Round 1 of the 2024 Fantasy NWSL season is in the books, and oooohhh boy did this season get off to a wild start. 23 goals were scored across just six league matches, highlighted by a nine-goal bonanza in the opening game at CPKC Stadium.
With only one round of matches completed, I won’t get too deep into the individual stats this week, but I’ll give some thoughts on the Round 1 matches. Round 1 of the FNWSL season always gives us lots of information on starters, formations, and set piece takers – some of it very surprising. Therefore if, like me, some of your plans for Round 1 didn’t go as expected (DiBernardo, ahem) don’t be afraid to use an extra transfer (or two) this week! Spending those extra points could pay you back with interest over the next few rounds – especially since San Diego and Gotham players are back in the mix this week.
If you’re joining a little late this year, check out our Round 1 preview article! Technically this team would have scored 116 points without some ill-advised last-minute changes by yours truly regarding the captain and midfield slots, so it should be a good starting point.
Editor’s Note: Kansas City’s roster announcement three days prior to the match said, “Vanessa DiBernardo, also remains on the SEI list from her injury in 2023, however the club expects her to be cleared and ready to play shortly.” Based on that, we can’t be mad at Nick for not anticipating DiBernardo playing 63 minutes.
Also, remember that Round 2 kicks off Friday evening in Orlando, so there’s an earlier deadline this week!
Which results stood out?
The expected goals in this match were only about 3.5, but we can’t ignore that 9 were scored between Kansas City and Portland. Apologies to anyone who was confused by the very late change to Vanessa DiBernardo’s status and missed out on a goal and assist from the KC midfielder (like I did), especially if you swapped her out for Raquel Rodriguez. I think DiBernardo should be a priority add for this week or next. The other main takeaway is that Sophia Smith is again a must-have player, even at a cost of $500k. Like I guessed last week, she didn’t get a full 90 following the Gold Cup, but she still found the back of the net twice.
The other high-scoring game was in North Carolina, where the Courage unloaded in the second half against Houston. Bianca St. Georges ($250k), who’s been reclassified to FW this season, scored two goals in about 15 minutes of playing time, but was still outscored in fantasy points by fellow FW Haley Hopkins ($100k). If you’re not going with my strategy of spending over a third of your budget on three starting forwards and are trying to balance out spending a little bit, either Courage forward is worth a look.
For now, I’m not going to put too much weight into either the Challenge Cup or the Seattle-Washington game. Jaedyn Shaw or Alex Morgan should both be good options to transfer in this week, but I still want to see how both San Diego and Gotham line up in a league game before committing too much money to either one. I also think we didn’t really get to get a good look at either the Reign or Spirit, due to Trinity Rodman’s absence, a very early penalty, and a late red card on Aubrey Kingsbury. That being said, Seattle’s back line looked good, and Sofia Huerta took all of the corner kicks and free kicks for the Reign – which really increases her ceiling as a fantasy DF.
Who took the set pieces?
Speaking of set pieces, there are a few other things to note from Round 1. In addition to Huerta, three other players took all of the corner kicks for their teams: Claire Emslie ($350k), Maria Sanchez ($350k), and Sam Coffey ($400k). The two penalties of the round were taken (and converted) by Bethany Balcer ($350k) and Malia Berkely ($200k). Their exclusivity in set pieces definitely increases the fantasy ceiling for all of these players, but Berkely is the headline. The North Carolina defense looked good in Round 1 (conceding only one own goal), and if Berkely continues taking spot kicks as well, she might be the most valuable member of the Courage backline for FNWSL.
Which first-year players stood out?
The headliner here is of course Alex Pfeiffer ($75k), who came at halftime for Kansas City and became the youngest player to score a goal in NWSL history.
Kennedy Fuller ($75k) started for Angel City and played into second-half stoppage time, including 35 touches and 3 shots. Savannah King ($75k) logged 82 minutes at left back for Bay FC in the same game. Ally Sentnor ($75k) saw her fantasy score hit by a yellow card, but played the whole game for Utah, got more touches than any other MF or FW on her team, and took some of the Royals’ corner kicks. Teammate Dana Foederer ($75k) also logged 90 minutes at midfield, while first-round pick Brecken Mozingo ($75k) came on in the second half and put one shot on frame. Claire Hutton ($75k) got 90 minutes for KC and took two free kicks. Reilyn Turner ($75k) logged an assist for Louisville and was involved in the other goal as well.
If you’re strapped for cash, all of these players are great low-risk, high-reward options. I’d say Sentnor has the highest week-to-week floor if you want guaranteed points, but Hutton may have the highest week-to-week ceiling after logging 71 touches in a prolific Current attack.
What changes will you be making for Round 2? Comment or tweet @MansersAnswers