The thing about expansion seasons? You think you have an idea how they’re going to go, but reality is when you’re working with a blank slate and little to go off on style and progress in preseason, you’re generally going to be pretty in the dark.

It makes things like preseason predictions very easy to get hopelessly wrong.

Which brings us to FC Naples, which right here was handed a projected finish of 13th place a few weeks ago.

Now, there’s a long way to go, but FC Naples is on top of the standings after three games this season, and the numbers they’ve put up so far – as well as victories against both Forward Madison FC and Spokane Velocity FC in the past two weeks – have Naples looking like a legitimate playoff contender.

Head Coach Matt Poland’s side has an Expected Goals mark (3.98xG) that’s more than double its Expected Goals Against mark (1.72xGA), with the structure the side is showing defensively leaving opponents to settle for lower-quality opportunities, as illustrated here by our friend John Morrissey.

In addition to sitting with seven points from three games, Naples’ Expected Points mark is also the best in the league at 5.79xP per American Soccer Analysis, and while we’d like to see someone other than Karsen Henderlong find the net with a little consistency, you can’t argue with success.

Seven points from three games also ties the best three-game start an expansion side has made in League One, excluding the inaugural season, equaling the mark set by Union Omaha at the start of the 2020 campaign.

With a strong fanbase behind them, and a chance to advance to the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup on the horizon, things look ahead of schedule at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.

Here’s where things stand this week.