It may be a normal single gameweek, but there’s nothing ordinary about Gameweek 17 of the 2022 MLS Fantasy Soccer season.

With a host of big name signings available for selection for the first time and several derbies being played, it’s potentially one of the most exciting weeks of the season.

Goalkeeper

Essential: None

Recommended: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union) Zac MacMath (Real Salt Lake)

A clean sheet and a penalty save against Columbus helped Blake to 17 points over the DGW. This week he faces DC United who scored five in Orlando but blanked in two of their previous four road games.

MacMath also made a penalty save, denying Minnesota United, but that’s not the reason for his inclusion. RSL have kept four clean sheets in their last five home games, with Colorado visiting this week.

Possible: Cody Cropper (Vancouver Whitecaps) Joe Willis (Nashville SC) Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire) Pedro Gallese (Orlando City)

Defenders

Essential: None

Recommended: Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union) Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake)

Philly managed their first clean sheet in five games and Wagner has a decent floor even when they concede.

Glad is listed as ‘questionable’ but has three clean sheets and a goal in his last three games. This week RSL face Colorado who have yet to win on the road and have scored five times in 8 away games. If Glad doesn’t make it, switch to a team-mate.

Possible: Giorgio Chiellini (LAFC) Diego Palacios (LAFC) Alexander Callens (NYCFC) Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) Boris Sekulic (Chicago Fire)

Midfield

Essential: Lucho Acosta (FC Cincinnati)

Lucho has a tough game against the Red Bulls but with 30 points in three games he’s hard to ignore.

Recommended: Carles Gil (New England Revolution) Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)

Gil’s five points last week was his second lowest 90 minute score of the season, a tribute to his consistency. A trip to NYCFC and their currently poor defence should bring another decent return.

In his last five games Mukhtar has hit double figures three times for fantasy points – he also scored 9 points once. He’s at Charlotte this week and his two best weeks in that run were on the road.

Possible: Daniel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union) Emanuel Reynoso (Minnesota United) Maxi Moralez (NYCFC) Santi Rodriguez (NYCFC) Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders) Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire) Lucas Zelarayan (Columbus Crew)

Forwards

Essential: None

Recommended: Cristian Arango (LAFC) Valentin Castellanos (NYCFC)

With El Trafico one of the first games of the week Arango could be a nice bench play. He has four goals in his last five games and may feel he has something to prove with media speculation about his future.

Taty has five goals in six games and continues to lead the league in npxG+xA (0.88).

Possible: Taxiarchis Fountas (DC United) Raul Ruidiaz (Seattle Sounders) Josef Martinez (Atlanta United) Brenner (FC Cincinnati) Mason Toye (CF Montreal) Ercan Kara (Orlando City)

Captain

1. Lucho Acosta

2. Hany Mukhtar

3. Carles Gil