We’re back again to judge everyone in a completely unscientific manner.

3rd Degree’s roster rankings take a look at every contracted player for FC Dallas and its USL League One affiliate North Texas SC. We look at who is performing, who’s being talked about by the fans or media, and mash that into a good old fashioned power ranking every two weeks.

Let’s start with a brand new #1…

Starting XI:

1 (+2)	Andres Ricaurte High: 1 | Low: 21	He’s gone from a nice debut, to “oh wow,” to consideration for best mid-season signing in club history. – Buzz
2 (-1)	Matt Hedges High: 1 | Low: 7	Just a GOAT doing some GOAT things. It’s hard to ding him too much for a debatable VAR call that didn’t seem to even produce a conclusive angle in Atlanta. – Dan
3 (+1)	Reto Ziegler High: 2 | Low: 13	Got a rest and recovery break as he dealt with a little hamstring tightness. Returned to put in a Man of the Match performance against Orlando. – Buzz
4 (+2)	Franco Jara High: 4 | Low: 18	Three goals in the four games since we’ve last ranked the roster. The early games where some said he looked lazy seem a long time ago. – Dan
5 (-3)	Thiago Santos High: 1 | Low: 5	Santos was looking a little tired, making some simple touch errors, but after he got a rest against Atlanta returned to his strong form.  His toughness is needed in midfield. – Buzz
6 (+4)	Bryan Reynolds High: 6 | Low: 20	Reynolds is frequently on Buzz’s El Bueno list, and he’s already exceeded Reggie in some of the attacking aspects of full back play. Some say Nani is still in his back pocket. – Dan
7 (-2)	Michael Barrios High: 2 | Low: 7	Something is still going wrong on the final ball/pass as Barrios continues to lead FCD in xG & xA while having the worst actual goals and assists to xG and xA ratio. – Buzz
8 (-1)	Ryan Hollingshead High: 6 | Low: 12	We saw the good and bad of Ryan’s versatility as a sub appearance on the wing resulted in the winner against SKC, but a rough start at right back in Atlanta. – Dan
9 (+2)	Jimmy Maurer High: 3 | Low: 21	Back from the injury troubles and back to being the steady and solid keeper he is. – Buzz
10 (+2)	Fafa Picault High: 8 | Low: 16	Certainly FCD’s best left winger returning in the past four games, but one goal and no assists isn’t the return you want after his tenth appearance. – Dan
11 (-3)	Bryan Acosta High: 7 | Low: 15	Acosta continues the roller coaster form: one great half, next game average, next game injured, next game a red card.  Remains first choice in Luchi’s mind it seems. – Buzz

In The Mix:

12 (+6)	Tanner Tessmann High: 6 | Low: 19	We’ve got past the point of calling Tessmann a Homegrown getting a taste of MLS play. He’s in a legitimate contest with Bryan Acosta for the start alongside Santos and Ricaurte. – Dan
13 (+3)	Johnny Nelson High: 13 | Low: 22	The best defender of the outside backs on the team, unfortunately in a system that requires attacking outside backs. Sturdy, solid, dependable squad member. He’ll remain in the rotation with the heavy schedule. – Buzz
14 (+10)	Santiago Mosquera High: 14 | Low: 31	A hat-trick against Colorado had Santi talking about getting the monkey off his back, followed by a poor performance, a sub appearance, then another injury. All in a Mosquera month! – Dan
15 (-6)	Bressan High: 9 | Low: 17	Has looked pretty good since the return to play but it’s telling he can’t beat out a 34 year old player. Like Nelson, he’ll play an important role due to schedule overload. – Buzz
16 (-3)	Ricardo Pepi High: 9 | Low: 17	Pepi’s 1.87 xG is 3rd best on the team, but he’s picking up most of his first team minutes on the wings. – Dan
17 (-3)	Jesus Ferreira High: 10 | Low: 17	2020 just isn’t going well for last year’s leading scorer on the field. Luchi keeps using him anywhere he can but it’s just not happening. – Buzz
18 (-1)	Brandon Servania High: 14 | Low: 18	We came out of the Covid break by talking about Servania challenging Acosta for the start. Tessmann blew past him. – Dan
19  (-)	Callum Montgomery High: 12 | Low: 19	Continues to start for the best team in USL-C now that hammy issue is in the past. 8 total starts, 34 clears, 8 blocks, 20 intercepts, 8 of 10 tackles won, 40 of 70 duels won, 26 or 36 aerial duels won. – Buzz
20 (-5)	Kyle Zobeck High: 15 | Low: 27	Should’ve saved Shinyashiki’s shot in the 4-1 win over Colorado before picking up a groin injury but firmly proved he’s capable of some MLS level play. – Dan

Second Team:

