LoL Grind Down: EU LCS - Friday, February 19th
Welcome to the RotoGrinders LoL Grind Down! These articles will cover everything you need to know for playing League of Legends fantasy including defense vs position, projections, vegas odds, and detailed analysis.
Also included is the RotoGrinders original statistic pace — a higher pace means bloodier games, so when two teams with high pace play, expect a bloodbath!
Vegas odds come from pinnaclesports.com, team aggregate projections are the total AlphaDraft points projected for all five members, and team slot projections are projections for the actual team pick in AlphaDraft points. Efficiency is also mentioned, which is calculated as ( Projected Points / Salary ) * 1000, and represents how much bang you’re getting for your buck.
Note: As always, if you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use our DraftKings promo code and AlphaDraft promo code to receive the best perks in the industry.
For live game tracking and other eSports news RotoGrinders recommends Instant Esports. Get the app for iOS or Android.
Giants Gaming vs. Elements
| Giants Gaming | Elements | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 0.0 |  | Vegas Total | 0.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Odds | -239 | Vegas Odds | +192 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 0.0 | Team Proj. | 0.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 0.76 | Team Pace | 0.78 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Atom | BetongJocke | xPePii | GODFRED | Adryh | Players | Steve | Gilius | Eika | sprattel | Mr RalleZ | |
| Opp. Season | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | Opp. Season | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | |
There is a fairly clear divide in Europe between the top six teams and bottom four teams. Giants Gaming are the worst team in the league and are unlikely to climb out of the bottom three. Elements, however, cannot afford to lose games like this. The 7th place team in LCS leagues remains in the LCS for the following split, while the bottom three teams enter the Promotion/Relegation tournament following the season. There does also remain an outside chance of Elements sneaking their way into the playoffs should they find enough improvement to upset a couple of the upper tier teams.
While I don’t see Elements cracking the playoffs, they should manage to land safely in 7th, just as they did in both of last year’s splits. They’ve had just enough talent to hold on each season and should do so here as well, but as I said, games against their fellow bottom-feeders are must wins.
Giants are outstandingly skilled at dying. In fact, during Thursday’s game against Unicorns of Love, Giants held one of their few leads of the season, only to succumb to their lack of coordination. Despite a lead in the early to mid game, Giants ultimately were wrecked to the tune of 18 kills by Unicorn. Those 18 kills brought their season death total to a whopping 158, or more than 14 deaths per game.
Giants Gaming
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
Still none.
Elements
Elite Plays
MrRalleZ (AD: $7,700, DK: $7,800) – We’ve often talked about how Elements have just one player who has performed at an above relegation level of play, and that’s MrRalleZ. He’s experienced enough in these situations to take advantage against a weak opponent and is one of the strongest plays of the day.
Secondary Plays
Steve (AD: $7,600, DK: $7,000), sprattel (AD: $7,000, DK: $5,800) – Other Elements players are tempting against such a weak opponent, but not all teams who face Giants have a fantasy outburst. It’s not difficult for professional teams to control Giants from start to finish and that doesn’t always equate to a lot of kills. That said, Steve’s high KP and sprattel to pair with his ADC are good plays.
Vitality vs. Unicorns of Love
| Vitality | Unicorns of Love | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 0.0 |  | Vegas Total | 0.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Odds | -120 | Vegas Odds | -101 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 0.0 | Team Proj. | 0.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 0.74 | Team Pace | 0.93 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Cabochard | Shook | Nukeduck | KaSing | Hjarnan | Players | Vizicsacsi | Rudy | Fox | Hylissang | Steeelback | |
| Opp. Season | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | Opp. Season | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | |
Unicorns of Love continue to prove that their rotation of junglers this season won’t affect their chances of cracking the top two. Now in a four-way tie for first place, Unicorns have a real chance to work their way into a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The loss of Diamondprox isn’t going unnoticed, but it hasn’t hurt the way that many felt it would. If anything, it’s been a blessing in disguise for fantasy players as the team now seems more willing to abandon objective play and engage in team fights. Regularly reaching at least 15 kills, UOL has been even better for fantasy than G2 Esports.
