It's probably the oldest sports cliché around: Defense wins championships. And there is some truth to it, but not necessarily in the fantasy sports world. Here, points win championships. And who earns the points? Playmakers, that's who.

But who is a "playmaker" and what makes them so special? In short, these are the team leaders that spur on their sides, the quarterback figure that lifts those around him, the special player with the special ability to be able to change a game with a single play. It's your classic No. 10 on the soccer field.

To be clear, I'm not just talking about pure goal-scorers. Instead, I'm focused on the creative player who produces chances for both himself and others, and more often than not these are attack-minded center midfielders. When it comes to Fantasy Pro, there is no player more valuable. It's all about accumulating points, with goals (15 points) and assists (10 points) the fastest way to do that. For that reason, a solid playmaker is probably the most important cog in your Fantasy Pro machine.

Shockingly, we're already over a month into the MLS season, so now is the perfect time to take an early look at these key components. For those of you joining the game late, be sure you choose wisely, because this is the engine that will make your fantasy team go. If you've been on the train all along, perhaps now is the time to make a change.

BUY NOW:

David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy) - The man means business this year. Last year was all about the hype; so far, 2008 is all about the game. In six matches, the former England captain has three goals and four assists. With Landon Donovan playing mostly as a forward, it's Beckham's ship to run, and so far he's doing a great job at it. Good thing for Galaxy fans that England isn't taking part in Euro 2008, because in his current form, Becks would likely have been in Fabio Capello's side.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew) - There's a reason he's a legend in his native Argentina. With magical passing skills and the ability to find the net on his own, he'll be a legend in Ohio too if he keeps the first-place Crew cruising. What has really helped Schelotto this season is that he has some offensive help. Don't expect the former Boca Juniors star to be slowing down any time soon.

Christian Gomez (Colorado Rapids) - Just when you think he's disappeared, the 2007 MVP brings a moment of brilliance, just as he did against his old mates D.C. United Sunday. A great passer and deadly on set pieces, Gomez so far has been worth the Designated Player slot that Colorado traded for his services. The only drawback is Colorado's lack of firepower up top to finish the chances Gomez creates.

SELL NOW:

Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo) - It's pretty unbelievable that the two-time defending champs are the worst team in the league this far into the season, and part of the problem is a lack of production from the Canadian midfielder. De Rosario is one of the most talented players in MLS, but he can't seem to get himself or his team going right now. It's unlikely that this slump will last the whole season, but right now, De Ro is not worth anywhere near the asking price.

Juan Toja (FC Dallas) - Maybe there's something in the water in Texas, but Toja, like De Ro above, is struggling a bit. He's a fine player, but with only a goal and an assist so far in 2008, it seems like you should get more than 36 points if you're spending over $100K.

Claudio Reyna (New York Red Bulls) - Even though he may not quite qualify as a true playmaker, this fact remains true: If you have Reyna, you need to sell him. His "lower leg injury" suffered in Toronto pretty much confirmed what the TFC fans near the corner flag stated quite clearly: Reyna is a has-been. Captain America was great during his prime, but it's time to walk away, my friend.

HOLD ON TO / KEEP AN EYE ON

Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) - The youngster has started pretty strongly with three goals and two assists, but he's also temperamental and was red carded a couple of weeks back. In case you forgot, that results in a docking of five points. Kljestan has lots of potential and  could be a big player for club and country, and he's a pretty nice value at around $150K.

Marcelo Gallardo (D.C. United) - He's still adjusting to life in MLS, but there have been a few flashes of his brilliance, not least of all an absolutely cracking strike against RSL that rightfully earned him Goal of the Week honors. But so far the Argentinean has been inconsistent. He did next to nothing in the Mile High City Sunday. Then again, not one player for the Black-and-Red did anything impressive. See below.

Amado Guevara (Toronto FC) - I expected more from Guevara against his former team, the New York Red Bulls. He should have come out all guns blazing, leading the home team to a Primetime Thursday victory. That didn't happen. The conditions were not good, with rain soaking the FieldTurf up north. But the Honduran still leads the team in goals with two, even though he's only played in four matches.

WOW (Worst of the Week Award) - This week the honor goes to D.C. United, 2-0 losers on the road Sunday to the Colorado Rapids. Tom Soehn's side looked like a completely different team from the one that pounded RSL 4-1 a week earlier, and not one player did anything worthy of praise. On paper this team is one of the best in the league. In reality, the four-time MLS Cup champs are at the foot of the Eastern Conference.

