This article is part of our DraftKings League of Legends series.
DraftKings LoL LCS: Saturday Cheat Sheet
The end of the split is drawing ever nearer. Both the bottom and the top of the standings are in a life-or-death struggle to establish themselves, with only two teams exempt from the chaos. Immortals can rest easy, knowing they're virtually guaranteed the top spot at this point, with only matchups against TSM and EF left as credible challenges should they take CLG down Saturday in a game that is absolutely vital for CLG and practically irrelevant for Immortals outside of seeding. On the other end of the spectrum, Renegades are fighting for their lives, but with playoff contention out of the question, they can instead simply focus on what's in front of them. If they're going to pass either Dignitas or TiP, they're going to need every game they can get, though their new top laner, Seraph, on loan from Team Dragon Knights, might be exactly the wind their sails needed.
Saturday will see two games that are absolutely vital for the people in them. In the first game of the day, TiP will meet the struggling TL, who's coming off a crushing defeat from Echo Fox that, combined with Echo Fox's victory over TSM, put them in a tie for sixth place. Meanwhile, TiP can look to put themselves out of the auto-relegation zone by picking up a win to tie TL. For TL, the game will be the final proof of whether they really are a mid-tier team, or if their earlier successes were but a fluke.
Directly after, we have the game I am most looking forward to: Team SoloMid vs. Echo Fox. It's no secret that I've been watching the rise of Echo Fox with glee, and a win here would prove once and for all that Echo Fox is a top team that was simply denied it's full potential for most of the split. For TSM, a loss would be disastrous. NRG is almost certain to beat REN, meaning that a loss for TSM leaves them in a deadlock at 7-6, only one game above an Echo Fox squad that had just beaten both of them. With the end of the season near and ever team jockeying for position, Team SoloMid needs to avoid having a target painted on their backs, while Echo Fox needs to start looking to take down the teams that do.
Daily Player Recommendations:
Top Lane:
Darshan (Counter Logic Gaming vs. Immortals, $5,500): This marks a momentous occasion in my draft coverage: I'm advocating betting on a long shot. Of all the players on CLG, Darshan has proven to be arguably the most formidable. The top lane veteran has managed to avoid crushing games this season --- except for the last time he faced Immortals. However, if CLG do find the lane swap they are certain to look for, the possibility of Darshan dying to the Korean duo of Reignover and Huni drops dramatically. Furthermore, there's blood in the water for Immortals, as their performance against Renegades was uninspiring to say the least, winning only due to Renegade's macro - or, more aptly, their lack thereof. CLG doesn't have the same weakness at playing the map that Renegades do, and if there ever was a time for Immortals to drop a game, this is it. For a price tag as low as Darshan's, and with an emerging tank meta making top lane a low score lane in general, I'm willing to take the shot.
Other suggestions: kfo (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid $5,900), Huni (Immortals vs. Counter Logic Gaming, $7,200)
Top Lane Player to Avoid
Billyboss (Dignitas vs. Cloud9, $5,100): I'll keep it brief. No one expects Dignitas to win this game, yet Billyboss inexplicable commands a higher salary than players who are in very competitive games. To top it off, his performance has been a glaring weak point on his team in their recent losses. I'd rather run RFLegendary in the hopes that he not only makes it off the bench, but somehow takes down Impact after doing so. Avoid.
Jungle:
Hard (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid, $5,500): In a game that is far too close to call, Hard somehow commands a salary $1,000 less than his opponent. Considering Svenskeren is almost certainly the weakest member of his team, it's hard to imagine why. While Hard's scores are still not the greatest in the league, despite some crushing victories by his team, there is a simple reason why I advocate for him here. This is a game that I project going two ways: A decisive and quick win from Echo Fox, or a long drawn out affair in which either team might come out on top. Team SoloMid has amongst the longest wins in the league, leaving Hard plenty of opportunities to earn points even if he ends up on the wrong side of the victory screen.
