Week 10 MLS Fantasy Player Picks

Hopefully everyone was able to reap the benefits of the double week for Colorado and NY Red Bulls in week 9. As I mentioned in last week's live chat, I made the mistake of not saving the team I wanted, but I still managed a respectable 71 points, which was enough to keep me in contention in the top 10 of our Beat the Bloggers group. Whether you did well or poorly, though, there's not much time to dwell on your score with Week 10 kicking off Tuesday evening.

We're treated to another double week, this time for four teams rather than two, and for what seems like the first time all season, no teams with a bye. Players from Houston, San Jose, Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy should all be at the top of your transfer list this week, though there are plenty of enticing single-game matches to make your selection a bit easier.

Week 10 Major League Soccer Schedule

Tuesday, May 5

Houston Dynamo v. San Jose Earthquakes

Wednesday, May 6

Real Salt Lake v. LA Galaxy

Friday, May 8

Orlando City v. New England Revolution

Colorado Rapids v. San Jose Earthquakes

Saturday, May 9

Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake

Montreal Impact v. Portland Timbers

D.C. United v. Sporting Kansas City

Vancouver Whitecaps v. Philadelphia Union

Columbus Crew SC v. Seattle Sounders

FC Dallas v. LA Galaxy

Sunday, May 10

Toronto FC v. Houston Dynamo

New York Red Bulls v. New York City FC

The immediate takeaway is that, while San Jose have a double week, their two-day turnaround between two away matches makes them a lot less desirable than their fellow double game teams. RSL also have a quick turnaround and more distance to travel, so they're also a bit of a gamble in terms of finding players who will play significant minutes across both matches.

LA also play two road matches, but don't have to travel quite as far as Real Salt Lake and also have a few extra hours of recovery time. That leaves Houston as the pick of the bunch, at least so far as they have a home match and a decent amount of time to recover before traveling up to Toronto for their second match of the week.

All in all, not a ton to love among the teams playing twice, though there are certainly some players who warrant investment given their form and the fact that they'll have two chances to deliver points.

Among the teams playing once, there is some promise for players from Vancouver, NY Red Bulls and Seattle, while DC and Orlando play twice in Week 11 if you want to start thinking about future transfers (hint: you should). Let's take a look at which players you should be considering for your team this week:

Week 10 Player Picks

Goalkeepers

Tyler Deric - After the 4-1 demolition in the Texas derby against Dallas, Deric's price has fallen below $5m. Houston's defense hasn't been great in recent weeks, but Deric's quality makes him a clear choice for this week.

Nick Rimando - RSL's keeper is one of the best shot-stoppers in the league, and he'll need to be on top form for his team's difficult schedule this week. Coming off a slight injury may be a bit of a concern, but it looks like he'll take his place between the posts for both matches.

Bill Hamid - The DC keeper recently put pen to paper on a new deal with United, and if they are able to keep hold of him they'll have a top-class goalkeeper on their hands for years to come. Hamid is young, but is a stand-out on a very good DC team this season. His price is climbing, and with a home match in Week 10 and a double next week, it may be a good time to invest.

David Ousted - The top-scoring keeper in the league, Vancouver's big Dane is still affordable and has a favorable run of fixtures leading up to the unlimited transfers ahead of Week 15. Definitely a hold if you have him, though you could probably do better with one of the above choices if you're investing fresh this week.

Defenders

Omar Gonzalez - If you have the funds to bring him in this week, Omar is my top recommendation. The USMNT center back anchors the Galaxy defense and is a considerable goal threat on set pieces. While the Galaxy have two away matches, Gonzalez should still deliver strong defensive bonuses and could pop up with a goal or clean sheet to push his score over the top.

Jamison Olave / Jordan Allen - Similar to Gonzalez at LA, Olave is a threat on both sides of the pitch, though he is expensive. Allen is a much cheaper alternative and has been a regular in the starting lineup recently, though the tight schedule may see him rotated. Even with one match, though, Allen could return his value and give you a cheap way into the potential for two games.

Donny Toia - We've hardly even seen Montreal play in the league so far this season due to their CONCACAF Champions League involvement, but they're back with a home match in Week 10 and will have plenty of upcoming double weeks to make up for the fact that they've only played 4 league matches in the opening 9 weeks. Toia is cheap and has been the Impact's best player so far this season.

