Strikeforce Union: Your 2016 Striker Depth Chart

As far as depth charts go, this is probably the most straightforward position we're going to cover this year. With both Bethlehem Steel and the Union proper playing identical formations this season, we only have four strikers spread out over our whole organization at the professional level. What makes my job a bit hard is that three of these guys are rookies to the professional American soccer scene.

1). C.J. Sapong: With that being said, get used to seeing former MLS Rookie of the year C.J. Sapong up top. Needless to say he's a proven success in MLS. Scored two minutes after his debut against Chivas, put in a few game winners and started every game that included a Sporting Kansas City playoff run in his first season in 2011. Sapong made the USMNT camp in 2012 where he saw playing time twice. He contributed nine goals and two assists in his sophomore year. SKC was 19-0-2 when Sapong scored for them. When he was announced for the Union in the later half of 2014 we were all excited to see what this dynamic forward could do, but then he hit a few walls. He caught an elbow that gave him a concussion and a zygomatic fracture that shelved him for a good chunk of the early season in his first week in Philly. He picked up a DUI that saw him enter league-mandated rehab. After his shaky May however Sapong showed Union fans what to expect when he's at his best. Last season he had four goals in four games in June and from a guy who got less than stellar service from the wings and no help in the box last year. Over/under for goals: 15.

2). Fabian Herbers: Fabian Herbers is a name out of college that not many people may have heard of. However, being the number two striker on the Union, we are going to get used to his name. Herbers tore it up for the Creighton University Blue Jays last year starting 21 of 23 games scoring a blistering 15 goals and 17 assists. Herbers scored a beautiful back-heel against Chicago last week. I try to stay off making bold predictions to spare myself a large diet of crow, but Herbers might have been an overlooked great pick when the Union took him at six.

3). Sebastien Le Toux: The Union's all-time leading scorer may not have the jets he once did, but he could be a great option late in games or if Sapong and Herbers go down to injury. Where Sapong will hurt opponents with aerial ability and muscle, look for Le Toux to use speed and cunning to get past tired legs.

4). Chris Pontius: Much like Le Toux, Pontius is an option if Sapong and Herbers go down or the Union need a late-game boost up top. Pontius Is a much more physical threat than Le Toux, so look for him to come in as relief when the physicality of Sapong has been working against the opposition defense

5). Amoy Brown: Amoy Brown is a relative unknown, even to me, and I'm going to see a ton of him in Bethlehem. All indications are that he's going to be a joy to watch. The downside here is that Brown hasn't played since he won a golden boot for the first ever ISSA/LIME Super Cup in his native Jamaica in 2014. We'll get a much better look at him coming up in March.

6). Cory Burke: Brown's fellow Jamaican Cory Burke is a bit less of a mystery. Consistent is a word that springs to mind as he has had back-to-back 10+ goal seasons for Rivoli United in the Red Stripe Premiere League, Jamaica's top tier league. Burke found the back of the net in all ten of his previous matches and he scored twice in three of his last 10. He's been consistent in Jamaica and I'll be ecstatic if he can produce that well for BSFC.