Fantasy Love/Hate: Week 11
It’s the final week of the season and the end of your first split of Fantasy LCS. You celebrated your big wins, and took to twitter to vent about your tough losses. Whether your road has led to the top of the ladder, or the bottom, there is still one more week to end the season on a high note. With that in mind…
FOR FANTASY WEEK 11 WE LOVE…
Cop (vs COL, DIG, LMQ, TSM)
Cop has had several stellar weeks this split, but none moreso than in Week 7. Last Super Week, Cop posted an impressive 77 fantasy points as his team pulled off multiple upsets. Curse is perfectly poised for a repeat performance, recently having success against Dignitas, as well as upsetting LMQ twice this season. Throw in a match against compLexity, a team that ranks in the bottom of the rankings for points allowed to players, and the schedule works out quite well for Cop to once again rake in the fantasy points. Ever the reliable flex option, this week Cop moves firmly into a starting position for many teams.
Meteos (vs COL, EG, TSM, CLG)
Despite their struggles, Cloud9 have come roaring back into relevancy over the past few weeks. In their last meeting against compLexity, Cloud9 shook the blue shelled monkey off their back. With compLexity back to being an ideal matchup (alongside a game against the Evil Geniuses), they have a very favorable schedule in this final week. And now that their eyes are fixed squarely on returning to first place, never has Meteos been more perfectly positioned for a breakout week.
Successful fantasy players know how to maximize reward while minimizing risk. While there is some small risk in Cloud9 getting blown out in one of their four games this week, the likelihood is that they’ll leave Super Week having gone even or better, meaning that Meteos should be a perfectly safe start.
Alliance (vs ROC, SK, GMB, MIL)
There is always a risk of starting fantasy players on teams that have already locked in a playoff spot (or who may clinch a first seed before the end of the week). The Fantasy LCS concern is that, when these teams have nothing to play for, they’ll take a game off, costing you a championship as they prepare for the postseason. While Alliance could certainly be left with little to play for before their final matches, there is no fear in starting EU’s No. 1 team this week.
This is a team that has remained hungry since clawing their way up the standings last split only to finish in fourth place. Alliance will not want to give SK Gaming or Millenium any chance at a higher seeding, and also have favorable matchups against ROCCAT and the already eliminated Gambit Gaming.
BUT WE HATE…
Shiphtur (vs CLG, CRS, TSM, LMQ)
At the beginning of the split, Shiphtur was a matchup-proof starter. Dignitas have continued to find success as a team, but Shiphtur’s fantasy prowess has become a thing of the past. Over the last 3 weeks, he has been unable to bring in a point total over 30 points. This week there isn’t a single matchup that Shiphtur’s owners should feel good about. CLG, TSM, and LMQ will all be desperately clawing at Dignitas for higher seeding, while Curse will be using the motivation of their last Super Week to once again ruin every top team’s week. While there is always the chance that strong matchups could give Shiphtur enough highly competitive games to be a solid flex pick, owners who choose to start him will be watching each game with baited breath.
Counter Logic Gaming (vs DIG, EG, COL, C9)
While owners of each CLG player should feel confident in starting its individual players, the team as a whole is a genuine risk in this final Super Week. CLG is a team that has slipped up against teams below them in pivotal situations, and facing EG and Complexity in the last week of the split certainly fits the bill. With Cloud9 on the rise and Dignitas still a contender, CLG are in real danger of coming out of Super Week with a losing record. There’s an air of nervousness surrounding the team, too; CLG are on a four game losing streak, and unfortunately there is nothing about this week’s schedule that promises a turnaround.
