RADIO
Welcome to RotoBaller's continued coverage of League of Legends DFS for FanDuel and DraftKings. Hopefully, you've been following our coverage of the LPL, which started its summer split a week earlier and stick around for our coverage of the LCS as well. Today, I am focusing on the 5-game LEC slate that has contests available on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Full disclosure here, I am our Esports editor here at Rotoballer and while I have been grinding LOL, CSGO, and COD slates all spring long I will admit that I am not an Esports native. When the NBA and other leagues shut down, I wanted to continue to play DFS on a daily basis and so I have become an avid Esports player out of necessity. I do watch a lot of the matches and I have taken the time to study the different approaches that teams take in-game and which stats we can use to make educated predictions as to who will win and score well. I wouldn't call myself a LOL expert, but I am a DFS expert and I understand how to play and win. I cut my teeth in LOL covering the LEC last season and some of the LCS playoffs and I feel pretty confident about my knowledge of these teams.
As a quick refresher, the LEC is the European league and they play only single-game best of one matches (while LPL and LCK play best of three series). There are some new faces on new teams as well as some returning powerhouses will their full rosters intact and today represents a fresh start for everyone as the LEC kicks off its summer split. Today we'll be bringing on our top League of Legends advice, analysis, and picks, for all the LEC slates on Friday, June 12th, 2020 at 12:00 PM. Follow me on twitter @ThunderDanDFS and definitely make sure you're following my LOL mentor and our RotoBaller lead ESports analyst @Mr_Malmanger, too!
League of Legends DFS Basics
Since LEC contests are being offered on both FanDuel and DraftKings, it's important to note some pricing discrepancies from site to site, but the roster slots, scoring, and roster construction rules are almost entirely identical with the only exception being that FanDuel forces you to roster at least one player (or team slot) from a third team, while you can play only two teams among your seven roster slots on DraftKings.
- Once a match starts, anything can happen. Usually, the better teams are very consistent. Be sure to check the player pool carefully and try to craft a roster of players who have been playing recently or do not have listed backups.
- Stacking in LoL DFS lineups is paramount. 4-3 stacks are the order of the day (on DraftKings) with 3-3-1 or 4-2-1 are becoming more popular (and necessary on FanDuel) as people try to differentiate their lineups in these suddenly large-field GPPs.
- In LoL DFS, it is very important to focus on players from winning teams. Think in terms of baseball, one side of the matchup is like a pitcher and the other side the batter. This means there is a very negative correlation between teams in the same match. Players score by accumulating kills, which costs the other side points in deaths. Just like earned runs bring down your pitcher’s score.
- Along with this another mistake I see beginners making is trusting average scoring. Players' scoring potential is only realized in games that are won. If player X averages 50 DKP, that likely comes from scoring 70 in a 2-0 win and 30 in an 0-2 defeat. What this means is that someone who looks like a value at $4800 suddenly might not end up being such a great point-per-dollar play.
- Finally, you're going to want to do your best you fill your captain slot with an ADC or MID. Depending on which teams and players you decide to stack that might not be feasible. The order of preference for your captain slot is generally ADC, MID, JNG, TOP, SUP. Some players in some positions may stand out above the others so consider stats like kill share before you make your final decision.
G2 (-280) vs. MAD: DFS Targets
The first matchup we have here could be the most eventful of the slate as the reigning champs G2 take on the only team in the LEC that's slowed them down last split in the MAD Lions. The odds have dropped during the week as some money must be coming in on the MAD side and they are definitely in play as a GPP leverage stack, too.
MAD dealt G2 one of their three regular-season losses in the Spring and then stunned them 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs. Those games were very high scoring and anytime these teams face off there is potential for some high kill totals. G2 eventually battled their way back through the losers' bracket and avenged the loss with a 3-1 series victory before sweeping Fnatic in the finals.
The same five starters return for G2 with the only difference being Caps and Perkz switching positions with Caps moving over to MID and Perkz to ADC. Both are studs and I doubt it makes too much of a difference in the outcome of this game (or this split). For MAD, they bring back their same starting five from the Spring split.
Their jungler ShadOw was their best player in the playoffs with a 67% kill participation rate and ADC Carzzy was their other main carry. I wouldn't recommend this game for cash because I think the range of outcomes is great, but the winner of this match should post some huge scores so both teams are elite GPP stacks.