Other suggestions: Rush (Cloud9 vs. Team Dignitas, $7,200), Dardoch (Team Impulse vs. Team Liquid, $6.600)
Jungler Player to Avoid
Moon (NRG eSports vs. Renegades, $7,200): This game will be closer than most seem to realize. Seeing as DraftKings placed Moon's salary on the top of the list, apparently they're amongst those who are underrating Renegade's chances. A week ago, I'd have been right with them, but with a groundbreaking performance against Immortals followed by the acquisition of a top laner with a solid competitive background makes me much less sure. While I still give a 70 percent chance to NRG, tentatively, I'm still not paying more for Moon than Reignover, and I don't recommend readers do either.
Middle Lane:
Jensen (Cloud9 vs. Dignitas, $8,300): While his pricetag is most definitely in the stratosphere, Jensen has proven that he's worth the money. He faces Dignitas, a team that's beset on all sides with issues, and while Shiphtur isn't one of the problems, he's not exactly the solution either. If Jensen gives his Twisted Fate an encore, his score is nearly certain to balloon as he takes advantage of Dignitas' notoriously weak macro.
Other suggestions: FeniX (Team Impulse vs. Team Liquid, $7,700), Froggen (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid, $6,700)
Middle Lane Player to Avoid:
Pirean (Team Impulse vs. Team Liquid, $6,400): Team Liquid has certainly had it's issues, but FeniX is not one of them. He still excels both in lane and out, making betting on his opposite a dicey proposition. Having an underperforming mid laner is a cyanide pill for any fantasy team, and Pirean lacks the upside to make him worth betting on. He rarely stands out, even in Impulse's victories, making him simply too much to gamble on.
ADC:
KEITH (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid, $6,700): While his salary has consistently creeped up to match his value, I feel like he's still a bit off here. KEITH manages to be one of the safest players in LCS consistently, making him a low downside acquisition in a game that is too close to call. All of the other factors I listed in my analysis for Hard are still in play here, except this time with a player who has pulled off KDA's lopsided enough to make owners sit up and pay attention.
Other suggestions: Piglet (Team Impulse vs. Team Liquid, $7,700), Doublelift (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid, $7,600)
ADC Player to Avoid:
Freeze (NRG eSports vs. Renegades, $6,000): Let's imagine that you're in a game against a team that desperately needs wins, and you're the only member of your team who has managed to look impressive. In this scenario, the easiest way for the enemy team to secure the win they need would be to shut you down at all costs, right? I fully expect this to be the strategy that NRG employs, and as such I can't recommend touching Freeze with as much as a ten foot pole - you'd likely get stuck in the blast radius if you did.
Support:
BIG (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid, $4,700): Team SoloMid is next on the docket for Echo Fox, and BIG will be looking to lead the charge against them. WIth good scores in his previous showings with the complete roster, it's hard not to recommend him here. His salary is on the lower end of the spectrum and is $200 beneath Yellowstar. Really, either choice is fair here and it just comes down to which you think will take the game.
Other Suggestions: Adrian (Immortals vs. Counter Logic Gaming, $6,000), Aphromoo (Immortals vs. Counter Logic Gaming, $4,300)
Support Player to Avoid:
Matt (Team Impulse vs. Team Liquid, $5,700): When two teams with uncoordinated, pick and skirmish-centric styles meet there's always two losers: the supports. Unless such a game turns one-sided, the supports tend to be the ones getting the short end of the stick and racking up deaths. While Gate's meager salary reflects this reality, Matt's does not. Avoid.
Team to Use:
Echo Fox (Echo Fox vs. Team SoloMid, $4,100): Is this even surprising anymore? Bonus honorable mention to Counter Logic Gaming, who have a high probability of scoring well in this category unless they get crushed, as their play style emphasizes turret pressure. At a mere $3,800 they're a cheap gamble, and one that may well pay off if their lane swap mastery can finally be the weapon that takes down Immortals.
Team to Avoid:
Team Impulse (Team Impulse vs. Team Liquid, $3,900): While Counter Logic Gaming is an intelligent gamble, and Echo Fox has great upside for the cost, Team Impulse is simply a bust. Their wins tend not to even come from rotational play, leaving their turret and neutral objective scores rather anemic. If the game turns against them, they fold completely, rarely even putting up a fight. Sounds like a recipe for a negative score to me.