Of course, Team Vitality has been no slouch. Unlike Unicorns, Vitality greatly prefer to play a more controlled, efficient game. An eight win season has been surprisingly quiet for Vitality up until a win over H2k yesterday. Speaking of that win, which took a whopping 62 minutes, it was just further proof that Vitality aren’t all that interested in fighting the other team. In the win they scored just 12 kills, or about one kill every five minutes.
So the question becomes, what kinds of results do we get when these kinds of clashing styles play against each other? Generally, I favor the team that’s willing to fight. It can throw the control team off their game and force them into fights they don’t want. It worked for Unicorns against Vitality in their last game and I think it may work again on Friday.
Vitality
Elite Plays
Cabochard (AD: $7,800, DK: $6,400) – To me, Cabochard is the best player in this game and in games where Vitality has fantasy success, it generally runs through Cabo. Unicorns is going to force fights and Cabo will likely be on a mobile champion, along with Teleport, and has pretty high upside. Lane opponent Vizicsacsi has the second highest CSD@10 among top laners behind Cabochard’s league-leading number, but Vizi may fall back to the pack after the Vitality man has his way.
Secondary Plays
Hjarnan (AD: $7,700) – Cheaper than Steelback on AlphaDraft, Hjarnan is more tempting there if you’re hoping for a bloodbath and a Vitality win. Hjarnan is actually more expensive than Steelback on DraftKings, and thus a little less ideal of a play there.
Unicorns of Love
Elite Plays
Fox (DK: $6,900) – While Fox does have one of the worst CS differentials in Europe, he’s also had some of the biggest fantasy scores and should continue that trend as long as Unicorns manages to play well. Fox had his best game of the season against Vitality just two weeks ago with a hair under 50 DraftKings points.
Hylissang (AD: $7,400, DK: $5,000) – Particularly on DraftKings, Hylissang’s price is just too low given the upside and consistency. Unicorns brawl so often that you, yes you, could be their support and rack up points.
Secondary Plays
Fox (AD: $8,100) – A good play on AlphaDraft, but closer in price to some of the elite mid laners.
Origen vs. H2k-Gaming
| Origen | H2k-Gaming | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 0.0 |  | Vegas Total | 0.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Odds | +159 | Vegas Odds | -195 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 0.0 | Team Proj. | 0.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 0.83 | Team Pace | 0.88 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | sOAZ | Amazing | PowerOfEvil | Mithy | Zven | Players | Odoamne | Jankos | Selfie | VandeR | Forg1ven | |
| Opp. Season | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Opp. Season | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | |
This is a game that coulda, shoulda, woulda been the game of the day if Origen had come anywhere near living up to their expectations this season. Instead, they’ve floundered, and a less than impressive win against Elements on Thursday did little to change that. Sure, Origen will likely make the playoffs as the five or six seed in the end and could make a run after that, but we have to start considering the possibility that Origen will simply remain mediocre for the remainder of the Spring Split. They’re a considerable underdog here and I have very little faith that this is the week that we see the Origen from last season suddenly revive.
H2k will have the advantage in every facet other than bottom lane. Origen’s only real chance will be if Zven can really get the best of FORG1VEN and snowball a lead out of the early game to a point where H2k can’t overcome it. All of Jankos, Odoamne and Ryu are simply better, more consistent players than their Origen counterparts.
In this game, I’d expect Jankos to focus his attention toward the duo lane, as Odoamne is unlikely to need as much assistance while laning against sOAZ. A little luck and some mistakes on Elements part allowed sOAZ to be the hero on Thursday, but he was arguably the worst player in the game even considering that he ultimately solo killed Elements’ Nexus.
Origen
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
Zven (DK: $6,600), Mithy (DK: $4,600) – Unreasonably priced on AlphaDraft, Zven and Mithy do make a reasonable pairing on DraftKings. An upset would run through a big Zven game and partner Mithy would hitch along for the ride.
