New York City faces Orlando City in the second game for both teams at the MLS is Back tournament on Tuesday night. With a $35,000 top contest to look forward to in DraftKings’ lobby, there is plenty at stake. We take a look at some players to consider for Captain as well as the flex positions.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLS Showdown $35K Starting XI [$10K to 1st] (NYC vs ORL)
Captain
Nani ($18,300)
Nani had an impressive start to the MLS is Back tournament. In the opening game against Inter Miami, he scored a goal in the seventh minute of injury time and assisted another goal, leading Orlando to a come-from-behind 2-1 win to open the competition. In terms of quality and big-club experience, not many players in the MLS come close to Nani’s level. That is fairly reflected in his price on this slate.
Other to consider: Chris Mueller ($14,100)
High-priced flex options
Chris Mueller ($9,400)
Muller opened the scoring for the tournament for Orlando in the 71st minute against Inter Miami. He wasn’t where he would have wanted to be in the previous season, adding just five goals for Orlando City. However, he has made a sprightly start to this campaign. He will occupy the attacking midfielder position on the right wing.
Valentin Castellanos ($10,800)
Castellanos is a vital playmaker for New York City from the left flank. He started the game against Philadelphia Union but was substituted in the second half. He scored 11 goals for his team in the 2019 season. Being so important to New York City from an offensive standpoint, he is the second-most expensive player in this game. He has averaged a little over 6 DKFP per game.
Mauricio Pereyra ($8,000)
Pereyra is unlikely to score a lot of goals. That’s just not his role for Orlando City. He still has plenty of value though, particularly from a contributory capacity. Pereyra is stationed right behind the sole striker in his team’s 4-2-3-1 formation. He took four corners against Inter Miami while also having one shot, albeit off target.
Other to consider: Sean Johnson ($8,600)
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Value flex options
Heber ($6,800)
Heber wasn’t able to do much as a solitary striker for New York City in the first game of this tournament as New York City was beaten 1-0. However, he is coming off a fine 2019-20 season, in which he scored 15 goals. Nine of those goals came in the second half, which is an indicator he is usually given the entire duration of the game, as was also the case in the tournament opener against Philadelphia Union.
Ismael Tajouri-Shradi ($7,600)
The major reason Tajouri-Shradi is in this list is because of his price. He started in the previous game but didn’t provide much, apart from two corners. He did score five goals in the 2019-20 season, so there is goal-scoring ability. It might just come down to time on the pitch. If he gets the start, he could be a differentiating factor at a price of just $7,600.
Other to consider: Pedro Gallese ($5,200)
Set your DraftKings lineups here: MLS Showdown $35K Starting XI [$10K to 1st] (NYC vs ORL)
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Nikhil Kalro is the Founder and CEO of Altletics Esports.