A few quick tips to wrap up this post:

- The Kansas City Wizards and Toronto FC are both off this week. Consider replacing players on your roster from either team at least until next week.

- Don't get caught with injured or suspended players on your roster. Keep up to date by clicking the links to Injuries and Discipline on the left of the page.

- Don't drink tequila on am empty stomach. Even on Cinco de Mayo.

Adiós!

The economy sucks. The market is down, unemployment is up, and the dollar is so weak that developmental players in MLS are moving into training ground locker rooms in order to avoid paying rent. And with tax day behind us now, what better time to examine the places where we're spending a lot of dough?

So in this week's blog entry, it's time to take a close look at the upper echelon of stocks (players) on the (Fantasy Pro) market. Forget Designated Players, forget positions, forget teams. Here are the top 10 most expensive players on the market (going into this past weekend's matches) and an expert evaluation on their performances thus far. Could they improve? Of course. Should you buy or sell them? You decide.

1) Luciano Emilio (D.C. United; $232,600) - The reigning league MVP and Golden Boot winner has one goal and one assist in four games. Those numbers aren't horrific, but his play so far this year pretty much has been. He's missed some chances that should have been buried, and on Thursday night against the Columbus Crew, the Brazilian couldn't get anything right. He couldn't hold the ball, he couldn't pass the ball, and he didn't even seem to have his heart in the game. There's no other way to put it: Luciano Emilio has been nothing but a disappointment so far in 2008.

2) Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls; $223,800) - The former Colombian international has made just two appearances this season, missing one game through injury and only getting 45 minutes in New York's draw with New England Saturday at the Meadowlands. No goals, one assist, and not much else to say. Has he been lighting it up? Obviously not, but it's still too early to call his game into question.

3) Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy; $218,800) - The U.S. captain and David Beckham's new best friend is in great form at the moment. With five goals and an assist in just four games, Donovan is by far the best performer on this list right now. His numbers should even be higher having missed a few glorious scoring opportunities, but he keeps getting chances and putting most of them away. Maybe having Becks in the ranks will help Donovan keep the momentum through the summer. Or maybe he'll cool down when the weather heats up as he has in years past. Only time will tell.

4) Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution; $212,000) - If he had actually played a minute so far this season, I might have something bad to say about him. I'm sad to say that I don't. I do, however, have something bad to say about anybody who still has the injured striker on his or her fantasy roster. If that's you, then you should be ashamed of yourself. Sell him now and make a trade. Then when he's back you can give him a go if you want.

5) Brad Guzan (Chivas USA; $207,600) - Guzan is a great young goalkeeper, and me might just be worth the 200K you'd have to shell out to get him now. But as I've said before, when you buy a 'keeper, you're buying his whole defense as well. Case in point: there wasn't much Guzan could do on either of FCD's goals on Sunday evening. He costs more than the man at No. 8 on this list, though he hasn't put up as many points. The verdict: not much beyond average so far.

6) David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy; $206,900) - The league's first designated player is making a difference again this season, only this time it's actually on the field in addition to in the stands. He and Donovan are connecting at an incredible pace. If only the rest of the team was decent. But as was proven this weekend, as long as both Becks and Landon are in the team, they'll have a chance to pull down some points. And with a few more free kicks around the box, the former England captain will probably be finding the net more himself too.

7) Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Chicago Fire; $204,800) - The Mexican legend is popular with the fans, and he's playing with a lot of passion. Blanco has two goals and an assist in four games, but he couldn't get anything going for the Fire Sunday in their loss to the Wizards. He doesn't come cheap, but he's been pretty good. Assuming he stays healthy, he hasn't shown any reason so far this season for his productivity to drop. Overall, a solid start but nothing spectacular.

8) Matt Reis (New England Revolution; $204,800) - Reis and the Revs have given up seven goals in five games so far en route to a 2-2-1 start. The veteran has one shutout and has made a lot of good saves, so he's about par for the course so far. There wasn't much Reis could do to stop Jozy Altidore's rocket on Saturday, and of the four goalkeepers on this list, Reis has racked up the most fantasy points.

9) Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo; $193,800) - A shoulder injury has kept the Canadian veteran (aka old man) out for the past couple of weeks. Tony Caig, his replacement, can't be faulted for the two goals that Houston gave up in L.A. Saturday, but with just three points from four games, Houston's not looking good. Onstad was officially listed as "doubtful" this weekend, so who knows if he'll be back by the time the champs hit the field next Saturday in Columbus. Of the 'keepers on this list, Onstad would have to rank at the bottom, though mostly by default.

