This article is part of our The Armband series.
For maybe the first time all season, I nailed my captain rankings last week, with my fifth-best choice (Bastian Schweinsteiger) still reaching nine fantasy points despite his team getting destroyed. But even with that being the case, if you didn't select the perfect captain, it was all for naught.
Ignacio Piatti was my top pick, though I didn't expect him to double everyone else's output. Piatti, just two matches removed from returning fully from injury, scored two braces in the matter of four days. Maybe you gave the armband to one of the many other options, but if it wasn't Piatti, you likely left points on the table.
Once again, we have to move quickly with our lineups because a huge round is ahead with 14 teams having two matches, beginning Wednesday. To try and make this easier, I divided all 14 teams into tiers based on ease of schedule (the first tier teams have two matches and the bottom tier has all road matches):
Tier 1: Columbus (s. LA, s. Dallas), D.C. United (s. ATL, s. NE), Real Salt Lake (s. SJ, s. COL)
Tier 2: Dallas (v. HOU, at CLB), Toronto (v. PHI, at MTL), Seattle (at VAN, v. POR), Vancouver (v. SEA, at ORL)
Tier 3: Los Angeles (at CLB, v. SJ), Philadelphia (at TOR, v. ATL), Portland (v. COL, at SEA), Houston (at DAL, v. SKC)
Tier 4: Colorado (at POR, at RSL), San Jose (at RSL, at SJ), Atlanta (at DC, at PHI)
In deciding whom to captain, it's easiest to start at the top with Columbus, D.C. and Real Salt Lake. With D.C. a non-factor, the Crew and RSL provide a couple options. And despite the Crew's recent struggles, they are much better at home with four wins in their last five tries. Ola Kamara only provides points when he scores, so Justin Meram is the choice with his overall numbers much better at home this season (one away goal scored this season).
For even more favorable matches, Real Salt Lake hosts San Jose and Colorado, who have combined for 10 goals scored and 41 allowed in 22 away matches. There are a few options, but the task will be finding someone who starts both games. The best choice would normally be Joao Plata, but he wasn't in the squad last game, so he's not a guarantee. Jefferson Savarino and Luis Silva have been solid options over the last month, but the pick has to be Albert Rusnak, who is always in the starting XI when available. While he doesn't find the score sheet as often as others, he's reached at least four fantasy points in his last seven starts, so he's at least consistent.
Toronto and Seattle are next in line, with both having fairly equal matchups and both having more captain options than Dallas and Vancouver. Sebastian Giovinco is always near the top of lists when he has two matches and it's hard to argue that. I'd stay away from Jozy Altidore because he's a goal-or-bust player and hasn't scored in his last three. Victor Vazquez is a safe differential in that he's reached at least four fantasy points in his last nine matches.
Almost the entire Sounders roster can be considered for the armband, but the best choices are the usual names at each position. while Joevin Jones gives upside with attacking potential and clean sheet possibility. I wouldn't say a clean sheet is guaranteed for Seattle, but the Whitecaps aren't a dominant home team and the Timbers are struggling.
If none of those options please you for captain, I don't know what to tell you. Fredy Montero and C.J. Sapong are both playing well and have two matches, but I wouldn't choose them over any of the aforementioned choices. The same goes for Diego Valeri and Romain Alessandrini with neither of their sides playing well. If you want to get crazy, Piatti has another home match, so a brace could be in the cards again.
Editor's note: after this article was published it was announced that Joevin Jones left the Sounders without authorization to join the Trinidad & Tobago national team ahead of two World Cup qualifiers. He will miss both games this week.