All of the G2 guys are in play here and while Draftkings has done a good job of pricing them up to where a full four-man stack is hard to fit, you can fit 3-4 G2 guys in on FanDuel much easier. They are the top GPP stack on the board if you can fit them, but I would definitely make sure to get some exposure to them even if it's just a one-off or a smaller two-man stack.
Fave G2 Plays: Caps, Perkz, Jankos, Mikyz, Wunder (in that order)
Fave MAD Plays: ShadOw, Carrzy
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Team Vitality vs. FCS (-165): DFS Targets
Vitality finished the Spring split as 2-16 and in last place. They are only slight underdogs here though as they will tangle with another "bad" team in FC Schalke 04. FCS made some strides towards the end of the Spring split and finished at 6-12, even upsetting G2, however, their roster is full of young players as they have promoted some players from their academy team. We should see Lurox at JNG and Innaxe at ADC but make sure you get confirmation on their lineup before lock.
FCS: Abbedage, Lurox, Innaxe
Vitality is cheap on both sites and I wouldn't rule them out here. Both teams have middle-of-the-road CKPM numbers and the winner of this match could post some solid kill totals. Both teams are strictly GPP stacks or cheap one-off plays to fit in some higher-priced stacks. We need some salary relief on this slate and one of these teams is going to score well.
Fave Vitality Plays: Skeanz, Comp
Origen (-750) vs. SK Gaming: DFS Targets
This is a game that I going to avoid for the most part. While Origen is the largest favorite on the slate, they have been notorious for playing relatively boring and methodical. They are very objective-focused, which is great for their team score but makes it hard to justify paying for any of their players.
They usually grind down their opponents and it won't surprise me if they only win with 10-15 kills. SK is an inferior opponent, but they also play "slow" as they were next to last (with Origen being last) in the league in CKPM (combined kills per minute).
Fave Origen Plays: Team Slot
Rogue (-225) vs. exceL: DFS Targets
Here is a game that I would normally cross off, but I am intrigued by Rogue in this matchup a little bit. Rogue tends to play a slower, more objective-focused style (like Origen) but exceL is a team that had the second-most deaths last split and the third-worst K/D ratio. Rogue is a middle-of-the-road team in every way, but exceL was pretty bad at the end of last split, dropping their last four matches. Rogue beat them twice head to head and should beat them again.
Fave Rogue plays: Inspired, Larsen, Team Slot
I like using a Rogue player or possibly their team slot as a one-off play on FanDuel. There's some value there that will allow us to cram in some of our favorite G2 and Fnatic plays. Speaking of Fnatic, that brings us to our last match on the slate.
Misfits vs. Fnatic (-230): DFS Targets
Our final game here showcases one of the other elite teams in the LEC - Fnatic. They breezed their way to a second-place finish in the Spring split and right through the playoffs until getting beat 3-0 by G2 in the finals. They return their entire starting five and should contend for the title again this split.
Rekkles is one of the best players in the league and a nice value on both sites when compared with the lofty price of Perkz from G2. I like pairing him with his jungler Selfmade in stacks and I think Fnatic players, in general, make great cash game plays. They offer some safety and upside here at cheaper prices than G2. They beat Misfits in both their head-to-heads last split and are simply a more talented team in every lane.
Fave Fnatic Plays: Rekkles, Selfmade, Hylassing, Bwipo (in that order)
I think Misfits are interesting GPP target here. Fnatic matches can get bloody as they are second only to G2 in CKPM and we all know anything can happen in a best-of-one format. They should be an improved squad this season with Kobbe at ADC, who came over from TSM in the LCS. They are the cheapest team on Draftkings and an upset win from them paired with a dominant G2 performance could make for a GPP-winning lineup.
Fave Misfits Plays: Kobbe, Febiven, Razork
Summary
- In the LEC, you should always get some G2 exposure. And definitely some GPP exposure to their opponent, especially when it's a talented team like MAD.
- Fnatic is going to be a top target on most slates, they should be in contention along with G2 for the title this split.
- Origen is an easy fade on this slate and I'm usually only interested in them if they are playing a team with a faster play style. Origen and Rogue team slots are elite plays as both teams are solid favorites who hammer objectives.
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RotoBaller Testimonials
Readers of RotoBaller's eSports DFS articles have been winning money on DraftKings and FanDuel regularly. Some of them are winning contests daily and bringing in some serious cheddar. Check one out below and lots more here!Did you read a RotoBaller article and win too? Send us your screenshots on Twitter @RotoBaller and we'll add it to our winners Hall Of Fame!
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— "Thunder Dan" Palyo (@ThunderDanDFS) April 16, 2020