H2k-Gaming
Elite Plays
Jankos (AD: $7,900, DK: $6,600) – In Thursday’s game against Elements, Origen found themselves in an early hole through a complete lack of ability to handle and respond correctly to early game pressure and movement. Jankos and his teammates are superior at all of that than Origen’s previous opponent and it certainly stands to reason that they will easily find their way to an early lead against Origen. Jankos will be a big part of that.
Ryu (AD: $8,200, DK: $7,600) – Ryu can’t be happy with a loss in his return from visa hiatus and not-as-good-as-we-thought PowerOfEvil may pay the price.
Secondary Plays
Odoamne (DK: $6,800) – Top laners are hard pressed to be elite plays, but Odo has shown upside on a regular basis.
Splyce vs. Fnatic
| Splyce | Fnatic | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 0.0 |  | Vegas Total | 0.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Odds | +297 | Vegas Odds | -390 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 0.0 | Team Proj. | 0.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 0.64 | Team Pace | 0.78 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Wunderwear | Trashy | Sencux | Nisbeth | Kobbe | Players | Gamsu | Spirit | Febiven | Klaj | Rekkles | |
| Opp. Season | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Opp. Season | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | |
After a stomping of a loss to ROCCAT on Thursday, Splyce is officially one of the worst teams in Europe. At almost no point this season have they showed off any talent and outside of a decent mid laner in Sencux, they’re devoid of both talent and cohesion. Splyce’s games do still play at a slow pace and that actually did not change against ROCCAT, Splyce just managed to get aced twice in three minutes. An impressively ugly feat.
Fnatic found the win of the season so far against G2. It was surely not how you draw it up as Fnatic were trailing to varying degrees for the entire game, even finishing with four less kills than G2. Will this springboard Fnatic to better play and a potential push toward the top of the standings? I’d like to see them handle Splyce with ease before I go that far, which is something they were unable to do in their first game.
Splyce
Elite Plays
Almost as many as Giants Gaming.
Secondary Plays
None.
Fnatic
Elite Plays
Spirit (AD: $8,100, DK: $7,100) – Yes, ROCCAT got there with two monster aces against Splyce yesterday, but I don’t expect Splyce to suddenly open up their play to Giants-style dying. Spirit is my lone elite play as junglers will always be involved in fights to try to push their teams lead.
Secondary Plays
None.
Roccat vs. G2 Esports
| Roccat | G2 Esports | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Total | 0.0 |  | Vegas Total | 0.0 | |||||||
| Vegas Odds | +348 | Vegas Odds | -469 | |||||||||
| Team Proj. | 0.0 | Team Proj. | 0.0 | |||||||||
| Team Pace | 0.78 | Team Pace | 1.05 | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | fredy122 | Airwaks | Betsy | extinkt | Tabzz | Players | Kikis | Trick | Perkz | Hybrid | Emperor | |
| Opp. Season | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | Opp. Season | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
Although G2 couldn’t crack Fnatic’s front lines during the latter parts of Thursday’s game, I still came away even more impressed by just how strong this team is. Able to take it to Fnatic from the moment the game began, G2 is looking like a threat to win the split and potentially earn their way to the World Championships later this year. On top of it all, they play with high pace and willingness to fight. A great team, with great coordination and it almost seems like they love fantasy points as much as we do.
ROCCAT did not become good after yesterday.
Roccat
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
None.
G2 Esports
Elite Plays
Trick (AD: $8,100, DK: $7,200), Perkz (AD: $8,600, DK: $8,300), Hybrid (AD: $7,700, DK: $6,200) – These are the three members of G2 who have at least a 70% KP. Perkz and Trick are elite players in Europe and that won’t change any time soon(unless they leave for NA).
Secondary Plays
Emperor (AD: $8,500, DK: $8,300), Kikis (AD: $8,000, DK: $7,400) – Sadly, we can’t just roster all five G2 players each week. Decisions must be made, and the above three have been more valuable this season than these two.