MLS Fantasy Rankings: Top Forwards

This article is part of our MLS Fantasy Rankings series.

There are a lot of complications come with trying to rank players for the season-long game. For simplicity's sake, we ignored potential absences for the many international tournaments coming up this summer. We also did not favor players with a generous opening schedule, but you certainly should look at that when putting together your team!

JD: With forwards, we have to start at the top. While the indomitable Sebastian Giovinco is a shoe-in for the top spot, I'm backing Kei Kamara for runner-up just like last season. You dropped Kamara to fourth, and boosted David Villa (who I also like) and Robbie Keane (who I'm a little down on) ahead of him. Politely, I am wondering if you watched Kei Kamara and the Columbus attack at all last season. Explain yourself!

Schuyler: I don't disagree that Kamara will be in the running for the Golden Boot again in 2016, but with a clean slate to start the season it's hard not give two of Europe's most prolific goal scorers a slight bump over him. And while these rankings aren't price dependent, Kamara's price sees a significant increase from last season when he was underpriced from the get-go. Keane is a model of goal-scoring consistency, having finished in the top five in MLS for the past four seasons. In fact, in eight fewer games played than Kamara in 2015 he was just two goals back of him in third. I'm backing Villa, with a full season in the league under his belt, to hit for 20-plus goals and push for the Golden Boot as well.

JD: I'm afraid this is the year Keane really starts to trail off. He's been the league's greatest goal-scoring force for years, but he continues to look a step slower each season. A few years ago, his finishing ability would still put him in the Golden Boot race if he were shuffling along with a walker, but this is a new brand of MLS. Kamara, on the other hand, is an athletic force of nature and brings a goal-scoring hunger that few players around the world can match. He probably missed more great chances than anyone last season, which leads me to believe he can challenge the MLS record as Columbus continue to refine their game under Gregg Berhalter.

An even larger discrepancy in our rankings is with Fanendo Adi. While I've been beating his drum for some time, and thoroughly enjoyed his breakout campaign en route to MLS Cup victory, it appears that you think some other attackers in Portland may dilute his goal totals. Why so low on Adi?

Schuyler: To be honest, I had a tough time determining who to rank where after about the first seven forwards. When considering forwards for season-long, goals and assists are king as most forwards -- outside of Giovinco -- don't do enough to earn points through other categories. I've got veteran goalscorer Chris Wondolowski in at No. 8 - he matched Adi's 16 goals last season in fewer minutes and I like his chances as somewhat of a Golden Boot sleeper in 2016. If we see the same Adi that turned it on down the stretch last season, he could very well outperform Wondo and is certainly deserving of a top-10 rank.

Let's talk about Adi's former teammate and new FC Dallas forward Maximiliano Urruti, who I made room for in my rankings whereas you left him out altogether. If preseason is any indication, Urruti should thrive in the dynamic FCD attack. I think he's in a great spot to post some nice numbers. I'm tabbing both Urruti and Chicago Fire's Gilberto as two somewhat under-the-radar forwards who could have a big impact this season. Do any forwards jump out at you as sleepers that many fantasy managers might not be considering?

JD: I think both of those picks are promising, and I also like that you made room for Joao Platain your rankings. Urruti just ended up being sacrificed for forwards I expect to get safer minutes, but if he steals the job outright from Tesho Akindele, he'll could flirt with 10 or more tallies. Two players who I believe aren't getting enough respect at the moment are Nelson Valdez and Charlie Davies. Valdez looked formidable in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League against Club America, and he's been having a good preseason. If he can ward away all of the knocks he seems to accrue throughout a season, I think he will thrive atop Seattle's 4-3-3 flanked by Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris. Davies has been talking a big game in the preseason, and though he doesn't tick all the bonus point columns we hope for, he should lead the Revolution in goals for a second straight season. It's easy to forget that Davies has been capped by the U.S. National Team 17 times and benefits from playing alongside some talented players in New England.

Lastly, let's look at who we think may be overrated heading into the season. I already touched on Keane, and I'll add Fabian Espindolam to the list. I also am skeptical of Yura Movsisyan coming in and dominating the league in the manner some think he will. It's beginning to look like we shouldn't hold our breath for Gyasi Zardes' breakout season, either.

Schuyler: With so many mouths to feed in LA, Zardes is best suited as a differential play for fantasy MLS purposes. The only time I'd consider including him in my fantasy team is if Keane or Giovani Dos Santos were out for an extended period. I've always been a fan of the energy that Espindola brings, and he'll really need to bring it this season considering how poor DC United have looked in preseason. The excitement surrounding Movsisyan's return to MLS is legit considering he's a pure goalscorer and has one of the best ball deliverers in the league in Javier Morales sending balls into the box for him. The fans in Salt Lake love the big Armenian and I'm looking forward to seeing him back in the league.