21 (-)	Thomas Roberts High: 21 | Low: 29	Improving, controlling, and dominating games for North Texas SC, he now looks like the best player on the pitch. Made the bench for FCD. – Buzz
22 (-)	Phelipe Megiolaro High: 22 | Low: 22	Phelipe has been on the bench in all four games. It’ll just take a bad performance or injury until we see how good he actually is. – Dan
23 (+3)	Ema Twumasi High: 20 | Low: 26	A key figure with the Austin Bold: 2 assists and 27 chances, the latter created is tied for team lead. 12 games, 12 starts. – Buzz
24 (-4)	Dante Sealy High: 20 | Low: 28	Consistently making the bench and subbed on in Atlanta. He’s got some way to go to be a game-changing presence that Dallas needed in that moment. – Dan
25 (+3)	Arturo Rodriguez High: 22 | Low: 33	Back and looking good, but not getting the stats yet and NTX isn’t winning. – Buzz
26 (+3)	Nkosi Burgess High: 26 | Low: 33	Nkosi is making benches, but needs some kind of soccer for his development while NTX isn’t yet an option. – Dan
27 (-4)	Edwin Cerrillo High: 23 | Low: 37	What a brutal red card. Not only did it cost him a NTXSC game, which he needs, but it cost him the FCD start at Atlanta United. – Buzz
28 (-1)	Ronaldo Damus High: 27 | Low: 38	A total of 1 shot (which was off target) between Tucson and a sub appearance against Greenville. – Dan
29 (+4)	Nicky Hernandez High: 29 | Low: 33	Continues to look impressive with NTX although a couple of “rookie” poor decisions popped up in the last one. – Buzz
30 (-)	Gibran Rayo High: 30 | Low: 42	Just a minute against Tucson and didn’t make the bench last week. That’s likely due to Thomas Roberts picking up minutes with NTX. – Dan
31 (+5)	Carlos Avilez High: 31 | Low: 43	Firmly back as the #1 for Los Torolitos and holy cow what a fantastic double save in the last one. – Buzz
32 (-1)	Brecc Evans High: 30 | Low: 36	Unfortunate to see the captain go down with a hamstring injury sustained making a goal-saving slide in just the third minute in Greenville. – Dan

In Reserve:

33 (+1)	Alisson High: 33 | Low: 43	His grit and steel is so vital in the midfield, Coach Quill used Kevin Bonilla as a center back to keep Alisson as the 6. – Buzz
34 (+1)	Imanol Almaguer High: 34 | Low: 44	Missed the last two games, presumably through injury. – Dan
35 (-3)	Francis Atuahene High: 18 | Low: 35	Might be hurt again. 2 goals on the season. His 15 shots lead Loyal but only 6 starts in 12 games played. Can’t lock down a starting spot on an expansion team. – Buzz
36 (+7)	Juan Manuel Alvarez High: 26 | Low: 44	A sub appearance then he pushed Kevin Bonilla to the bench. He’s really back! – Dan
37 (-12)	Paxton Pomykal High: 2 | Low: 37	Out for the year. – Buzz
38 (-1)	David Rodriguez High: 33 | Low: 39	Just one minute played between the two games. – Dan
39 (-)	Eddie Munjoma High: 35 | Low: 39	Along with Burgess he’s the most impacted by Covid-19 as he can’t get the North Texas games he so desperately needs. Made a FCD bench during all the injuries & suspensions. – Buzz
40 (-)	Derek Waldeck High: 39 | Low: 45	A ‘Steady Eddie’ if ever you’ve seen one. It was good to see more of an attacking side to Waldeck’s fullback game against Tucson. More of that. – Dan
41 (+1)	Alex Bruce High: 30 | Low: 42	Ricardo Pepi going down meant Bruce was very unlikely to get off the bench. – Buzz
42 (-1)	Luis Zamudio High: 32 | Low: 42	The undoubted number two for North Texas SC. – Dan
43 (+1)	Philip Ponder High: 43 | Low: 46	We’re not seeing him even making the bench at this point as the club invests playing time in Justin Che. – Buzz
44 (+1)	Pedrinho High: 44 | Low: 47	Not even making the roster at this point. – Dan
45 (+1)	Pablo Aranguiz High: 23 | Low: 48	Still in Chile. Broke his foot and will need surgery. – Buzz

Santiago Mosquera wins the week, which precisely no-one saw coming two weeks ago. Mosquera had been dwelling low down in the order until netting a hatty against the Rapids. He only goes up 10 spots after getting injured again. Dude’s got to take better care of himself physically, and he said as much after his hat-trick performance.

Juan Alvarez takes second after returning from injury for North Texas SC, and even displacing Kevin Bonilla from the starting right back role. The Monterrey loanee rises seven spots.

On the other end Paxton Pomykal takes the loss with an asterisk next to it. As his name stops coming up – and that’s partly due to this week’s number one, Andres Ricaurte – Pomykal will drop towards the bottom after being placed on the season ending injured list.

The two without asterisks next to their name are Bressan and Kyle Zobeck.

Bressan has had a decent run of late but when the defense is healthy, he’s not beating out a 34-year-old in decline. Regardless of how good Reto Ziegler is, that’s just not ideal for a guy hitting his peak years. The Brazilian dropped 6 places.

Zobeck is only one behind with a five place slide. GOATbeck picked up an injury and is returning to his reserve role after Jimmy Maurer returned from injury, and Phelipe cleared quarantine.