With just one week left in the 2009 Major League Soccer season, six teams are still in the hunt for the final three postseason berths. It all comes down to this.
In the fantasy game, you have just four trades left to make this season and just one more chance to pick up points to make your own final-week surge. Who should you put on your roster? Players that are participating in meaningful games. For clubs who have already clinched, this week is all about getting (and/or staying) healthy and prepping for the playoffs. That means safety first, and some marquee players could even be rested entirely. But with so many sides still in the hunt, you have plenty of options for MLS's Week 32.
Below is my list of six players -- one from each of the teams fighting for those final playoff spots -- that give you the best chance to earn points. Put as many of these guys as possible on your squad and hope for the best. Good luck!
Colorado Rapids (40 points, seventh place)
Conor Casey (Forward) -- Trailing Jeff Cunningham (see FC Dallas below) by one goal in the Golden Boot race gives the U.S. international even more motivation heading into the Rapids' season finale on the road in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Casey didn't have a good game for the U.S. team against Costa Rica in the last World Cup qualifying match and he failed to find the net last weekend against Dallas. There's still plenty to prove for the burly goal scorer.
Toronto FC (39 points, eighth place)
Dwayne De Rosario (Forward) -- The 2009 campaign hasn't been a dominating one by the Canadian's standards, but he does lead this team with 11 goals, six more than second-place Chad Barrett and Amado Guevara. TFC will be looking to get the job done on the road, but they're visiting the lowly Red Bulls, mercifully putting an end to the Giants Stadium era in New York. Expect to see De Ro's trademark strut/shake after hitting the back of the net against the worst team in MLS.
New England Revolution (39 points, ninth place)
Shalrie Joseph (Midfielder) -- The Revs just don't have all that many attacking options, leaving Shalrie Joseph as the man most likely to pick up points for you, either by scoring himself (he has eight goals this season) or by setting up others (he's also got eight assists). Playing the last game of the season means the Revs should know what they need to do before kickoff, and their opponent, Columbus, is already into the postseason and could even have the Supporters' Shield in hand by then.
D.C. United (39 points, 10th place)
Luciano Emilio (Forward) -- The Brazilian has had a pretty average season, just like his club. Emilio did keep the Black-and-Red's playoff hopes alive last weekend by scoring the only goal in D.C.'s victory over the Crew. After bursting onto the MLS scene in 2007 with 20 goals, Emilio needs one more to tie last year's mark of 11. The club is desperate to get back into the playoffs after missing out last season, and Emilio needs to show that he's worth the Designated Player money he's raking in.
FC Dallas (39 points, 11th place)
Jeff Cunningham (Forward) -- This one is a no-brainer. It seems as though Cunningham has almost singlehandedly lifted this team into contention. The Hoops managed to earn a win last weekend even without Cunningham getting on the score sheet, though he did set up one of his team's two goals. With 17 goals so far this season, Cunningham is in first place in the Golden Boot race, and he's looking to lock up that award and add to his incredible tally of 121 career MLS goals.
Real Salt Lake (37 points, 12th place)
Robbie Findley (Forward) -- Though he hasn't found the net in almost two months, Findley is a spark plug, and that's just what RSL needs if they're going to make the leap into the postseason. He injected energy into his team's last game, though it wasn't enough to earn the club any desperately-needed points. Facing their biggest rivals, Colorado, at home should mean a big and loud crowd at Rio Tinto; hopefully Findley can feed off of that and get the job done.