Week 2 MLS Picks
It would be nice if we could hit rewind on Week 1 and give out just about anything other than what we did. When the dust settled, it was our worst week in the three-year history of the picks here in The North End.
The stats website FBref losing their advanced data earlier in the preseason was a huge bummer. It was one of the best resources for the super nerds and a big factor in our good fortune with the picks last year. We wish that was a valid excuse for just how bad last week was but alas, the blame falls squarely on our shoulders! Enough whining, it’s time to start rebuilding towards even.
The official league injury report for Saturday’s games came out Friday afternoon, let’s dive into the Week 2 picks.
Pick’Em Entry of the week
Each match week, we’ll have a pick’em entry for you to tail if your heart desires. This week we’re playing on Underdog Fantasy. If you want to play along with us at Underdog, you can sign up today using this link. Let’s get to the board and build a winner!
We’re going to a trio of team totals in the form of goals allowed lines this week on Underdog and will begin in Houston where LAFC are in town to take on the Dynamo. Jonathan Bond allowed 1.69 goals per 90 across his 26 MLS appearances in 2025 and gave up two or more goals in 15 of those games. LAFC on the other hand is coming into Week 2 firing on all cylinders, fresh off a 3-0 drubbing of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. LAFC have scored two or more goals in 11 of the 14 games with Heung-Min Son in the lineup since he joined the team last August. The Black and Gold have struggled to find the back of the net when playing in H-Town since 2019, but they’ve never been rolling this heavy offensively.
Then we’ll head to the West Coast for the Saturday nightcap and pick on Charlotte FC, who are visiting LA Galaxy. The visitors were the decidedly better side in 2025, but LA Galaxy’s disastrous first half of the season may have caused some to overlook the brighter finish to the year. They scored 1.59 goals per game at home compared to 1.12 on the road, but from May 31 through the end of the season they scored two or more goals in 15 of 24 games across all competitions. In that sample the Galaxy played 16 of the 24 games at home and recorded 2.19 goals per game in those matches. Kahlina was a top ten goalkeeper last year, but away from home is the place to target him and the Charlotte defense. Of the 15 times they conceded multiple goals in 2025, ten of them were on the road.
Then we go to the aforementioned Messi and back Inter Miami in a get right spot against Orlando City on Sunday. The Lions back line looks to be worse than feared to begin the season after allowing 4.64 xG to the visiting New York Red Bulls in the season opener, 3.65 of which came in an embarrassing first half for Orlando. Maxime Crepeau was fantastic in net, but Miami is a different beast offensively. Last season Messi & Co. recorded 2.38 goals per game and put up multiple goals in 27 of 40 MLS games including playoffs. When you shrink that sample to the 34 games Messi appeared in, Miami scored two or more goals in 25 of those 34.
Using the standard payout selection (and the 40% profit boost token dropped in users accounts on Friday) on Underdog, this 3-pick entry will payout a prize of 7.32x your entry fee if successful.
We’ve added some additional plays that can be substituted in place of the props given above if you miss lock for one of those games, want to make additional entries or one of the given options doesn’t start. The additional plays this week are listed in order of preference and we’re fine using these props in any entry.
Sean Johnson O 1.5 goals allowed
Heung-Min Son O 1.5 shots on target (1.06x)
Hany Mukhtar O 1.5 shots on target (1.04x)
Denis Bouanga O 1.5 shots on target (0.97x)
Jorge Ruvalcaba O 2.5 shots attempted (0.97x)
Kristoffer Velde O 3.5 shots attempted (1.09x)
Kevin Denkey O 2.5 shots attempted (0.99x)
John Pulskamp O 1.5 goals allowed (0.8x)
Results
Last Week: -1.0 U
Season: -1.0 U
Week 2 Picks
Columbus Crew
ML -115
Money lines are the name of the game this week at the books. We’ll start in Kansas City where the Crew are in town to take on lowly Sporting. The home team has 12 field players on the senior roster and two of them are out injured with another questionable. On top of that, two of their six supplemental roster field players are also sidelined on Saturday. The Crew will be without Mo Farsi and Dylan Chambost, but they’ve got more than enough on both sides of the ball to take care of business against the dregs of the league.
LAFC
ML +105
Doubling up on our LAFC exposure on their road trip to Houston. While the Black and Gold haven’t won in H-Town since July 2019, they’ve also never arrived with a guy like Heung-Min Son in tow. They’ve recorded nine wins, four draws and just one loss with the South Korean star in the lineup since last August and looked like the juggernaut we expect them to be in the season opening thrashing of Inter Miami last week. We’ll back them to keep it going against the Orange team.
Austin FC
ML -105
The Verde and Black host DC United in Week 2 after dropping points late at home in the opener against Minnesota United. It’s a nice bounce back spot for Austin. Though DC was able to defeat the defending Supporter’s Shield champion Philadelphia Union 1-0, it was just about as unconvincing of a win as it could be, especially after they went up a man for the final 31 minutes of the match. ATX to take all three points at home.
NYCFC
ML +295
Speaking of the Union, we want to pick on them this week and take the Pigeons of NYCFC at nearly three-to-one. Philly lost a number of key pieces in the off season and have even more sidelined at the moment due to injuries and suspensions. NYCFC isn’t likely to reach the top four of the Eastern Conference in their current state, but their chances to steal three points on the road this Sunday make this an intriguing underdog pick in Week 2.
Inter Miami
ML +125
We’ll also get a double dip of Inter Miami this weekend. They’re on the road to take on in-state rival Orlando City SC, but much closer to home after getting run out of the building against LAFC in the opener and playing a friendly in the midweek In Puerto Rico. The Orlando City SC defense looked like one of the most unfortunate units in MLS after one week of play, giving up 4.64 xG to New York Red Bulls at home. We’ll take Miami to get back on track at plus-money.
Goal Scorers
Every week we’ll pick a few of our favorite goal scoring options in the betting market. Here are the Week 2 shouts.
Dor Turgeman +360
Kevin Denkey +200
Kristoffer Velde +290
Heung-Min Son +145
Djordjie Mihailovic +340
Gabriel Pec +205
Joseph Paintsil +205
Facundo Torres +205
Jayden Nelson +310
Nicolas Fernandez Mercau +250
German Berterame +195
Results
Last Week: -16.23 U
2026 Season: -16.23 U