10) Bouna Coundoul (Colorado Rapids; $191,800) - The Rapids lost at home over the weekend to San Jose, and Bouna Coundoul didn't' have his best match. He left a rebound on the doorstep for Ronnie O'Brien to put away, and perhaps could have been a bit more aggressive on the Quakes' second goal. Two shutouts in four appearances is nice, though. Coundoul is a solid but unconventional goalkeeper, though the team he plays for looks like it could have an up and down season. Proceed with caution.

And finally, I'm introducing a new segment to my weekly entries. We have the Goal of the Week, the Player of the Week, the Player of the Month and all the end-of-the-year awards. But every week there is at least one WOW play, person, event, or team. And by WOW, I mean Worst Of the Week.

The first-ever WOW Award goes to Chad Barrett of the Chicago Fire, whose total shank over the crossbar on a completely open net Sunday should have resulted in his immediate replacement. I don't care how much pace is on the pass, what foot it comes to, or how hard the wind is blowing -- that chance just has to be put away. If you're a professional player, there's no excuse. For that, Chat Barrett, you are the Worst of the Week.

As stated right here in last week's entry, first impressions in fantasy soccer don't mean all that much. But that's not going to stop us from having them, is it?

So in the spirit of "do as I say, not as I do," here's the one player on each team that if you've got, you need to dump. Note that this list ignores bench warmers and other dudes who are mostly taking up space and cashing their $400 paychecks with the hope of one day being able to pull down the kind of big bucks a decent player commands. And yes, we use the term "big bucks" loosely.

Chicago Fire
This may raise a few eyebrows, but striker Chris Rolfe is the pick here. While Rolfe is certainly a very talented player, he just doesn't seem to be in form at the moment. Two games, two shots, one shot on goal, and a whopping six total fantasy points. With several other Windy City forwards up for grabs, it simply isn't good mathematics to retain Rolfe. Put him on your watch list, though, becuase he'll heat up at some point this season. Get it? Heat up? He plays for the Fire...

Chivas USA
The goats looked pretty good this weekend in a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake, so it's hard to single out anybody for dumpage. Take note that Preki's side got the victory without several key players, and it's one of them that (somewhat recklessly, we admit) makes this list: Ante Razov. The veteran sat out this weekend with a calf strain, which can be a tricky injury to overcome. With both Atiba Harris and Alecko Eskandarian opening their scoring accounts for Chivas, and Maykel Galindo pitching in with an assist, it's possible that Razov's spot isn't necessarily assured when he is fully fit again.

Colorado Rapids
Brazilian midfielder Rafael Gomes was priced at an even 100,000 fantasy dollars heading into the weekend. He's played one minute in two games. Is he a bad player? Who knows. We haven't seen anything to judge yet. But is he a bad deal? Unquestionably.

Columbus Crew
Another forward finds his way onto this list, this time the culprit being Nico Hernandez. He has only played 28 minutes so far and on a roster that isn't exactly loaded with big-name forwards, he should be playing every minute of every game. What's going on behind the scenes here?

D.C. United
Some may look at the wee man up front, Franco Niell, as the easy target here. But considering his super-value price tag and 14 points from two games, including a positive display off the bench in United's thrashing of Toronto, he's still a good buy. Instead, head to the other end of the field. Goalkeeper Zach Wells has had a bit of a rough time of late, and there are already reports that coach Tom Soehn is looking to get Peruvian Jose Carvallo some action. Perhaps a swap should be in order on your fantasy team as well.

FC Dallas
Two games and two draws so far in '08 for FC Dallas, and it's hard to get a clear picture of where this team is headed. After contributing an assist on opening day, Abe Thompson rode the bench against Houston Sunday. The Hoops have plenty of potential partners for Kenny Cooper up front, so is it really worth it to spend over 100,000 of your budget on a guy who may or may not end up with a solidified place in the starting 11? Probably not.

Houston Dynamo
They don't quite look like the same team from a year ago yet, do they? One thing that is for certain, Dynamo fans are hoping and praying that Canadian 'keeper Pat Onstad didn't suffer any serious damage in the collision of heads that forced his removal Sunday against their Texas rivals. Tony Caig wasn't too impressive off the bench, either. Why take a chance? Trade Onstad for a week and go with someone you know will be playing. Or wait and see what happens in the Champions' Cup in midweek action. If Onstad isn't on the field then, buy yourself a sure starter for next week.

