MLS Player Rankings: BWP Takes Top Spot; Altidore, Dempsey Move into Top 10
It's a great time to be a top scorer in Major League Soccer.
As the race for the Golden Boot heats up, some of the league's best in front of goal are stringing together terrific performances entering the stretch run of the regular season.
Few players have been as hot in the final third as Bradley Wright-Phillips has over the last month. Thanks to his goal-scoring prowess, the New York Red Bulls forward is the latest No. 1 in our weekly MLS Player Rankings.
Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, who have surged up the scoring charts of late, make their return to the list of the top 20 in-form players in MLS this week as well.
Our player rankings take into account the last four performances from a certain player, with the most recent one holding more stock.
Continue reading to see who joined some of the league's top strikers in our Week 24 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings.
On the Way out
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Five players moved out of the top 20 after Week 24 primarily due to the play of the those entering the list of the league's best players.
Players Dropped out of Rankings
Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas; Previous Ranking: 12)
Marlon Hairston (Colorado Rapids; 13)
Kaka (Orlando City; 18)
Axel Sjoberg (Colorado Rapids; 19)
Kevin Molino (Orlando City; 20)
20. Dom Dwyer, FW, Sporting Kansas City
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Previous Ranking: 16
One week after his brace against FC Dallas, Dom Dwyer took a backseat to the scoring in Sporting Kansas City's 2-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
Dwyer remains on the list because of his two-goal performance from Week 23. However, one more off night could put his place at risk since he hasn't scored in three of his last four matches.
In addition to not scoring in those matches, Dwyer has failed to put a shot on goal in two of his last three contests.
The 26-year-old and his teammates face a rough next seven days as they visit Vancouver in the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday before traveling across the continent to Philadelphia for a Saturday league match.
19. Chris Pontius, LM, Philadelphia Union
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Previous Ranking: 15
The Philadelphia Union received a bit of a wake-up call on Saturday night at home as they dropped a 3-1 result to Toronto FC.
Chris Pontius, who picked up a goal and an assist a week ago, was held out of the scoring column at Talen Energy Stadium.
The 29-year-old midfielder put two of his four shots on target on 47 touches in the Union's second consecutive home defeat.
Pontius and the Union have a big week ahead in Week 25 as they face Columbus and Sporting Kansas City over a span of four days.
18. Jordan Morris, FW, Seattle Sounders
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Previous Ranking: 17
Jordan Morris was not as effective in front of the net as his other teammates on Sunday.
The United States men's national team forward was unable to finish off a few chances in the Cascadia Cup clash with Portland in which the Sounders won 3-1.
The poor finishing wasn't a good sign for Morris' USMNT roster hopes for the September CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago since the depth chart is suddenly packed.
The 21-year-old, who has a goal and two assists in his last three games, will have two more chances to impress Jurgen Klinsmann in Week 25 against Houston and Portland.
17. Patrick Mullins, FW, D.C. United
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Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
A change of scenery has made a world of difference for Patrick Mullins over the last month.
The 24-year-old American forward made his first appearance for the Black and Red as a substitute on July 23, and he's found the back of the net on two occasions in the four games after his debut.
Mullins notched his second tally of the regular season on Sunday in D.C.'s come-from-behind draw at home against the New York Red Bulls.
D.C. may have its starting striker rounding into form at the moment, but Ben Olsen's side has a lot of work left to do to feel safe in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
16. Ignacio Piatti, CM, Montreal Impact
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Previous Ranking: 9
Ignacio Piatti and the Montreal Impact were handed a shock on Saturday at home as they dropped a 3-0 result to the Chicago Fire.
The Argentinian playmaker only put one of his five shots on target in the surprising defeat at Stade Saputo that tightened things up in the Eastern Conference standings.
The 31-year-old also dished out a single key pass for the fifth-place side in the Eastern Conference. Despite a total of 11 key passes, the Impact could only send five shots in the direction of Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
15. Ola Kamara, FW, Columbus Crew
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Previous Ranking: 7
Ola Kamara's scoring form has dropped off over recent weeks as the Crew have found life tough in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The 26-year-old, who has 10 goals to his name in 2016, has one assist in the last three matches, and he's been less active in front of the net as he's put just three shots on target.
