This article is part of our MLS Fantasy Strategies series.
Reviled by casuals and praised by more serious players, the switcheroo has easily been the most controversial aspect of MLS Fantasy for years. Many have tried to explain the nuances of the rules loophole while others simply consider it cheating. It's not something that's specifically built into the game's rulebook, but it's exploited by those who argue it's not disallowed.
(If you're interested in additional details about the original switcheroo, check out this breakdown on Reddit.)
MLS Fantasy made some major rule changes this season, including one that allows a player to be dropped from a fantasy roster all the way until their match has kicked off, as long as they are replaced by a player who hasn't already started their game. This is different from prior years when the specific players on a fantasy team were locked at kickoff of the first match of the round (gameweek), though you could still put in a bench player through the manager substitution option.
Upon first hearing of this change, the immediate reaction was "they've killed the switcheroo!" because you were no longer forced into keeping the same 15 players (11 starters and four bench players) once the first match of the round (sometimes as early as Friday night) began. However, a second major change not only ensured the switcheroo stayed around, but actually made it even more valuable.
In previous seasons, fantasy players were required to order the players on their bench, which would determine which one would auto-sub in if a starter did not play. For 2018, the highest-scoring player among the four will auto-sub in if a starter does not play, and this extends all the way to the end of the bench. Not only does this allow for multiple switcheroos among outfield players, it also enables fantasy managers to use a goalkeeper switcheroo for the first time.
Before I go any further, I want to make it very clear that this strategy requires consistent active management throughout the fantasy round. Unlike the English Premier League's official fantasy game, which is extremely rigid in just about every way possible, MLS Fantasy Manager is flexible and allows for any level of attention; using the new switcheroo strategy takes the most amount of that attention.
With the workload warning out of the way, here we go:
Using switcheroo 2.0 can be complicated, but I think it's important to explain the basic method.
In simple terms, you need to be very cognizant of when matches are kicking off and knowing which players you can use for your switcheroos. The strategy is much easier when each round's matches are spread out; the more time between matches, the more options you have.
The first step is to find players whose teams are playing in late matches but will not be in the match-day squads. One of the other big beneficiaries of players locking into their roster spots after kickoff of their own games is that we will no longer be hoping that Nathan Smith doesn't play because we'll know if he's in the 18 (that doesn't guarantee he'll play and mess up your switcheroo, but it ensures we'll know if we can count on him or not). [Note: Smith is no longer on an MLS team but he was the best example of a consistently used switcheroo placeholder last year.]
Anyway, let's consider it for defenders: when choosing your roster, select one defender who is unlikely to play from one of the later matches on the slate and put him in your starting lineup. Follow that up by choosing a defender you like from one of the early matches but put him on your fantasy bench. If that second defender has a good game, there's nothing more to do as he'll auto-sub into the spot of the defender who doesn't play. However, if he has a poor game then you can simply swap out your starting defender who is unlikely to play for one who will start and be in a good matchup. It's not fool-proof, but it at least gives you an opportunity to improve on the defender who struggled in the early match.
The same strategy can be used for midfielders, forwards and goalkeepers. With unlimited transfers and players not locking until their matches kick off, there are countless ways you can utilize the enhanced switcheroo. Using a switcheroo for a goalkeeper may be the biggest change of all, as it effectively gives you up to two chances of getting a clean sheet each round.
The strategy is the same as the outfield positions: start a goalkeeper from a late game on the slate and put one from an early match on your bench. If the one on your bench gets a clean sheet, change the starting goalkeeper to a backup who will likely be inactive (this will also save you some money for your other switcheroo spots); with the starting goalkeeper not playing, you'll automatically get the points from your bench player who had a clean sheet.
One of the other things you have to watch out for is player prices. If you choose a dirt cheap player as your placeholder then you may not have enough salary for your replacement. However, as described just above, there will be opportunities to save money if your bench players perform well enough to auto-sub in.
Things can get more complicated if you're willing to put the work in. Just remember that you'll need to check lineups when they're announced throughout the round (you can do that here) to ensure your players are playing (or not!) and how you can take advantage to maximize your fantasy scores.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave them below or reach out to me on Twitter @RotoWireAndrew.