Kansas City Wizards
Come on, people! Why do you still have Sasha Victorine and Davy Arnaud on your teams? They're both injured! Just check out this page once every couple of days. It's even better than Geico.com.

Los Angeles Galaxy
If you haven't yet gotten rid of Carlos Ruiz, do it now. If you have, then you should also purge Edson Buddle. Even with El Pescadito out of his way, Buddle still couldn't find the field last week. At 92,000 fantasy dollars, he's a waste of space. Come to think of it, he's pretty much the same thing on the field.

New England Revolution
This team easily topped Houston, the team it lost to in MLS Cup last year, on opening day. Then they turned around and got spanked by Chicago, the team the Revs beat for the chance to even be at the championship game, in Week 2. Lets assume that you already know that Taylor Twellman's got a torn meniscus in his right knee. Who should be next to get the pink slip? How about Jeff Larentowicz? Yes, the red card may have been a bit harsh, but he's not a skillful player. He's a hard worker. There are plenty of other midfielders available who will actually score and set up goals. Take D.C.'s Fred and Marcelo Gallardo, each below Larentowicz in price.

New York Red Bulls
Having played just one game so far, all judgement being passed here is even more dubious than much of the above dubiousness. We know Jozy Altidore missed the match with a bit of an injury, but how serious is it? Only time will tell. And don't forget that he may be a target during the summer transfer window. But if you want to stand by your (young) man, see what happens in the next game or two. If that's the case, get rid of Carlos Mendes. Why? No reason really, he's just not very good.

Real Salt Lake
I can't in good conscience condone having any Real Salt Lake players on your fantasy team. There, I said it.

San Jose Earthquakes
It's probably going to be a tough season for San Jose, as it has been for expansion teams around the league in recent seasons. For that reason, and that reason alone, Joe Cannon is probably not the best option at goalkeeper. True, he is a spectacular player individually, but one man can only do so much. Try Jon Conway or Kevin Hartman instead.

Toronto FC
Back in New York, Mo Johnston had Marvell Wynne pegged as Rookie of the Year before he'd even stepped on the field. He's a good kid and a great athlete, but he just hasn't proven to be in another class. The Canadian club (yes, it's a whisky reference) is leaking goals already again this year, so forking out some 90K for a defender from this team is not a wise move in and of itself.

Happy trading! Check us out next week for a look at which one player is the best bargain from each team.

We’re less than a week away from the start of the 2008 Major League Soccer season, and as the action nears commencement on Saturday, things in the fantasy ranks are already running hot.

Don’t put it off any longer; if you haven’t done so already, now is the time to complete your fantasy team so that when the weekend rolls around (and it never rolls around soon enough, does it?) you’ll be off and running. We advise that you not shoot yourself in the foot and post a goose egg the first week. Instead, get all your ducks in a row, fill out that roster, and watch the points add up.

You have until an hour before kickoff of the first game Saturday (Toronto FC at Columbus Crew, 4 p.m. ET in a Least of the East clash) to stock up your roster. Need some tips? Fine, here ya go.

First of all, use your bankroll. You were given $1M fantasy bucks for a reason. Do your best to use as much of it as you can. Second, mix things up a bit. Even if you’re a fan of one particular team, it’s a good idea to have a diverse fantasy lineup. Just like in the stock market, you don’t want everything to be riding on one aspect of your portfolio.

Keeping with the diversity theme, use your cash wisely on a combination of tried-and-true talent that is almost guaranteed to earn you some points, and some more under-the-radar contributors that can also get the job done. That may be the most important part, aside from choosing players who will actually play. Nobody earns points on the bench.

Before this weekend’s games you can make as many trades as you want, so just spend a little time plugging players in and seeing who will fit your budget. Buy, sell, mix, match, and as long as you’re solid before Saturday, you’ll be in good shape. To help you get there, consider these options when filling out your team sheet.

Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers can be great for earning a lot of points, as saves and shutouts can add up quickly. But you also have to remember that when you’re buying a goalkeeper, to a certain extent you’re buying his whole defense as well. As good as Petr Cech is, he’s gonna get scored on plenty if the guys in front of him are a bunch of Ryan Suarezes.

Marquee options: Brad Guzan (Chivas), Matt Reis (New England), and Pat Onstad (Houston) are all fine options at the top of the class. They have individual skills and their teams aren’t likely to leak goals at unusually high rates.

