This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
Welcome back to our weekly DraftKings MLS recommendations. We're going to examine two potential winning lineups for this weekend's slate and dive into the strategic side of lineup construction, while still presenting a bundle of great plays to target. Keep in mind that there are countless ways to build a winning DraftKings lineup, and these are just two approaches that I think could pay off.
Lineup No. 1: No-vinco
It's not often that I don't get Sebastian Giovinco into a daily fantasy lineup, but a match at Los Angeles and without two key teammates is as good a team to fade him as any. I probably lost half of the readers with this lineup already, but let's trudge on and see how much extra value we can fit in without Giovinco's heavy price tag.
First, I want to get our attacking replacements. Robbie Keane and Kei Kamara are two premier scorers in Major League Soccer and face opponents who aren't at all intimidating defensively. The Red Bulls have only kept one clean sheet in their last six, and while Toronto have grabbed two, they are missing the invaluable Michael Bradley. Playing at home is a big boost to each, and 3+ goals between the duo is easy to imagine. If we end up on the right side of not using Giovinco, these two forwards should set us up nicely for a chance at the money.
With a big chunk of our budget already gone, let's see where we can save. In goal, I see Jeff Attinella for only $3,000. Real Salt Lake will be without starter Nick Rimando, but Attinella is a very capable backup, particularly at home in Rio Tinto Stadium. Their opponent, Orlando City SC is without starting forward Cyle Larin and likely will also miss Brek Shea. While RSL will be without defensive stalwart Kyle Beckerman, and others, I still think they have a shot to grab a clean sheet and Attinella could pile on some saves against an Orlando squad that isn't shy on the road.
Staying in this game for our midfield, I like Javier Morales' chances a lot after sitting out last week due to a red card suspension. The Salt Lake attack has really begun to come together, and Morales is equally dangerous setting up teammates or shooting himself. His free kick prowess is impeccable, and he may want to show Sebastian Lletget from the L.A. Galaxy for just $4,700. We've already targeted a weakened Toronto squad on the road with Keane, and I don't mind doubling down one bit. This Galaxy team has a pair of 5-goal matches over the last couple of weeks, so there could be plenty of points to go around!
Defensively, I'm not intrigued by a whole lot this week, so I'm inclined to stick with two of my favorites in Waylon Francis and Ambroise Oyongo. The pair are affordable and get home matches against the New York teams who have been prone to offensive struggles. They also offer attacking upside that other players in their price range do not. If you want more salary for the flex spot, downgrading Francis is a fine choice but as you'll soon see, we have plenty of affordable options for our remaining need.
Finally, Kekuta Manneh provides an excellent flex option at just $5,800. The dynamic forward has attempted 15 shots in his last four fixtures, scoring two goals. The Manneh rollercoaster seems to be at a high point heading into Colorado and it's an opportune time to take advantage. The Rapids are getting plenty of attention for being the best team in MLS history on 4th of July weekend, but somehow I doubt Vancouver will be intimidated. After all, they are still the Rapids. Manneh's speed is well-suited to toast the Rapids' fullbacks, particularly if they get over-confident at home on their favorite holiday and push up the wing too far.
Devil's Advocate: We're resting our chances on two main things: a quiet performance from Giovinco and a big performance from Manneh. Since many of our other players will be popular selections, these two key decisions need to work. Additionally, Orlando City is always a confident team on the road and RSL could miss Beckerman more than we anticipate.
Why We'll Win: Our entire lineup is built around good values and strong players. While Oyongo and Manneh can be inconsistent, they both have the upside we look for in our value picks. Meanwhile, Keane and Kamara are about as safe as fantasy selections come. Not everybody will be spending big on a midfielder, and Morales may just set us apart the extra bit we need. Finally, all but one of our players are at their home stadium, which is often an overrated factor, but can't hurt.
Lineup No. 2: Fireworks!
Let's celebrate the 4th of July by going all-in on an offensive explosion with this lineup!
First, we'll grab Sebastian Giovinco, who I cannot in good conscience leave out of both lineups this week. His MLS play has been the definition of explosive so far, and it's far more spectacular than even the grandest fireworks display. I also want to include David Villa. Montreal's defense doesn't scare me much, and he's averaging nearly six shots in his past five matches. That's a great floor, and naturally a sky-high ceiling if a few of those go in. I'll note that NYC FC will be without Mix Diskerud, but Villa has already shown that he can be just as dangerous in his absence.
Kei Kamara gets the third forward spot in our lineup, simply because Robbie Keane is too expensive. Feel free to swap Villa for Keane, but I wanted to diversify my picks in this article and both make for great options. Forward feels very top-heavy in general for this slate, and if you don't have at least two top picks, trouble may ensue.
I'm moving straight to the midfield now, where we'll have to unearth some diamonds in the < $5,000-rough. Pedro Ribeiro should start at forward for Orlando City and is constantly on my watch-list. At 6-foot-3 he has the size to overcome many MLS defenders, but he still is shifty enough to maneuver through tight spaces and get open. On the opposite end of the height spectrum, we find Cristian Techera for just $4,200. "The Bug" continues to find his comfort zone in Major League Soccer, and like teammate Kekuta Manneh, has the speed to torment the Colorado Rapids. Tommy McNamara, Kwadwo Poku, Sebastian Lletget and several others are also good players in the same price range and I encourage you to massage your lineup around whichever pair you feel most confident in.
Defensively, we're really pinching pennies and a capable Orlando City group can provide us some relief. Tally Hall is inexplicably affordable for just $3,200 and Luke Boden isn't much more expensive at $3,500. If you think Real Salt Lake may struggle without Beckerman, Alvaro Saborio, and Rimando, then this pair is for you. RJ Allen rounds out our eight-man roster and NYC FC will be counting on him to step up given some notable absences among their defense. He has looked fairly pedestrian, but shows flashes, and we can't complain for the price.
Devil's Advocate: This might be the most underwhelming defense/keeper combination this column has witnessed this season. All three options are on the road and the upside feels meager. Some of our opponents are likely to hit on a cheap forward, and even if ours do well, they could easily have a better defense. This lineup seems best suited for a 50/50 or Head-to-Head, given the safe selections at the top.
Why We'll Win: We've gone with a proven attack, and pivoting away from Keane is a move that could pay dividends. Los Angeles spread the ball around, while NYC FC rely on Villa for success. Both of our midfield selections have proven that they can find the goal, and they play among other talented attacking players while easing our salary pressures. Orlando City is a sneaky bet for a clean sheet, and Hall may rack up plenty of saves on the road. Ultimately, though, scoring goals will get us the win this weekend, and we can expect plenty of those with this roster.
