The first week of Stage III saw a whopping five debuts, including a breakout performance from the highly anticipated rookie, Hydra. The French phenom helped New York Subliners overcome Atlanta Faze for the first time this season, posting a respectable 65.60 points. But the star of the show was Chino of LA Guerrillas, who was our Fantasy player of the week! Cheen helped his team dismantle Paris Legion in a 3-0 fashion, tallying 116.5 points in the process. For the former back-to-back champion, it’s another year of coming off the bench to prove himself. But is he here to stay for the rest of the season?
Rookie Fantasy Points
- FeLo – 57.01
- Hydra – 65.60
- Chino – 116.10
- Zaptius – 36.77
- Havok – 38.92
Performance of the Week
Bance – 128 points versus Dallas Empire
Benjamin Bance continues to be a gold standard in the COD League with another statement performance – this time against Dallas Empire. The 2020 World Champions, fresh off of a controversial roster change, suffered their second 3-0 of the season as Bance accumulated 73 kills with just 58 deaths. Is he the best player in the game right now?
Start and Sit
Start: Subliners players
The recent victory against Atlanta Faze will get the Subliners fired up for their two upcoming matches in Week two. They will have the privilege of facing the bottom two teams in the standings, Surge, and Royal Ravens. Both teams are in desperate need of wins, but New York is on the right track with the addition of hydra, and each player on the team could potentially eclipse the 100 point mark.
Sit: LA Thieves players
Despite looking incredible in recent times, it would be unwise to select any Thieves players in your lineup unless it’s Kenny. Ever since moving to the AR Role, ‘Kylo Ken’ has taken the league by storm. But with two difficult matches against Faze and Optic, we don’t recommend picking him or any of his teammates for Week two.
Match of the Week
Optic Chicago vs Los Angeles Thieves
Arguably the two teams with the biggest fanbases in the Call of Duty League, the meeting between Optic and Thieves could very well break viewership records for this season. The final game on Sunday will be very telling for both teams. Optic, who are undefeated in Hardpoint so far this Stage, will want to show the world how dominant they are in the lead-up to the third Major of the season. Can they go undefeated, or will Nadeshot’s team cause an upset and show why they should be serious contenders as well?
Sleeper Pick
Havok, Mutineers
After an impressive season with the Mutineers in 2020, Havok did not retain his spot on the starting roster this season. However, he finally got his chance during this Stage, and helped his team win a crucial match against Minnesota Rokkr! This week, with just one game against a lacklustre Paris Legion team, we believe Havok has one of the biggest upsides considering his low cost.
Source: https://news.draftbuff.com/cdl-weekly-roundup-stage-iii-week-one/