MLS Fantasy Rankings: Week 5

MLS Fantasy Rankings: Week 5

This article is part of our MLS Fantasy Rankings series.

The rankings below are based on Major League Soccer's official fantasy game and cover all games in Week 5. While they can be used for DFS purposes, they are done with a focus on the league's season-long game.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below, or hit up JD on Twitter @dfsMLS.

MATCHES (ET)

For detailed stats and odds, check out the MLS Fantasy: Week 5 Cheat Sheet.

Forwards
RankPlayerMatchupPriceNotes
1Carlos VelaLAFC at SJ12.3The only small knock to Vela is that Almeyda should know him relatively well and isn't afraid to devise an extreme gameplan to try and contain him.
2Carlos Darwin QuinteroMIN at NE12.5Quintero creates enough offense for an entire 4 or 5 man unit. Considering his 33 points through three road games so far, don't be too concerned about a trip to Gillette Stadium.
3Wayne RooneyDCU at ORL11.0Orlando already have been starting a fairly unconvincing back line, but now Alex De John is out for a few weeks. DC are rested and in form.
4Alexandru MitritaNYC at TOR10.2He has taken 19 shots (!) in just three games. There's another fantasy level still to be seen here, especially when Heber arrives!
5Raul RuidiazSEA at VAN11.2A bonafide goalscorer sitting atop one of the league's best attacks.
6Josef MartinezATL at CLB10.1There's definitely a drop off in confidence levels from Ruidiaz at 5 to this spot.
7Zlatan IbrahimovicLA v. POR11.2Achilles injuries aren't really something I want a 37-year old racing back from. I wouldn't be surprised if Zlatan subs on instead of starts this week.
8Krisztian NemethSKC v. MTL6.7I'm always a little weary of a player coming back from international duty, but it's helpful that this match is relatively early and we can always pivot to Gerso who I also like this week.
9Mauro ManotasHOU at COL10.1A goal or assist in every match so far, not to mention his CCL production. Manotas remains one of the league's most underrated players.
10Jordan MorrisSEA at VAN9.3 
11Diego RossiLAFC at SJ9.0 
12Alberth ElisHOU at COL9.2Cheaper than Manotas and probably can approximate the production.
13Gerso FernandesSKC v. MTL6.4 
14Gyasi ZardesCLB v. ATL9.8 
15Jozy AltidoreTOR v. NYC9.6Pozuelo is likely starting. Bradley is clicking. Jozy nearing full health. Toronto could continue or even elevate their hot start to the MLS season.
16Bradley Wright-PhillipsNYRB at CHI10.3 
17Adama DiomandeLAFC at SJ9.3As always, this could be Christian Ramirez instead.
18Kei KamaraCOL v. HOU8.8 
19Cristian PenillaNE v. MIN8.0 
20Fredy MonteroSEA at VAN8.7 
Midfielders
RankPlayerMatchupPriceNotes
1Nicolas LodeiroSEA at VAN12.3With a vast majority of the better teams on the road, and the Sounders looking to make MLS history with their fast start, Lodeiro gets the nod as my #1 midfielder. 
2Luciano AcostaDCU at ORL11.4Is a match at Orlando truly a road game?
3Marco FabianPHI at FCC9.0Extremely well rested after a two game suspension, and heavily relied upon. Fabian is a price drop risk, but I think the points will be there to prevent it.
4Victor RodriguezSEA at VAN9.5Nearly three million cheaper than Lodeiro and it's a week where I will consider that discount.
5Federico HiguainCLB v. ATL9.0 
6Maximiliano MoralezNYC at TOR10.2 
7Kenny SaiefFCC v. PHI8.1Big fan of the player and the price, but people are warming up to FCC too quickly for my liking AND souring on Philly too quickly. 
8Carles GilNE v. MIN9.9Most managers will be off of Gil after last week's dud and the Revs' disfunction but I think this is still a good spot for him.
9Albert RusnakRSL v. DAL11.2 
10Johnny RussellSKC v. MTL9.3Would be higher if not for his return from international duty and upcoming CCL match. Likelier than not that he plays a full shift, but more uncertainty than some above him.
11Diego ValeriPOR v. LA11.6 
12Marc RzatkowskiNYRB at CHI8.0 
13Sebastian BlancoPOR v. LA10.3 
14Jan GregusMIN at NE8.2Racks up bonus points, has a cannon from distance, and is playing what appears to be the league's worst team.
15Alejandro PozueloTOR v. NYC10.0He'll be very good but NYCFC is a tough opponent for his debut. Let's wait a week considering the price tag.
16Romain AlessandriniLA v. POR10.1Like Zlatan, I don't think they rush Alessandrini back. 
17Daniel RoyerNYRB at CHI8.3 