Bargain buys: After years as a back-up and occasional starter, New York’s Jon Conway is likely to be the regular this year in the Big Apple. He’s big, loud, and strong individually. But can you trust the Bulls’ defense? D.C.’s Zach Wells is a similar option.

Defenders

They say that defense wins championships, but that’s probably not really true in fantasy soccer. However, a strong defensive core can certainly help. Having a player or two who will occasionally venture forward is nice to have, as a goal or assist here or there will be a nice addition.

Marquee options: Jose Burciaga (Colorado) and Jonny Bornstein (Chivas) like to gallop down the wings and aren’t strangers to the score sheet. Michael Parkhurst (New England) and Wade Barrett (Houston) are more stay-at-home types who are good long-term options.

Bargain buys: Devon McTavish (D.C. United) is an obvious choice here. He’s likely to get a lot of time this year, and he’s been on fire offensively for the Black-and-Red in the Champions’ Cup. Three goals in two games is a record any forward would be proud of. His teammates Bryan Namoff and Marc Burch are also available on the cheap. For just a little more green you can get a lot of experience in Frankie Hejduk (Columbus) or Nick Garcia (San Jose).

Midfielders

The fantasy game skews towards offensive-minded midfielders, as they are the ones most likely to pick up points from goals and assists. Midfield hardmen are fine, respectable players, but they are of less value to you here. Just don’t say that to Shalrie Joseph’s face.

Marquee options: It’s the usual suspects here. Christian Gomez, some guy named Beckham, Dwayne De Rosario. All are great players, but they’ll cost you a pretty penny.

Bargain buys: As sad as it is to say it, Khano Smith provides decent bang for the buck (yes, on the soccer field). He’s talentless, but pace can go a long way in this league. Arturo Alvarez actually has skills and is a great deal. The same can be said for Justin Mapp, though only he decides if/when he wants to actually be useful. Gamble if you please.

Forwards

Surely you can call me biased (just don’t call me Shirley), but if you’re going to splurge anywhere, this is the place to do it. These are the guys that will carry your team, so you may as well get something for your money. It’s all about goals, and these are the guys who are paid the big bucks (or would be in other leagues, mind you) to do that.

Marquee options: You know who they are. Luciano Emilio, Juan Pablo Angel, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, and Maykel Galindo if you want to go the foreign route. If you’re looking for ‘Made in the USA,’ try Landon, Ante, or Taylor (last names not needed).

So there you have it. Get the checkbook out and start spending. Your team isn’t going to build itself! See you next week.

At long last, the start of the 2008 MLS campaign is nearly upon us. What does that mean for all of us American soccer lovers? It means it’s almost time to see yet another new coach in the Big Apple. It means it’s almost time to see how the latest influx of foreign talent is going to fit into the league. It means that the time is nearly here to begin speculation on when Fernando Clavijo will be fired in Colorado. But most importantly, it means that now is the time to get your fantasy game on.

Here's how:

1) Join a league. Or start your own.You know you want to. Every soccer fan thinks he or she is an expert, and this is your chance to prove it.

2) Invite some competition. Invite your friends, teammates, enemies and Steve Jolley to play. I'm sure Steve would love to play. If he resists, you can probably convince him by telling him that yes, you're sure it's impossible to score an own goal in fantasy soccer.

3) Create your team. Take your $1M fantasy budget -- which is pretty close to an actual GM's salary budget when you really think about it -- and build your team.

But whom should you select for your side? Only you can make that decision, but here are a few basic tips for you.

This game is like the stock market; prices will be constantly shifting. Obviously, what you really need is good value. Mix things up a little bit. It's ok to spend a good chunk of change on a player or two that you know will probably be good for some point production. Then back those players up with some solid performers who get lots of minutes (can't score points when you're on the bench, right Freddy?). You may even think about throwing a couple of untested but promising rookies into the mix. You can also put some players on your watch list for future consideration.

4) Watch soccer. The only way to really know what players are going to work for you is to actually see them play. It's true that stats are a huge part of the fantasy game, but they really only tell you part of the story. It's also helpful to know which teams are looking strong and are likely to score bunches of goals (see: D.C. United; don't see: RSL) and which teams are strong in the back (see: Houston Dynamo; don't see: RSL). A roster of decent players from good teams can often be just as valuable as one stocked with the best players from all the worst teams.

5) Make your moves. Or don't make your moves. You decide. Come back to the site after the week's action and decide who should stay and who should go. But be smart, because your trades are limited after opening day.

6) Rinse and repeat. You don't really have to rinse. But it probably wouldn't hurt either.

