia Union 3-1 Orlando City
FC Cincinnati 2-2 Houston Dynamo
Columbus Crew 1-2 Seattle Sounders
Montreal Impact 2-1 Minnesota United
Sporting KC 3-1 Chicago Fire
LAFC 2-0 Vancouver Whitecaps
San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 Real Salt Lake
Atlanta United 1-1 New York Red Bulls
NYCFC 3-1 Portland Timbers
MLS Fantasy: Week 18 Insight
14 teams have a Double Gameweek:
1) NYCFC: Seattle (H), Portland (H)
2) Seattle: NYCFC (A), Columbus (A)
3) Orlando: Philadelphia (H), Philadelphia (A)
4) Philadelphia: Orlando (A), Orlando (H)
5) Chicago: Atlanta (H), Sporting KC (A)
6) Atlanta: Chicago (A), NY Red Bulls (H)
7) Minnesota: San Jose (H), Montreal (A)
8) San Jose: Minnesota (A), Real Salt Lake (H)
9) Sporting KC: LAFC (H), Chicago (H)
10) LAFC: Sporting KC (A), Vancouver (H)
11) Houston: NY Red Bulls (H), Cincinnati (A)
12) NY Red Bulls: Houston (A), Atlanta (A)
13) Real Salt Lake: Columbus (H), San Jose (A)
14) Columbus Crew: Real Salt Lake (A), Seattle (H)
Fall Season struggles?:
Like me, are you struggling to get any value in your Fall Season team? I’m currently sitting at 1,082 and have only gained a million in team value due to having a mixed bag of results.
Overcoming this might mean that my final team is dictated around San Jose players that are guaranteed a rise.
Teams to look out for:
Philadelphia, NYCFC, San Jose and LAFC
Teams to avoid:
Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Columbus, and Orlando
Players and teams, I’m avoiding:
Portland will likely rotate.
Not sold on Seattle and Lodeiro.
Atlanta are a no-go and their players will only go down in price.
Shaky on Minnesota. Quintero just isn’t performing
I’ll only put in Houston players if I lose a bet right now.
Real Salt Lake and Columbus just come across like dead options this week.
Chicago Fire have difficult fixtures, but face teams out of form.
First names on my team sheet:
Atuesta (LAFC) for bonus points.
Vela (LAFC) for captaincy.
Moralez (NYC) for form and a definite price rise.
MLS Fantasy Scout Picks: Gameweek 18
Overall Squad Value: $101.1 million
Formation: 4-3-3
Starting 11
GK: Sisniega (LAFC)
DEF: Tinnerholm (NYC)
DEF: Trusty (PHI)
DEF: Jungwirth (SJ)
DEF: Thompson (SJ)
MID: Atuesta (LAFC)
MID: Vako (SJ)
MID: Moralez (NYC)
FOR: Vela (LAFC) - (C)
FOR: Castellanos (NYC)
FOR: Przybylko (PHI)
Substitutes
GK: Freeze (PHI)
DEF: Besler (SKC)
MID: Bayiha (MTL)
MID: Yow (DC)
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Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in the Fantasy Premier League (#FPL), providing beautiful graphics and weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb ranking tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review movies, live sport, and professional wrestling.
As well as providing FPL articles on our website, we are a founding Contributor to the new Fantasy Football Hub, where you can find more unique articles, including weekly Power Rankings, from The Hype Team. You can support us and read exclusive members only content for just £2 per-month by clicking here.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog 2016' by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), with the final presentation held at Old Trafford in Manchester.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.