Kamara has one goal against midweek opponent Philadelphia this season, and he'll be facing a struggling San Jose side on Saturday at Mapfre Stadium.
Both matches present the Crew with an opportunity to further leap up the Eastern Conference table.
14. Cyle Larin, FW, Orlando City
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Previous Ranking: 10
Orlando City earned a rare away point at the home fortress of the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
However, the scoreless draw at Dick's Sporting Goods Park produced little in terms of attacking firepower.
Orlando forward Cyle Larin failed to put a shot on target for the second time in three weeks. In between the pair of lackluster performances, the Canadian has scored four goals in his last six.
The Lions would benefit greatly from an increase in production in front of the net from Larin in Week 25 as they play two home games against the top two clubs in the Eastern Conference.
13. Maximiliano Urruti, FW, FC Dallas
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Previous Ranking: 11
Maximiliano Urruti suffered the same fate as some of the top scorers on this part of the list in Week 24, as he failed to produce for FC Dallas.
Unlike some of the others below him, Urruti actually challenged the opposing goalkeeper with a shot on target, albeit just one in his side's defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake.
The loss to the Claret and Cobalt on Saturday opened the door for a few of FC Dallas' competitors in the Supporters' Shield and Western Conference races.
Another poor week for Oscar Pareja's side could cause a real shakeup in the race to be the best team in MLS.
12. Javier Morales, CAM, Real Salt Lake
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Previous Ranking: 14
Javier Morales was at the center of the Real Salt Lake attack once again on Saturday, as he was the most active player on the pitch at Rio Tinto Stadium.
The Argentinian recorded 100 touches and handed out four key passes for Jeff Cassar's side in their home win over FC Dallas.
The victory extended a strong run of form that the Claret and Cobalt started on July 31 in Philadelphia.
If RSL are truly a contender for the top regular-season prizes in the league, Morales will have to continue to be the conductor of the attack.
11. Matt Hedges, CB, FC Dallas
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Previous Ranking: 8
The FC Dallas back line didn't have a terrible night at Rio Tinto Stadium, but they walked away with nothing to show for a decent performance.
The defense, led by Matt Hedges, has recorded one clean sheet in their last five matches, which has led to a narrow gap between FC Dallas and their biggest challengers in the standings.
Although the club conceded just four shots on target to Real Salt Lake, Hedges was far from active, as he made four clearances on 34 touches.
10. Ethan Finlay, RM, Columbus Crew
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Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Three of the five goals netted by the Columbus Crew in the last two weeks have come off the boot of Ethan Finlay.
The American followed up his brace against New York City FC in Week 23 with a strike in the 2-0 win over New England on Saturday.
The 26-year-old and Justin Meram have picked up the slack in attack with Kamara struggling to break down opposing defenses at the moment.
Finlay's scoring stretch is the best he's experienced since the last two matches of the 2015 regular season.
9. Cristian Roldan, FW, Seattle Sounders
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Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
The forwards in the Seattle lineup aren't the only players enjoying the club's current resurgence.
Central midfielder Cristian Roldan has benefited from his new role in Brian Schmetzer's formation next to Osvaldo Alonso.
In addition to thriving defensively next to one of the top destroyers in the league, the 21-year-old has been able to creep up into the final third and become a scoring threat.
Roldan has two goals and two assists in his last four matches, including one each in Seattle's triumph over Portland on Sunday.
The recent form of the second-year player could intrigue USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann enough to call him up for the pair of matches in either September or October.
8. Jozy Altidore, FW, Toronto FC
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Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Speaking of players rounding into form at the perfect time for club and country, Jozy Altidore has four goals in his last five contests.
The 26-year-old forward, who is working his way back to full fitness, scored for the third consecutive match on Saturday against Philadelphia.
Altidore used brute strength in the buildup to the goal that finished off three points for Toronto FC right before the half-time whistle.
It's scary to think that all of this play is coming while Altidore is still not 100 percent. If this run continues when he's healthy, the Reds could be unstoppable and the USMNT will have a valuable weapon up top.
