DraftKings LoL: Saturday LCS Cheat Sheet

GAMES (EDT)

• 5:00 p.m: Team SoloMid (TSM) vs. Golden Guardians (GG)
  • Starters - TSM: BrokenBlade, Dardoch, Bjergsen, Kobbe, BioFrost
  • GG: Hauntzer, Closer, GoldenGlue, FBI, Huhi
• 6:00 p.m: Cloud9 (C9) vs. 100 Thieves (100)
  • C9: Licorice, Blaber, Nisqy, Zven, Vulcan
  • 100: Ssumday, Meteos, Ryoma, CodySun, Stunt
• 7:00 p.m: Team Liquid (TL) vs. Evil Geniuses (EG)
  • TL: Impact, Broxah, Jensen, Doublelift, CoreJJ
  • EG: Kumo, Svenskeren, Jiizuke, Bang, Zeyzal
• 8:00 p.m: Dignitas (DIG) vs. Counter Logic Gaming (CLG)
  • DIG: Huni, Akaadian, Froggen, Johnsun, Aphromoo
  • CLG: Ruin, Wiggily, Pobelter, Wind, Smoothie
• 9:00 p.m: Flyquest (FLY) vs. Immortals (IMT)
  • FLY: V1per, Santorin, PowerofEvil, WildTurtle, Ignar
  • IMT: sOAZ, Xmithie, Eika, Apollo, Hakuho

Disclaimer: Best-of-one slates are extremely volatile compared to best-of-three slates. Many more upsets can occur, so just because I may expect a lot of the favorites to win, that doesn't mean it will happen. Think of it this way: Mike Trout is the best player in baseball, but he can go 0-for-4 on any given day, or in one game Watford can beat Liverpool. Similarly, Cloud9 are the best team in the LCS currently, but with only one game on a given slate, it's possible they could lose to anyone. 

TSM (8-6) vs. GG (6-8)

Record-wise these two teams are fairly close to each other, but in theory TSM are a much better team. TSM are rounding into form and coming off a 2-0 week, which included a win over previously unbeaten Cloud9. I'd give TSM the advantage in every lane, but I'm skeptical they can pay off their lofty salaries, which see them as either the second or most expensive players in their roles. TSM have the second-highest kill total as a team in the league, but they tend to play at a slower pace with the longest average game time in the LCS. So, while TSM players are all in play, I'd rather take a shot with a few other similarly priced teams.

TSM Players to Target: BrokenBlade ($7,200), Bjergsen ($8,000), Kobbe ($7,800), TSM Team ($5,600)

GG Players to Target: None

C9 (13-1) vs. 100 (7-7)

Speaking of team's I'd rather pay up for, it's hard for me to take a shot on anyone from TSM with Cloud9 being similarly priced. Despite losing their first game of the split two weeks ago the last time the LCS played, Cloud9 have been a purely dominant team all season and there's no reason to think they won't take down an inconsistent 100 Thieves side Saturday. Like TSM, every Cloud9 player is in play, but unlike TSM, C9 push the pace with the shortest average game time in the league, while also leading the LCS with 212 total kills, 49 more than second-place TSM.

C9 Players to Target: Licorice ($7,000), Blaber ($7,600), Nisqy ($7,600), Zven ($8,200), Vulcan ($6,200)

100 Players to Target: None

TL (6-8) vs. EG (7-7)

This is the trickiest game to get right on the slate, as four-time defending champions Team Liquid are struggling this season and are in a fight to even reach the playoffs. Team Liquid have been extremely disappointing but still possess a high upside if they've been able to work on their issues while the LCS has been off the last two weeks. Evil Geniuses' have also been fairly inconsistent, but they have won their past three games and are flashing decent upside with an aggressive lineup that is fourth in the LCS in kills. My hunch is that EG will be fairly popular because they are priced fairly cheaply, and with Team Liquid struggling, either side is in play as this is a game that could go either way. 

TL Players to Target: Broxah ($6,800), Jensen ($7,000), Doublelift ($7,000), CoreJJ ($5,600), TL Team ($5,200)
EG Players to Target: Svenskeren ($6,000), Jiizuke ($6,400), Bang ($6,600), Zeyzal ($5,000), EG team ($4,600)

DIG (5-9) vs. CLG (3-11)

A matchup between the two worst teams in the league, DIG enter on a five-game losing streak and CLG are 2-2 in their last four games, picking up two of their three wins this season. This game is really a crapshoot that could go either way, as both teams are overall quite awful. My guess would be that DIG win and break their losing streak, as I think CLG have the worst roster in the league, though some may be on them as a cheap play if paying up for a heavy favorite.

DIG Players to Target: Froggen ($7,200), Johnsun ($7,600), DIG ($5,000)
CLG Players to Target: Wiggily ($6,400), Pobelter ($6,800), Wind ($6,800), CLG Team ($4,800)

FLY (8-6) vs. IMT (7-7)

Despite coming into the season rated as one of the worst rosters in the league, Immortals have somewhat silenced doubters with a .500 record and are currently in a playoff position. They come into this series 2-4 in their last six games, while FlyQuest enter tied for second and 3-3 in their last six. In that span, FlyQuest's wins have come against bottom dwellers while they've lost to C9, TSM and EG. For me this game will be an avoid, as I wouldn't pay the prices  FlyQuest for anyone outside PowerofEvil, as I think teams such as C9, TSM and the winner of TL/EG will be much better plays. If you want to take a stab on Immortals, I wouldn't mind it, though they rate in the bottom four in the league for both kills and deaths, suggesting even in wins they don't put up great performances for fantasy purposes.

FLY Players to Target: PowerOfEvil ($7,800)

IMT Players to Target: Xmithie ($5,800), Apollo ($6,400), Hakuho ($4,800), IMT Team ($4,400)