Check back here every Monday to read the fantasy blog and pick up some tips, hear no-holds-barred reviews of team and player performances and much more. Who knows? You may even learn something.

On Friday, Major League Soccer issued a press release announcing the creation of the Newcomer of the Year Award. While we'll have to wait until MLS Cup to see who actually wins the award, we figured we could take a look at this award from a fantasy soccer angle.

To clarify, the Newcomer of the Year is any first-year player in MLS who does not qualify for the Rookie of the Year Award.

The league listed the following players as candidates for the honor: Juan Pablo Angel (NY), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (CHI), Conor Casey (COL), Luciano Emilio (DC), Fred (DC), Maykel Galindo (CHV), Carlos Marinelli (KC), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (CLB), Juan Toja (FCD). Noticeably absent? Some bloke who's married to this woman.

Now, looking at the list in terms of fantasy value, Casey, Marinelli and Fred -- simply because he's not even the best Newcomer on his own team -- are not even worth mentioning.

While Toja and Schelotto have been pleasant surprises, both players have really tailed off since the start of the season. It could be argued that Schelotto is one of the leaders to a young Crew team, but that does not necessarily translate to production in terms of fantasy value. Toja, who was an MLS All-Star, could be considered FCD's MVP this season, but he has not scored in league play since tallying twice on July 14.

Blanco could be an intriguing pick for the actual award and anyone who has him on their fantasy team has been reeping the rewards -- but Blanco's limited amount of league action have hindered his season value (and likely his chances at the actual award).

That leaves us with Emilio and Angel. These two rank 1 (Emilio) and 2 (Angel) in the Golden Boot standings and have provided the league with electric moments throughout the campaign. Emilio would have an edge due to his singing skills, but Angel's tribute videos are equally impressive.

There is still more than a month left in the season, and obviously things can change from now until then, but Angel has our vote for Newcomer of the Year. Angel, who 334 Total Points in Soccer Fantasy Pro, has stabilized the Red Bulls and made them into a winning club. He's also been able to do nearly as much as Emilio in fewer games.

If the Los Angeles Galaxy want to make a run for the playoffs (and our guess would be that's the goal given the amount of talent -- Donovan, Xavier, Pavon, Cannon and some guy named Beckham -- they've assembled), they had better start by getting positive results from their two matches in Week 19. L.A. is the only MLS team with two games, so the Galaxy could gain a full three points -- if not more -- with two wins.

Getting two wins will not be easy though, as the Galaxy face D.C. United at RFK Stadium on Thursday and the Revs at Gillette Stadium in New England on Sunday. The Eastern Conference leader and arguably the toughest MLS stadium for any road team stand in L.A.'s way -- no small task.

Now, here's the problem with getting David Beckham. With the addition of the former English national team captain/model/moviestar, the league had to re-arrange the Galaxy's schedule so that Beckham could be seen in nearly every MLS city. Now, I can't blame them for doing this, and I would probably question the league head honchos if they didn't. Oh, by the way, L.A. has yet to win on the road in five games so far this season.

The problem with getting Beck is this: L.A. needed to take advantage of the dominant home schedule that it had throughout the first three months of the season. Easy for me to say, seeing as Beckham and Abel Xavier had yet to join the team and Landon Donovan was sucked into U.S. national team duty.

Now that L.A. sits in fifth place, trailing Colorado for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, it faces the daunting task of having to make a run at the playoffs while playing a majority of their remaining games on the road. The Galaxy will also have to find a way to gel with Beckham and the circus that follows him and his every movement (Did you hear? Becks breathes the same air as us!).

The pressure of the Galaxy's daunting task could have a major effect on many players' overall fantasy value. While you might be tempted to try in catch up in your respective league by making a big splash and buying high-priced players like Beckham and Donovan, avoid that until they prove that they've meshed and they're putting up some major points.

It might be worth taking a flier on Xavier. He's shown the ability to get up the field and could possibly break through with a couple of offensive points in the coming weeks.

Also, I've been a big fan of Ty Harden all season long. While he has not done much on offense, he starts every game and Frank Yallop rarely, if ever, removes him. Harden, being a rookie, also has a low price tag, so if you need to squeeze in a defender, grab Harden.

One last guy worth adding to your roster is Joe Cannon. The guy is known for putting together huge performances. He's got a great chance to rack up some big save numbers as well as a possible clean sheet this week if the Revs show the same lack of punch at home as they did last week against Chicago (3-0, loss for New England).