Kofi Opare - Much to my dismay, I opted against bringing Opare into my lineup in place of Hernan Grana last week. The DC defender has been an excellent stand-in for the injured Steve Birnbaum, and should continue for at least another week or two without facing competition from the regular left back. More of a hold than a retail buy, but his price is right and he could end up playing both matches in next week's double for United.

Matt Miazga - Another option to hang onto from your Week 9 team, Miazga (or Perrinelle, if you went that route) is a good bet for a clean sheet against struggling NYCFC. The local derby will be a hard-fought match, which could bring out the cards, but the Red Bulls are a much stronger team than their cross-town rivals and you shouldn't view this match as a time you need to replace them.

Midfielders

Giles Barnes / Nathan Sturgis - An old fantasy favorite from the early days of this blog, Barnes is currently joint-top scorer in the league. Listed as a midfielder and playing in an advanced role for the Dynamo, the Englishman should have plenty of opportunities to add to his tally this weekend. If you're short on funds, Sturgis looks to have earned himself a spot in Owen Coyle's starting eleven and has shown some attacking promise.

Stefan Ishizaki - Until Steven Gerrard arrives in LA this summer, Ishizaki should be a strong consideration for your fantasy team. Set piece duty always adds another layer of potential to a player, and Ishizaki's delivery from free kicks and from the wing in open play make him a very compelling option this week.

Matias Perez Garcia - While I'm not a huge fan of San Jose's fixtures this week, MPG is another midfielder with set piece responsibilities for an Earthquakes side that has shown it can score goals.

Clint Dempsey - Seattle have rediscovered the magic that led them to the Supporters' Shield last season, and Deuce has been at the heart of it all. Rather than investing the $11m in Javier Morales (who almost certainly won't play anywhere near 180 minutes coming off an injury at age 35 with two matches in four days), consider keeping hold of Dempsey while he's in top form if you have him, and perhaps even make the leap to invest at retail if you have a giant hole in your midfield.

Chris Rolfe - Many people were tipping Chris Pontius to lead the DC attack during Espindola's suspension, but it's been Rolfe who has stepped up and provided the attacking impetus. Espindola's return hasn't cut into his production, so he's a strong option moving forward.

Lloyd Sam - Sam fell victim to the rotation game in Week 9's double, but should be fresh and ready to go for the late Sunday match against NYCFC. Felipe is also a good option to hang onto in midfield this week, though I'll give the nod to the Englishman due to his stronger attacking potential against a leaky City defense.

Forwards

Alan Gordon / Bradford Jamieson IV - After starting the season fourth on the depth chart at striker behind Robbie Keane, Gyasi Zardes and Jose Villarreal, Gordon has shown he deserves to be in the conversation for a starting role. Multiple goals off the bench and late in games have salvaged a number of points for LA, and with Robbie Keane seemingly still out, Gordon should get the nod to lead the line yet again. Jamieson is a young striker who got his first start last time out and put in a good shift. He is a cheap option and could continue to feature with Villarreal not quite ready to return to the fray.

Chris Wondolowski - Wondo has been a frustrating fantasy figure this season, with inconsistent performances making him a difficult selection. Over two matches, he should put in at least one good performance, and could go big if he hits his stride.

Octavio Rivero - The league's form striker over the first few weeks has gone off the boil a bit over the past couple matches, but I think he'll get back to scoring ways at home against the Union. Philadelphia haven't traveled well, and a cross-country trek to face one of the league's top sides isn't a great sign for them. Rivero will be licking his chops ahead of this one.

Fabian Espindola - After missing the first 6 matches of the season through suspension, Espindola announced his return in style with a goal and assist in Week 9. DC have been excellent in defense, but the return of their star striker makes them an even more intimidating prospect. SKC have been good, but I think United will have too much quality and can see Espindola kicking on with another big performance.

Obafemi Martins - Along with Dempsey, Martins has been in red-hot form for the Sounders. With the majority of the strong double week prospects in defense and midfield this week, Martins is a strong option to start at striker despite an away match against Columbus. A two-home-match double looms in Week 13, so even if you aren't buying in this week the Seattle man should be on your radar.

To reiterate, the deadline for this week is Tuesday night at 8:30 EDT. Remember to save your transfers and set your lineup before then to make the most of your squad. I'm still tinkering with my team, but will be doing everything I can to get one of Ishizaki or Barnes into my lineup, and am also looking ahead to pick up some D.C. players for Week 11.

Who are you planning on having in your squad this week? Share your team in the comments and ask any questions you may have about transfers, captains and more. If you haven't already, sign up for an SBNation account and join our community. We'd love to have you! Good luck to you all!