If one emoji could represent Round 14, it would have to be the face with spiral eyes. So much happened over the last few days in the NWSL, both on and off the pitch, that it would be too much to cover even if it was a normal week – and it’s only our first week back from break! It’s too much.
Therefore, for this week’s Answers, I’m going to dial it back a little and just answer some easy yes/no questions, so we can ease back in from summer vacation together.
Either way, it has to start with perhaps the biggest NWSL transaction of the season…
Is Ally Sentnor really on the Current?
Well, yes, she is. It’s great news for Current fans! It’s not great news for Royals fans, and probably not for everyone else in the league either. Sentnor was traded late last week from Utah to Kansas City in return for a complex financial package – and thus the league’s most potent attack (by far) gets yet another star player.
Sentnor’s arrival coincides with the maternity leave of fellow midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, so it’s possible that Sentnor moves right into the starting midfield for the Current. However, Sentnor is more of a traditional #10 and takes significantly more shots than DiBernardo, who tends to focus on creating for other attackers. From a fantasy perspective, this means that Sentnor’s upside may be a little bit limited in KC, considering the sheer number of quality finishers that the Current already has/have. That being said, if she slots into that starting role, she’ll probably have one of the highest weekly floors in the league. And if you (like me) need a replacement for DiBernardo, Sentnor is a great option.
One other thing to consider: We aren’t certain that Sentnor will be available for selection this week, but if she is, a LOT of FNWSL managers will be transferring her in… so if you are playing a differential strategy, it may be worth looking at Olivia Moultrie, Kenza Dali, or Denise O’Sullivan in this spot instead.
Is Trinity Rodman BACK?
Yes! Trinity Rodman is back! And she scored a game-winning goal. Her return immediately energized a Washington attack that had been sputtering a little bit before the break. We know the Spirit are monitoring her return closely, with Head Coach Adrián González sharing that while she was only available for 15 minutes over the weekend they are focused on safe progression and clear communication. She’ll likely be coming off the bench for the next couple of weeks, but once Rodman’s back to full fitness, she’s a lock to start each week and probably be the focal point of Washington’s attack (especially considering that Ashley Hatch will miss the rest of the season on maternity leave). In addition to goal scoring, she can create from the wing for Gift Monday, Croix Bethune, and the rest of the powerful Spirit offense.
If you are set at FW, there’s probably no need to reset your team for Rodman quite yet. However, if you are getting impatient with the Orlando Pride attack (one or zero goals in seven of the last eight matches), Rodman for Barbra Banda is a reasonable transfer to make.
González also shared post-match that Metayer is expected to get minutes in Round 15 against Gotham, and Cantore will be available to make her Spirit debut.
Are there other new or returning players in FNWSL?
Yes! There are. In fact, one of my all-time favorite FNWSL players, Sofia Huerta, returned to league play this week after her loan to Lyon. She immediately got 90 minutes, 62 touches, and two shots for the Reign. Considering that she’s historically been one of the highest scoring fantasy defenders in terms of offensive points, and this year Seattle has one of the league’s best defenses, she has a very high ceiling in FNWSL for the rest of the season.
Angel City ran out a very new-look squad, which featured the return of Jun Endo from injury and the debut of Sveindís Jónsdóttir, who joined Angel City from WfL Wolfsburg following the conclusion of the Frauen-Bundesliga season last May. Both started the game and played well into the second half (and both really racked up the defensive points). With Claire Emslie going on maternity leave and Christen Press back in the mix, the Angel City lineup (other than Alyssa Thompson and Riley Tiernan) may get very unpredictable – I’d be careful with spending too much money on Angel City until we see how things look moving forward.
We’ll talk more about all the rest of the FNWSL happenings next week! In the meantime, we have a standard deadline for Round 15: Houston hosts North Carolina to kick off the weekend on Friday at 8e/7c/6m/5p. Comment or Bluesky @MansersAnswers if you have any questions/comments/thoughts!
P.S.: Other than Tobin Heath, the only player I had more than one jersey for is… Alex Morgan (two USWNT and one Tottenham).