This article is part of our Sorare series.
As annoying as the international break can be for Major League Soccer, it was a pretty entertaining Saturday. Without some of the league's top players, there were still some surprising results and players who really stepped up. The Red Bulls demolished Inter Miami on the back of Lewis Morgan's hat trick and Dante Vanzeir's four assists. After not scoring in three straight games, the floodgates opened for LAFC, winning 5-0 over Nashville. In the battle of the winless, Orlando City triumphed over Austin.
The first weekend of the MLS Special Weekly came and went, and now there's a whole new world of Sorare to focus on. This weekend is another of the MLS Special Weekly contest coupled with the transitional period. Now, as managers, everyone will have to decide between in-season and classic competition,s as well as capped modes and All-Star. I know my head is still spinning, but building lineups for the new-look Sorare should be fun.
Last Week's Results
Elite Options
GK: Roman Celentano (74.60 - CS), Hugo Lloris (66.60 - CS), Yohei Takaoka (40.70)
DF: Rodrigues (49.24), Miki Yamane (61.10), Brooks Lennon (53.20)
MF: Ryan Gauld (70.10), Carles Gil (40.80), Evander (49.50)
FW: Denis Bouanga (100 - 2G/A), Lorenzo Insigne (41.40 - subbed off at halftime injured), Tomas Chancalay (38.00)
Value Options
GK: Daniel (DNP - Injury disclosed after lock), James Pantemis (29.20), Earl Edwards Jr. (38.40)
DF: Ryan Hollingshead (66.38), Ali Ahmed (33.68 - SUB), Sergi Palencia (62.28 - A)
MF: Cristian Espinoza (74.50 - G), Cole Bassett (66.80), Nicolas Lodeiro (77.00 - G)
FW: Daniel Salloi (84.60 - A), Alan Pulido (48.30), Brian White (63.50 - A)
Sorare GW 463 // MLS Week 6
It's mostly back to normal lineups, although a few players may have tired legs from travel and 120-minute matches (I'm looking at you, Bartosz Slisz).
Let's start this game week by using the RotoWire Cheatsheet to see the best matchups.
- Atlanta United 55.62% vs. Chicago
- D.C. United 54.67% vs. Montreal
- Philadelphia Union 53.74% vs. Minnesota
- Inter Miami 53.40% vs. NYCFC
- Vancouver Whitecaps 51.98% vs. Portland
Note: Prices are for limited cards as of Thursday, March 28. The scarcities are Limited (/1000), Rare (/100), Super Rare (/10), and Unique (1/1).
Elite Options
Goalkeepers
- Steve Clark (HOU) $19.93 vs. San Jose
If you are a Clark holder, you've had a great start to the season from the goalkeeper position. Clark has three scores of 75-plus points already, as Houston have been really solid without some key players like Hector Herrera. San Jose picked up their first victory of the season last weekend but has really struggled on the road. Although this isn't Shell Energy Stadium in June or July, Houston have one of the best home-field advantages in MLS. Clark should be busy with attackers like Jeremy Ebobisse and Cristian Espinoza, but he should have a nice SO5 output, even if he concedes a goal.
- Andre Blake (PHI) $25.28 vs. Minnesota
The third biggest favorite on the slate, Blake and Philadelphia, have a nice matchup at home against in-form Minnesota. Blake almost stunned the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals before a 96th-minute Cory Burke own goal equalized. Jamaica lost the match 3-1 in extra time but rebounded and won bronze against Panama 1-0. In Blake's absence with Philadelphia, backup Oliver Semmle had a heck of a performance against Portland. Semmle had an 8.1 FotMob rating and landed himself in the MLS Team of the Week. With Blake and the rest of the internationals being back with the Union, it should be a classic performance from Philadelphia at Subaru Park.
Honorable Mention: Drake Callender (MIA) $21.77 vs. NYCFC
Defenders
- Kai Wagner (PHI) $46.69 vs. Minnesota
Coming off back-to-back sub-30-point performances, Wagner responded by scoring 97.28 points last weekend. He's still the elite defender of prior seasons and has a monopoly on set pieces for the Union. The congested fixtures to start the season and the musical chairs on the backline attributed to the poor start, and I can see Wagner getting into some good form, especially with Minnesota coming to Philadelphia this weekend.
- Brooks Lennon (ATL) $14.76 vs. Chicago
Lennon has been phenomenal to start the 2024 season, averaging 68.69 SO5 points through four matches. Even in a 2-0 road loss in Toronto, where Atlanta were missing several key players, Lennon still racked up 25.62 AA. Thiago Almada, Giorgos Giakoumakis, Caleb Wiley and Bartosz Slisz are all back in a good matchup at home against Chicago. Lennon has a good chance to push forward on the right flank and pick up an assist.
Honorable Mention: Miki Yamane (LAG) $15.46 vs. Seattle
Midfielders
- Thiago Almada (ATL) $48.08 vs. Chicago
Almada returns from international duty with Argentina's U23 squad to a great matchup. With the early Atlanta bye, Almada has only played three matches and largely has underperformed outside of the 91.20 against New England. I love this spot against a Chicago team that is fifth worst in the league in expected goals against (xGA). Almada is still the man on free kicks and it wouldn't surprise me if he added another a couple more highlight-reel free kicks this season.
