Major League Soccer Fantasy is back with a vengeance for 2016 with quite a few rule changes allowing for more aggressive play. The important thing is that the salary cap hasn't changed, but the roster size has decreased. On top of that, the attacking and defending bonus points have been split into multiple categories allowing for more points and more ways for players to earn points.

Roster Changes

Let's take a look at the new roster size and the impact it will have on the game. For 2016, players will only be allowed 16 players, two less than previous years. A defender and midfielder bench position got removed, leaving teams to be formed with two goalkeepers, five defenders and midfielders, with four forwards. This change will free up a minimum of $8.0m of cap space for every single player, even more for those players that liked to keep a balanced bench. This change also bumps the average salary of all players from just over $6.5m to $7.5m. That extra power on the team will likely cause an increase in the overall average scores each week.

The roster change also helps negate one strategy that seemed to separate the field down the middle. One of the strongest winning tactics in MLS fantasy for the last few years has been to neglect the bench in favor of the starting XI. Only the XI on the field earn you points, with the sub making 12. Many of the top players would purchase one player in each position at the cheapest price resulting in an approximate gain of $7.5m for the starting lineup. Some would even grab an extra player or two, adding another $5.0 for the starting lineup. The rule change does still allow for this strategy, but at least $5.0m that was gained is no longer available. This strategy is also much more risky given where the roster lost spots.

The game lineup options have not changed. The game still caps each player at three forwards on the field and still allows up to five midfielders or defenders at one time. Players must also always field one GK and three defenders and midfielders. The risk versus reward of the above strategy revolves around the sub rule.  If any player in the starting XI does not play, one player off the bench may sub in as long as the potential sub doesn't break the lineup rules. Since the cheapest players rarely see the field, having one at each position increases the risk of forfeiting points from a substitution. 

Scoring Changes

First and foremost, it must be noted that MLS Fantasy has attempted to curb the lack of defensive scoring in the game. Center backs and wing backs always had the potential for clean sheets, but center backs rarely got forward for attacking points. Perhaps the worst position in the entire league for fantasy was defensive midfield. Limited bonus points on offense and defense coupled with fewer points for clean sheets meant this position saw very little play. To fix this, MLS Fantasy separated out the bonus points for defensive stats including blocked shots, pass interceptions, and clearances.  This breakout raises the ceiling for players earning these points. Be careful though, for with all such stats, there is a minimum needed to score. Tackles have also been added for potential points. Every fourth tackle will earn the player an extra point. 

Two somewhat minor changes were added that affect specific kinds of players. Fouls suffered has been added, and every fourth one will score a point, just like tackles made. This threshold is set a point that may or may not come into play every week for any players. The other minor change involves pass completion. When a player completes a set number of passes and maintains a certain completion percentage, points will be award. One point is earned for 35 passes and two points for 70 pass with at least an 85% completion rate. As with fouls suffered, this will likely only affect a small percentage of players on the roster each week.

The most notable change is easy to see. Total shots, on or off target, can now score bonus points. Every fourth shot is another point. To put this into perspective, Sebastian Giovinco would have had an extra 33 points at minimum in 2015 and up to 45 more. The gap between his 2015 total and the rest of the field was nearly 50 points. Only five players eclipsed 100 shots in 2015, so this change will likely make shot-happy forwards even more valuable.

Conclusion

Whether you a veteran of the game or a complete novice, these rule changes are aimed to balance the game and make it more accessible for everyone. The increased viability of a defensive lineup adds an element to the game that was much needed and makes the strategy viable for new players that didn't realize it wasn't the optimum way to win prizes from MLS.