LoL Grind Down: EU - Week 4, Day 1
Welcome to the RotoGrinders League of Legends Grind Down. In this all-encompassing preview of the upcoming LCS action, every game will be broken down statistically, with several key elements highlighted in our charts.
We provide Defense versus Position data for each team, along with the RotoGrinders original stat, Pace.
Every game is also broken down, providing an overview of the game and a selection of players to consider from each match
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Team Vitality vs. Giants
| Team Vitality | Giants | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | +115 |  | Vegas Sprd | +542 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 12.9 | Avg. Pts. | 9.6 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 18.6 | Avg. Pts./W | 18.3 | |||||||||
| FB% | 64% | FB% | 54% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Cabochard | MightBear | Nukeduck | KaSing | Police | Players | SmittyJ | Maxlore | NighT | Hustlin | SONSTAR | |
| Opp. Season | -6.20% | -7.71% | -12.08% | -13.11% | -2.19% | Opp. Season | -19.91% | -9.35% | -5.95% | -10.28% | -16.27% | |
I really wish I had a good read on this Vitality team this summer, but it’s hopeless to know for sure what they are. I can tell you that they are not a good team but it’s not certain that they are decidedly bad. This team hinged on the additions of Mightybear and Police to deliver better than their predecessors but such has not been the case. Nukeduck has really been a downer as well and the jungle change seems to have affected him the most. He has only been able to put together solid fantasy performances against inferior mid laners and I’m not convinced that Giants mid laner Night, fits the bill. Night has been one of the more impressive EU rookies and he continues to grow week to week so I actually favor him in the matchup. Can his teammates keep up with him? That’s the real question we have to find out and I’m not convinced they can so I see this series as an even split with Cabochard being the “x-factor.” He is the only player on either side capable of “solo-carrying” his team to victory. It’s why I love him in daily after his strong Week 3 and I’m not willing to commit too heavy to either side in this one. Team Vitality is in the bottom half of both total kills and deaths so they just don’t generate enough fantasy potential to make this game a heavy stack.
Team Vitality
Elite Plays
-Cabochard (DK $6,500, AD $7,500) – I said last week before VIT faced UOL that I wanted to get on the Cabochard train before he hit his stride. Well it looks like he delivered as he finished the first day with 17 kills in 2 games. Like the UOL matchup, Cabochard has a huge advantage against Giants and with the top lane meta becoming more damage focused, Cabochard really has a chance to shine once again. Great value for the best top laner in the region.
Secondary Plays
- None
Giants
Elite Plays
- None
Secondary Plays
-Night (DK $6,700, AD $7,400) – Night is legit and I’ve been saying it for a while now. He has the talent, that much is clear but he’s starting to work with his team a bit more and it’s been pretty impressive to watch. I’m not sold that he will be a massive play just because of how conservative Vitality can be, but I think he’s a solid play and definitely in play for a GPP/flex option.
FC Schalke 04 vs. G2 Esports
| FC Schalke 04 | G2 Esports | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | +686 |  | Vegas Sprd | -113 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 12.2 | Avg. Pts. | 16.5 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 17.8 | Avg. Pts./W | 18.3 | |||||||||
| FB% | 60% | FB% | 44% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Steve | Gilius | Fox | sprattel | MrRalleZ | Players | Kikis | Trick | PerkZ | Mithy | Zven | |
| Opp. Season | -18.68% | -22.19% | -19.38% | -12.52% | -22.61% | Opp. Season | 28.52% | 21.55% | 13.11% | 12.92% | 0.51% | |
You know that feeling when a top team plays against a far inferior opponent and gets quite a scare in what many would consider a “trap game” but the next week they come out focused and firing on all cylinders? Unfortunately for Schalke, I feel like that’s exactly what we are going to see from G2 this week. The Unicorns of Love gave them quite a run in the first game they played and it wasn’t until UOL had about 8 kills, did G2 finally secure one for themselves. It was a slow grueling comeback but G2 was the better team and ultimately prevailed. I still have many questions about them but Trick looking back on form is really nice to see as he is such an integral part of the team. S04 had held true to their record and they basically look like the pinnacle of mediocrity in the EU LCS right now. Fox continues to look like the only real play on Schalke 04 in daily and I think he is not afraid to go up against star mid laners like Perkz or Febiven so his value isn’t too diminished for me in the matchup, it’s just about whether or not he’s too risky to slot as your mid laner. Ultimately, I probably wouldn’t recommend him here because even if you get an early lead against Perkz, it’s hard to out-do him as the game goes on. Expect is the only player on G2 I’m probably going to write off. Don’t get me wrong, he’s had some strong showings and he is an interesting play, but the nature of top lane options available has me hesitant to pay up for an unknown quantity like Expect, when there are some other players at the position with more secure value. Not for him but not entirely against him. Either way, this is still a good matchup to slot in G2 players and though they aren’t a dominant force anymore, they still should be able to lock up a sweep in this set.