18Jonathan dos SantosLA v. POR9.4These last three plus Alexander Ring are in a similar mold...a little too expensive but very safe. Ilie's penalty duties are a wrinkle to think about, but we may want to use our three SKC spots elsewhere.
19Michael BradleyTOR v. NYC10.0 
20Ilie SanchezSKC v. MTL9.1 
Defenders
RankPlayerMatchupPriceNotes
1Graham ZusiSKC v. MTL7.6With Piatti and potentially Taider missing this match for Montreal, Zusi is the clear cut number one defender this week. If Russell rests, Zusi may even see some added set piece action.
2Matt BeslerSKC v. MTL7.9 
3Harrison AffulCLB v. ATL8.1One of the few other defenders this week that checks most boxes I look for. Home, good defensive team, joins attack. 
4Walker ZimmermanLAFC at SJ7.8Seems like a lock for 2-3 bonus pts and then add the potential clean sheet and that he's one of the better set piece threats in the league. 
5Greg GarzaFCC v. PHI5.5Garza's price may be too good to ignore. We will have to see how FCC line up.
6Kelvin LeerdamSEA at VAN6.5Smith for daily fantasy, but Leerdam sneaking into the box from the opposite wing for FMLS.
7Francisco CalvoMIN at NE7.5New England are dysfunctional so grabbing a few Loons seems prudent.
8Brad SmithSEA at VAN6.3 
9Romain MetanireMIN at NE6.2 
10Gaston SauroCLB v. ATL6.5Hype train is too full for my liking. Sauro is a good choice if you're near the top of the standings and just want to get the price rise and use the same player as many behind you will pick.
11Andreu FontasSKC v. MTL5.5Barath will likely be relegated back to the bench with Fontas' health returning. Make sure when lineups are released though!
12Michael Amir MurilloNYRB at CHI7.7 
13Leonardo JaraDCU at ORL7.5Orlando aren't a good attacking side yet and United have dominated defensively thus far.
14Joseph MoraDCU at ORL6.5 
15Seth SinovicSKC v. MTL6.3 
16Reto ZieglerDAL at RSL7.2When you have a defender that takes penalties, you rank him in all but the worst matchups.
17Frederic BrillantDCU at ORL7.0 
18Justin MorrowTOR v. NYC6.7 
19Ike OparaMIN at NE7.7 
20Ryan HollingsheadDAL at RSL6.3 
Goalkeepers
RankPlayerMatchupPriceNotes
1Tim MeliaSKC v. MTL7.0 
2Bill HamidDCU at ORL7.4 
3Stefan FreiSEA at VAN7.0 
4Tyler MillerLAFC at SJ5.5 
5Joe BendikCLB v. ATL4.4 
6Luis RoblesNYRB at CHI5.6 
7Spencer RicheyFCC v. PHI5.8 
8Andre BlakePHI at FCC6.2 
9Nick RimandoRSL v. DAL5.9 
10Vito MannoneMIN at NE6.5 
Value Rankings
(forwards and midfielders under $7.5, defenders under $6.0; not ranked above)
RankPlayerMatchupPriceNotes
1Fafa PicaultPHI at FCC6.8I'm not ready to stop targeting Cincy. They're capable but still below average. 
2David AccamPHI at FCC5.8 
3Paxton PomykalDAL at RSL7.2Probably good for another price rise, too.
4Djordje MihailovicCHI v. NYRB7.0Djordje will want to put on a show before Gaitan joins the squad. 
5Kyle DuncanNYRB at CHI5.4 
6Memo RodriguezHOU at COL5.6Not a lock to start as far as I'm aware, but he's another guaranteed price rise with upside in a good matchup.
7Alex MuylNYRB at CHI7.0 
8Rolf FeltscherLA v. POR5.2 
9Eduard AtuestaLAFC at SJ7.2With six bonus points last week, including a whopping three from passing (110), he'sa consideration against a struggling San Jose side.
10Sebastian LletgetLA v. POR6.9 
Captain Rankings
RankPlayerMatchupPriceNotes
1Carlos VelaLAFC at SJ12.3In a week where captain picks could be all over the place, there's some merit to sticking with the best combination of safety and upside.
2Nicolas LodeiroSEA at VAN12.3Short road trip to a bad team, just like Vela. Nearly a coin flip.
3Carlos Darwin QuinteroMIN at NE12.5Trying to time when New England is going to snap out of it is futile. The better play is just continuing to assume they're really bad until they burn us with a good match or two.
4Luciano AcostaDCU at ORL11.4DC are one of the league's best sides at the moment and Orlando's fluke clean sheet isn't going to scare me off of some good attackers here.
5Wayne RooneyDCU at ORL11.0 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JD Bazzo
JD is a former RotoWire contributor. He was a finalist for the 2017 FSWA Soccer Writer of the Year award. JD had been writing for RotoWire since 2015. He is a proud Pittsburgh native, purveyor of fantasy sports, and likely the first Penn State Basketball fan you've ever met.
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