7. Seattle Sounders

The last few years, the Sounders were No. 1 on this list. Chad Marshall and Alonso will do that for you. This year, they have some question marks. Nico Lodeiro is still a stud. I’m fairly confident that Raul Ruidiaz is still a stud. Are Cristian Roldan and Gustav Svensson in the same category as Alonso, Chara, Ring, and Atuesta? Maybe, but maybe not. (It’s worth adding that Matt Doyle wrote recently: “I straight-up don't believe in their defense against playoff teams.”)

8. LA Galaxy

Jonathan dos Santos + Sebastian Lletget + Zlatan Ibrahimovic should, by itself, be enough to get into the top five. But they have given up more goals — 10 more! - than any other playoff team in the conference. Any combination of Diego Polenta, Daniel Steres, and Giancarlo Gonzalez should be good enough at center back, but it hasn’t been.

9. DC United

This is where we get into good but not quite great territory. Bill Hamid, Steven Birnbaum, Frederic Brillant, Junior Moreno, Paul Arriola and Wayne Rooney have all had solid years. There isn’t a weak link among them. They just don’t quite have the top-end difference-makers of the teams in front of them (although you could make the case that Hamid and Rooney both fit into that group).

10. Real Salt Lake

RSL doesn't quite have the elite talent that they used to boast — though Justen Glad and Albert Rusnak might be close — but they have a ton of experience. The average age of the seven players up the middle (depending on lineup) will be around 31 years old, with only two of the seven under the age of 30.

11. RBNY

There are real reasons to be worried about this team right now. One reason to think they could beat anyone, though: Aaron Long and Tim Parker. If you have dominant center backs (potentially dominant, at least), you have a chance in every game.

12. Philadelphia

No. 12 for the fifth-best team in the league? Haris Medujanin, Alejandro Bedoya and Jamiro Monteiro are one of the best midfields in MLS. But in front of them, it’s still hard to judge where Kacper Pryzbylko ranks. And behind them, the center backs are in the doubt-remains-until-proven-otherwise-in-big games category. Jack Elliott and Mark McKenzie could each turn into elite MLS players. For now, though, neither has won a big professional game in his career.

13. FC Dallas

If you want to buy stock in any of these teams, put in the claim for Dallas now. They have four teenagers in center midfield who have combined for 73 starts this year.

14. New England Revolution

Matt Turner has a shout for Goalkeeper of the Year. Gustavo Bou and Carles Gil have a shout for best attacking duo. In between them...there are still a few volatile variables.