- Mateusz Klich (DC) $15.07 vs. Montreal
While I could have written about my favorite MLS player, Riqui Puig, again, I'm going to give the column nod to Klich. Klich is exactly what you look like in a Sorare scorer. He provides great AA in almost every match and he has the upside to get goals and assists. Add in that he has taken 70 percent of DC's set pieces and has a great matchup this weekend against Montreal at home. I like Klich to get around 20 AA with the upside of a goal or an assist for an 80-plus output.
Honorable Mention: Riqui Puig (LAG) $62.08 vs. Seattle
Forwards
- Cristian Arango (RSL) $20 vs. St. Louis
Chicho has all the tools that I'm looking for in a forward at the moment. He's providing solid AA (12.76 average) and has a great chance of getting a decisive leading to a big score. This is the second meeting between RSL and St. Louis, as the first fixture was a 1-1 draw at CITYPARK, where Arango scored a goal. Back at home after a huge victory last weekend in Vancouver without some key players, I like Arango's odds to score a goal.
- Julian Carranza (PHI) $16.74 vs. Minnesota
You can see how important Carranza is to this Philadelphia Union side. Philadelphia have scored one goal in the four matches he missed (or didn't start) due to injury this season. In the five games Carranza has started, they have 13 goals with Carranza scoring six. He gets a nice home matchup against Minnesota and is the highest projected goal scorer on the slate at +110 (if Messi doesn't play).
Honorable Mention: Joseph Paintsil (LAG) $31.08 vs. Seattle
Value Options
Goalkeepers
- Alex Bono (DC) $13.99 vs. Montreal
With Tyler Miller recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Bono had a huge opportunity coming into this season. Bono has taken command of the goalkeeping position in DC and, in my opinion, has done enough to keep the job when Miller returns. While DC have conceded seven goals in their last four games, three matches have been on the road, and the lone home match was against Inter Miami. Bono has a lot of upside as he's always busy and averages over 10 AA. Montreal have been good this year, but I'll take the second-biggest favorite on the slate at a cheap price point.
- Maarten Paes (DAL) $14.49 at Austin
The Texas derby pits two teams that are desperate for a victory. FC Dallas have been surprisingly bad to start the season and Austin have been downright terrible to watch. In four matches, Paes has already conceded eight goals to start the season. The nice thing with Paes, though, is that he's always busy and racks up some of the best AA in MLS. Outside of the last match with Vancouver, Paes has had games of 10.2, 15.8 and 33.1 AA. Add in a road trip to Austin off a bye and there could be some great AA and an outside chance at a clean sheet. I like Paes to score at least 50 points with the upside of 70-to-80 with a clean sheet.
Honorable Mention: Brad Guzan (ATL) $10.84 vs. Chicago
Defenders
- Franco Escobar (HOU) $2.81 vs. San Jose
Escobar has double-digit AA in all four of his starts this season. In the past year, Escobar has averaged 63.0 SO5 points at home with a whopping 24.1 AA. In a great matchup against San Jose, this should be a big game for Escobar.
- Aaron Herrera (DC) $3.16 vs. Montreal
After spending the past two seasons in Montreal, Herrera faces his former team in a revenge match. Last offseason, Herrera was traded for Ruan and $500,000. In his short time in DC, Herrera has been solid, putting up some great scores in three of four starts (68.8, 100, and 69.6). Last weekend, he was away with the Guatemalan national team and will look to get back into form in a plus matchup.
Honorable Mention: Tim Leibold (SKC) $6.33 at Toronto
Midfielders
- Pedro Vite (VAN) $2.51 vs. Portland
Vite is a better real-life prospect than Sorare card by far, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of some nice performances. The 22-year-old has cemented himself in the midfield next to Andres Cubas and while he isn't playing in quite the attacking role he's used to in the 3-4-3, he is providing better AA than before. The decisive actions are sporadic, but he has the quality to make a key pass to the three forwards up front. He's shown his upside against Charlotte already this season, providing an assist en route to an 86.6 score. The home matchup against Portland gives him a nice chance to have a quality performance at a cheap price point.
- Ivan Angulo (ORL) $2.86 vs. RBNY
While this isn't the best matchup in the world, Orlando City are at home and coming off their first win of the season. Angulo is a key player for Orlando and has been in the starting XI every MLS match this season. He's trending in the right direction, posting scores of 48.8 and 58.4 in his last two matches (13.8 & 23.4 AA). Last season, Angulo ran hot and cold, going through stretches without decisives and then going through heaters with scores of 70-plus points. Outside of an assist in the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Cavalry, Angulo hasn't had a decisive action. It might not come this weekend, but look for Angulo to break through in the next few gameweeks.
Honorable Mention: Alonso Coello (TOR) $3.55 vs. Sporting KC
Forwards
- Xande Silva (ATL) $8.33 vs. Chicago
As the biggest favorite on the slate, I'm going back to the well with Atlanta. There are going to be goals in this match (probably on both sides) and I like Atlanta's attacking options. You could pay up for Giorgos Giakoumakis, but the value route of Silva also makes sense. Atlanta have the highest implied total at nearly two goals, so any piece of the attack warrants consideration.
- Mikael Uhre (PHI) $6.79 vs. Minnesota
Similar to Atlanta and Silva, Philadelphia have the second-highest implied total on the slate, just under two goals. Although I'd much rather have Carranza, Uhre has a really good chance to get a decisive. He has+170 odds to score a goal and while he doesn't contribute AA, it's worth chasing a goal based on his price.
Honorable Mention: Kerwin Vargas (CLT) $4.29 vs. Cincinnati
