Also of interest, Chicago’s three Designated Players have guaranteed salaries of $8.1 million in 2017 compared with Atlanta United’s $4.1 million, according to salaries provided by the players union.

Despite Martinez’s lengthy absence, Atlanta United has maintained a grip on its season and has a draw and two wins, while scoring eight goals in total, in its past three games with Villalba moving from midfield to striker. The team will play at Vancouver on Saturday.

Only in the past two games has Almiron surpassed Martinez as the team’s leading scorer. With five goals in the past two games, Almiron has seven this season with four assists. Villalba, the first DP signed by the team, has five goals and also has four assists.

“It is also a long season, but we have to give a lot of credit to the guys around them as well,” Bocanegra said. “We have had couple of good games in a row. Miguel (Almirón) is coming out of his shell a little bit. A few solid games back to back (are) propelling us forward but — this is what you need in this league is for — your top players to perform and these guys are doing that right now.”

The team could get Martinez back this week. He re-joined the team’s training Friday.

“He is doing very well,” Bocanegra said. “He is back in training, and it is up to the medical staff and our coaching staff to work together to manage his minutes. It is more about fitness with these guys when you are out for so long. It is just catching your wind. He is good. Everything else is good. It is just about getting him fit and ready to contribute minutes.”

While Martinez deservedly received most of the attention at the beginning of the season for his scoring bursts, Almiron has become the player to watch the past three weeks.

The 23-year-old, signed by Atlanta United in the offseason from Lanus in Argentina, was urged to shoot more by manager Gerardo Martino following the 1-1 draw at Portland in which the Paraguayan passed up two shots in favor of trying to set up teammates.

His three goals against Houston led to him being the MLS Player of the Week, and he won the award again this week .

Villalba, a 22-year-old signed by Atlanta United from San Lorenzo in Argentina, hasn’t had the same type of scoring bursts as the team’s other two DPs, but he has been very effective because of his speed and tenacity.

A look at MLS Designated Players

The key stats for the Designated Players on each MLS team this season:

Player Team Goals Assists Miguel Almiron Atlanta 7 4 Josef Martinez Atlanta 5 0 Hector Villalba Atlanta 5 4 David Accam Chicago 7 4 Nemanja Nikolic Chicago 11 1 Bastian Schweinsteiger Chicago 2 3 Shkelzen Gashi Colorado 2 1 Tim Howard Colorado NA NA Juan Ramirez Colorado NA NA Federico Higuaín Columbus 4 4 Jonathan Mensah Columbus 0 0 Anibal Chala Dallas NA NA Cristian Colman Dallas 0 1 Carlos Gruezo Dallas 0 0 Alberth Elis Houston 5 1 Erick Torres Houston 9 1 Romain Alessandrini LA 6 6 Giovani dos Santos LA 6 1 Jelle Van Damme LA 0 1 Ignacio Piatti Montreal 6 1 Kei Kamara New England 3 3 Xavier Kouassi New England 0 1 Maxi Moralez NYCFC 2 5 Andrea Pirlo NYCFC 0 0 David Villa NYCFC 8 4 Sacha Kljestan New York 0 6 Gonzalo Veron New York 0 0 Wright-Phillips, Bradley New York 6 0 Giles Barnes Orlando 0 1 Kaká Orlando 3 1 Carlos Rivas Orlando 2 5 Alejandro Bedoya Philadelphia 0 1 Maurice Edu Philadelphia 0 0 Fanendo Adi Portland 6 2 Sebastian Blanco Portland 1 2 Diego Valeri Portland 6 4 Yura Movsisyan Real Salt Lake 4 0 Joao Plata Real Salt Lake 1 1 Albert Rusnak Real Salt Lake 3 4 Simon Dawkins San Jose 0 0 Chris Wondolowski San Jose 6 5 Osvaldo Alonso Seattle 1 0 Clint Dempsey Seattle 4 1 Nicolas Lodeiro Seattle 3 5 Roger Espinoza Sporting KC 0 2 Gerso Fernandes Sporting KC 5 0 Graham Zusi Sporting KC 0 3 Jozy Altidore Toronto FC 6 4 Michael Bradley Toronto FC 0 1 Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC 6 1 Matias Laba Vancouver 2 0 Fredy Montero Vancouver 4 1 Brek Shea Vancouver 2 0

A look at MLS DP Salaries