FC Schalke 04
Elite Plays
- None
Secondary Plays
- None
G2 Esports
Elite Plays
-Trick (DK $6,700, AD $8,000) – To put it bluntly: Trick is a monster. I just had to go back and watch the tape from last week and he is just always making plays for his team, regardless of what champion he’s on. It’s no secret that I’m not very high on Gillius so look for Trick to destroy this matchup. Its not a matter of if he hits value, but how many points can he put up before G2 wins.
Secondary Plays
-Perkz (DK $7,800, AD $7,800) – Perkz has shown a different side of late that has really impressed me. Now that teams have started to punish his early aggression, he has found himself behind in kills early on in the game. The progression he’s made is that he is finding ways to be relevant later in the game despite of this. This adaptation makes him great for basically any matchup and with Trick looking in top form, Perkz returns to being one of the best fantasy plays in any given slate.
Fnatic vs. Origen
| Fnatic | Origen | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | -129 |  | Vegas Sprd | +849 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 14.1 | Avg. Pts. | 13.5 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 18.3 | Avg. Pts./W | 19.7 | |||||||||
| FB% | 45% | FB% | 53% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Gamsu | Spirit | Febiven | YellOwStaR | Rekkles | Players | sOAZ | Amazing | PowerOfEvil | Hybrid | FORG1VEN | |
| Opp. Season | 15.22% | 14.77% | 13.59% | 21.41% | 21.59% | Opp. Season | 23.37% | 27.91% | 23.81% | 15.45% | 33.78% | |
Just when we thought we could write off Origen as a terrible team, they have a strong showing. And then just as quickly as they appeared decent, things went sideways once again the following day. I’ve been saying this is the most volatile team in Europe and while other teams are working hard to prove they can be just as unpredictable; Origen seems to have mastered the art. This matchup is always going to be an interesting rivalry but Origen’s decline make this one feel lackluster. Sure we could see the classic “rivalry buff” from a lower level team but predicting that is fantasy suicide so I’m hopping on board the Fnatic train. Xpeke showed some competence last Thursday but he is still so questionable when it comes to positioning and even though Rekkles and Yellowstar aren’t dominant laners, they will exploit this in the late game. Fnatic has everything going for them right now so I’m going big on them and hoping they don’t pull the same crap they did a couple of weeks ago.
Fnatic
Elite Plays
-Febiven (DK $8,200, AD $7,900) – The potential for Febiven on this slate is just so high I feel confident in thinking he will likely be the top scoring mid laner and possibly the best player on this slate. From building some lineups I can say it’s tough to fit him in but you can try to build around him and I think it will be worth the price.
-Rekkles (DK $8,300, AD $8,200) – You can go either Rekkles or Febiven in this case and I don’t think there is much difference in who you go with. I’d prefer Rekkles on DraftKings and Febiven on Alphadraft. Rekkles was on an absolute tear last week and I don’t see him dropping off too much this week. His kill participation is incredible at over 80% and he has 10 more total assists than the next best ADC.
Secondary Plays
-Yellowstar (DK $6,200, AD $7,500) – The Fnatic stack is in play for this slate and you can really grab Yellowstar and another FNC stud if you are willing to roll the dice elsewhere. Yellowstar can’t really be matched as far as what he’s been delivering from the support position and he has the highest ceiling and highest floor of anyone at the position.
Origen
Elite Plays
- None
Secondary Plays
-SoaZ (DK Only $5,200) – As always this is a major risk/reward play with SoaZ. The great thing is his salary being so cheap but the potential to produce disastrous results certainly exists. I’m only considering him on DraftKings and the bottom line is: when OG has done well this season, SoaZ has been a major factor and put up big numbers. This was not always the case in spring so that is at least encouraging. If Origen can steal a game, he will probably be valuable based on that one game alone.