7. Clint Dempsey, FW, Seattle Sounders
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Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
The Clint Dempsey we've been waiting to see all season has finally appeared over the last few weeks during Seattle's surge up the standings.
The 33-year-old American bagged a brace on Sunday to move his season goal tally to eight. He earned a hat-trick two weeks prior to kick-start his season in front of the net.
There is no doubt Dempsey will move into double digits in the scoring column for the third straight year, but the one number in question is his assist total. Dempsey only has two after handing out more than 10 each of the last two seasons.
He may not hit 10 assists in 2016, but Dempsey should pick up more as the season goes along in the fully-loaded Sounders attack.
6. Nicolas Lodeiro, CAM, Seattle Sounders
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Previous Ranking: 6
The main reason why two Sounders debuted in our Player Rankings this week is the addition of Nicolas Lodeiro to the squad.
Lodeiro's impact has been felt by the forwards and by players deeper in midfield because he opens up plenty of space for others to run into.
The former Boca Juniors man hasn't filled the exact role Obafemi Martins had over the last few seasons, but he's had the same impact as the team's new No. 10.
The 27-year-old, who has been all around the ball since his arrival, made three less touches than Osvaldo Alonso against Portland. The pair combined for 177 touches. That number should remain around Sunday's total for the rest of the year as the Sounders look to make a late push for the postseason.
5. Steven Gerrard, CM, LA Galaxy
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Previous Ranking: 5
Steven Gerrard failed to play a role in an LA Galaxy goal for the first time in five appearances on Sunday against New York City FC.
Despite the sputtering nature of the Galaxy attack at the moment, Gerrard has been a consistent contributor over the last month.
The good news for the Galaxy is they should rebound from their 1-0 loss to NYCFC on Wednesday against Chicago. If they lose at Toyota Park, a little bit of concern will begin to circle the club as others in the Western Conference find their form.
4. Frank Lampard, CM, New York City FC
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Previous Ranking: 3
Frank Lampard had a rare rough outing in the middle of the park for NYCFC on Saturday.
The 38-year-old was on the ball just 37 times, and he dished out a single key pass in his side's 1-0 win over the Galaxy.
The indifferent performance was a rare one for Lampard since the Copa America Centenario break, as he's been breaking down opposing defenses with plenty of success.
Lampard's next chance to move into double digits in the goals category comes on Sunday against Orlando City.
3. Sacha Kljestan, CM, New York Red Bulls
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Previous Ranking: 1
Sacha Kljestan's slight drop from the top spot has nothing to do with his personal form and everything to do with the blazing-hot success one of his teammates is experiencing.
The 30-year-old American, who needs to be a part of Klinsmann's roster moving forward, recorded his 15th assist of the season in the Red Bulls' 2-2 draw with D.C. United.
While the play of Kljestan and Bradley Wright-Phillips is a huge plus for Jesse Marsch's men at the moment, they still have flaws in defense, as they let go of their second two-goal lead in a month's time on Sunday.
If the Red Bulls are able to solve that issue, it could go a long way in determining their playoff fate.
2. Sebastian Giovinco, FW, Toronto FC
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Previous Ranking: 2
Sebastian Giovinco and the Toronto FC attack were too much for Philadelphia to handle on Saturday, as they breezed past the Union defense on numerous occasions.
The Atomic Ant made the Union back line look silly for the first time in the 19th minute, as he sped past Ken Tribbett before knocking a shot off both posts and into the back of the net.
The tally tied Giovinco with David Villa atop the Golden Boot standings with 16 apiece. The winner of that competition may have to break out for a few multiple-goal performances in order to secure the title of MLS's best scorer.
1. Bradley Wright-Phillips, FW, New York Red Bulls
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Previous Ranking: 4
Bradley Wright-Phillips will also have something to say in the Golden Boot and MVP races down the stretch.
The Red Bulls forward simply can't stop scoring at the moment for the club preparing to make a surge up the Eastern Conference table when everything clicks.
The 31-year-old striker has six goals in his last four matches, four of which have come on braces against NYCFC and Montreal.
If he keeps up his rapid pace in the final third, Wright-Phillips could come up from behind and steal the Golden Boot award.
Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from MLSSoccer.com and WhoScored.com.
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