During the World Cup, NWSL play continued with a mix of league and cup action, and a few players really stood out in these matches. We’ll dive deeper into the stats next week once we see the effect of the return of World Cup players, but here are a few players to consider for your team based on their performance over the last month.
- Several players that were in consideration for selection for the US roster but did not end up making the trip Down Under put up strong fantasy numbers during the break: Ashley Hatch, Taylor Kornieck, and Sam Coffey. Hatch and Coffey were likely on your fantasy radar before the World Cup, and should maintain their high level of fantasy output moving forward. Hatch will have Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez back on the front line with her, which does make the goal scoring in Washington a little difficult to predict, but she’s staying on my roster. Kornieck does cost $400k, but she appears to have recovered from her early season injuries and notched two goals across all competitions in July. If, like many fantasy managers, you’re having trouble finding consistent midfield production, Kornieck is an option to consider.
- Though the Pride did not perform particularly well in the Challenge Cup, Orlando has logged three clean sheet league wins since the beginning of July – this has been a boon for Pride DFs. Kylie Strom, who I highlighted a couple of times before the World Cup break, has continued to be a fantasy all-star and is now the highest-scoring DF in FNWSL (and the highest-scoring player overall that isn’t named Smith or Williams). Her backline partner Haley McCutcheon is also in the top 25 FNWSL players, and both cost only $200k. Kerry Abello ($100k) has seen her minutes steadily increase in league play and had a huge game last week against Chicago. Midfielder Mikayla Cluff ($100k) has also jumped up the rankings and is 12th overall in defensive points. If you’re looking for some less expensive players to free up budget for the World Cup players, start your search in Orlando!
How are you building your roster after the World Cup? Comment or tweet @MansersAnswers!