ROCCAT vs. Unicorns of Love
| ROCCAT | Unicorns of Love | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | +129 |  | Vegas Sprd | +446 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 10.7 | Avg. Pts. | 10.8 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 16.9 | Avg. Pts./W | 18.9 | |||||||||
| FB% | 45% | FB% | 38% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Parang | Airwaks | Betsy | Raise | Steelback | Players | Vizicasacsi | Move | Exileh | Hylissang | Veritas | |
| Opp. Season | -0.26% | 4.18% | 2.73% | 0.58% | -4.40% | Opp. Season | -8.06% | -6.91% | 0.43% | -0.25% | 2.15% | |
Roccat really had their chance to cement themselves as a top four team last week but after losing both set’s, they are struggling to find answers. The best answer may be playing against Unicorns of Love who have proven they are among the worst in the league. I do expect a rebound from Roccat but I don’t know if they are as good as I initially thought and I’m backtracking pretty heavily on Betsy. Sure he can pressure lane well but he isn’t translating that into kills and it makes him difficult to roster because he doesn’t present massive upside. At least not to the degree that other mid laners do. I’m all for the ROC bottom lane but I’m not sold on the solo laners enough to feel like I’m going to cash in on some reasonable salaries. Airwaks has been such a liability in so many ways that I actually think UOL can potentially win a game in this matchup but overall Steeelback just needs to get fed and roll through this team. Hopefully Roccat realizes that, and plays around him. The Unicorns are a whole bunch of nothing for my money. If you had to choose one person it would be Move because of the afore mentioned issues with Betsy and Airwaks. Other than that I don’t think this is the game to stack like some people. Roccat’s recent form has me running scared.
ROCCAT
Elite Plays
-Raise (DK $5,600, AD $7,100) – Raise is the perfect support for me in this slate. He has a kill participation over 80%, he is 2nd in total assists and he has a favorable matchup. When his team wins, Raise typically has a huge assist total. Roccat may have fallen off a bit, but I still think they have a large advantage against UOL especially in the bottom lane.
-Steeelback (DK $7,600, AD $7,600) – When this Roccat team is rolling, they know how to rack up kills and pressure the map. When they are floundering as they did last week, they look like one of the most dysfunctional teams in Europe. I expect they can bounce back this week but to what extent remains to be seen. Steeelback has been a monster in the teams wins so if they can pull out the 2-0, he is in line for a huge day.
Secondary Plays
- None
Unicorns of Love
Elite Plays
- None
Secondary Plays
- None
Splyce vs. H2K
| Splyce | H2K | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | +817 |  | Vegas Sprd | -130 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 9.9 | Avg. Pts. | 14.0 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 17.4 | Avg. Pts./W | 16.8 | |||||||||
| FB% | 44% | FB% | 53% | |||||||||
| 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 | Mikyx | Kobbe | Players | Odoamne | Jankos | Ryu | VandeR | Freeze | |
| Opp. Season | -20.13% | -25.42% | -12.40% | -15.11% | -17.23% | Opp. Season | 6.12% | 3.17% | -3.85% | 0.90% | 4.66% | |
This is a surprisingly interesting game and after rewatching Splyce play against Fnatic, I really think they have a chance to make some noise against another top team this week despite falling in both games to FNC. When Splyce is making proactive plays, they look quite good and coordinated which allows them to grab some kills and win teamfights. The problem is that they aren’t great with their map plays and they aren’t a reactionary team when a team aggresses on them. Lucky for them, H2K has been back to their passive form which is allowing teams to hang around longer than they probably should. I still think H2K has a sizeable edge here, but Splyce has potential to make these games close. I really like what I’ve seen from Kobbe and considering how Freeze isn’t a great laning ADC, Kobbe may be a nice cheap ADC play. On the H2K side, sure they have some value but I don’t know if it’s worth paying up for any H2K stack. The bottom lane has left a bit to be desired and Jankos has cooled off from a hot start. At that point, choosing between Odoamne and Ryu isn’t all that enticing so this game is one I will be fading on in general.
Splyce
Elite Plays
- None
Secondary Plays
-Kobbe (DK $6,500, AD $7,400) – There aren’t a ton of good cheap options at ADC on this slate so I view Kobbe as a real bargain. He has been the standout performer for Splyce this summer and he leads the position in total kills while holding a very respectable 74% kill participation. Many players and analysts believe Splyce has the most underrated bottom lane in Europe so this would be a great time to prove it.
H2K
Elite Plays
- None
Secondary Plays
-Odoamne (DK $6,900, AD $7,700) – If you want flashy and upside in the top lane, go with Cabochard. If you want security and a high floor, Odoamne is right up your alley. He likely won’t be the primary carry with a huge kill total and he relies on assists and teleports to get involved. He’s been playing this way for a while and he knows how to get involved with the team so that isn’t much of an issue the question with him is always going to be just how high can his ceiling be. Right now it’s just middle of the pack.
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