This article is part of our MLS Fantasy Rankings series.
1. Bill Hamid
Last year's top-scoring fantasy keeper and MLS Goalkeeper of the Year winner has earned the right to defend his title. Hamid was a large reason for DC United's resurgence, leading them to a tie with Los Angeles for the least goals allowed on the season. Of the keepers who topped Major League Soccer's clean sheet list, Hamid had to make the most saves to earn them. He is the favorite to replace the previous great generation of American netminders and last season solidified his status on European clubs' radars. This season could be the one that puts him over the top, which should motivate him to elevate his game further. DC United bring back largely the same group they had last season, which is a great sign for Hamid. Defender of the Year candidate Bobby Boswell and Rookie of the Year candidate Steve Birnbaum will be tough to beat in the center of defense, and the rest of the cast including rock solid Perry Kitchen in a holding midfield role will provide excellent support. A final nugget in support of Hamid's fantasy appeal is that he plays in the notoriously weaker Eastern conference. While he should see US National Team duty at times this season, he will be a great asset to any fantasy MLS team.
2. Nick Rimando
Rimando is the gold standard of MLS goalkeeping. He holds the all-time record for clean sheets, and can steal any game in which he straps on the gloves. He has an uncanny knack for saving penalties, as evidenced by his four saves on just five penalties taken against him last season. So what is keeping Rimando from the No. 1 spot on our list? The departure of Nat Borchers and Chris Wingert in defense, and the responsible Ned Grabavoy in the midfield. Real Salt Lake has replaced them with capable, but cement-footed Jamison Olave and experienced outside back Demar Phillips and it's entirely possible that they could equate to an upgrade. With fantasy seasons on the line, though, it's safer not to assume that it's a certainty. Kyle Beckerman, who manages to be both severely underrated and overrated at the same time, will still prove invaluable sitting in front of the back line and should ease the transition to a new group. There are questions about what identity RSL will have this season, as they experiment with a more attacking style, but the face of their franchise remains the same with Rimando. If top-notch goalkeeping is what you're looking for, don't let the fringe details concern you. Just look at Rimando's track record and feel safe no matter the opponent.
3. Jaime Penedo
Fantasy goalkeeping is as much about the defense in front of goal than the single person between the posts, and Penedo is a great example. The Galaxy are able to field RotoWire No. 1 defender Omar Gonzalez, veteran AJ DeLaGarza, and a good group of fullbacks led by Robbie Rogers and Dan Gargan. Penedo is no slouch either, as he has displayed amazing saves to go with a few shaky moments. He has appeared for the Panamanian National Team nearly 100 times and twice led them to the Gold Cup final. In those Gold Cups, he was named the keeper of the tournament. While Penedo may not make this list as a member of most other MLS teams, it's practically a universal law that Bruce Arena's side will have a good defense. This season shouldn't be any different, which automatically makes Penedo worth consideration.
4. David Ousted
Ousted paced Major League Soccer with 13 clean sheets last season, eight of which came between August and the end of the season. The addition of Kendall Waston was an enormous boost to Vancouver's defense. Steve Beitashour and Jordan Harvey look to begin the season at the fullback spots, both of whom are neither outstanding nor liabilities. Fans hope that new signing Diego Rodriguez will partner with Waston and bring a calming presence, but manager Carl Robinson has been giving Portland cast-off Pa Modou Kah plenty of chances in the preseason and that could be cause for concern. If Waston and Kah patrol the middle of the field, expect plenty of shots to be raining down on Ousted. Back to good news, Matias Laba reportedly looks even better than in previous seasons as the rock in Vancouver's defensive midfield. Ultimately, Vancouver looks to be a young and quickly improving group. That spells good news for Ousted, who did more than alright in 2014.
5. Steve Clark
After winning a preseason battle, Clark finished 2014 with the second-most saves in the league. Playing behind a Columbus group that focused more on attacking than defending, he bailed out his teammates countless times. Clark does everything you'd expect a goalkeeper to do very well, starting with good positioning and quick feet. Michael Parkhurst and Waylon Francis return to the back line from last season, along with new signings Emanuel Pogatetz and Hernan Grana. In theory, that makes for an extremely formidable group. Clark and his fantasy owners surely will trade a few fewer shots (and thus, saves) for some more clean sheets. Clark, like Bill Hamid, also has the distinct advantage of playing in the Eastern conference where Columbus could very well compete for the top spot in the standings. While scheduling wasn't taken into account for these rankings, note that the Crew have two early byes this season. After those weeks, Clark should be safe to unleash.
Honorable Mentions:Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders), Bobby Shuttleworth (New England Revolution), Luis Marin (Sporting Kansas City).
