(+450) PGG v C9 (-750)

(+290) PSG v RNG (-450)

(+230) MAD v DWG (-325)

(+800) PGG v RNG(-1800)

(-325) DWG v C9 (+230)

(-175) MAD v PSG (+135)

This second round of the Rumble Round has been about what we have thought it was going to be with a few different outlying outcomes. RNG is dominant by a pretty far margin and PGG is in well over their head in terms of competition. What has been a shock to everyone is how poorly both DWG and C9 have looked in their matches. Both teams have high expectations put on them by fans and analysts and both have struggled to meet those expectations. The difference is that DWG is still winning even while looking weak while Cloud9 looks like they may not string a win together in the Rumble round. Let’s dive into this slate and see where you could make some smart picks for this Sunday slate! 

Game #1: Pentanet.GG v Cloud9

Cann’s Pick: Cloud9

Game #2: PSG Talon v Royal Never Give Up

Cann’s Pick: Royal Never Give Up

Game #3: MAD Lions v DWG KIA

Cann’s Pick: MAD Lions

Game #4: Pentanet.GG v Royal Never Give Up

Cann’s Pick: Royal Never Give Up

Game #5: DWG KIA v Cloud9

Cann’s Pick: DWG KIA

Game #6: MAD Lions v PSG Talon 

Cann’s Pick: MAD Lions

Captain

Favorite: GALA (RNG: $12,000) This is obviously the most expensive player on the board but at this point RNG has seemed almost unphasable throughout this tournament. GALA leads all players in kills with 68 through 12 games and he has been nearly untouchable with 17 deaths in that same time. They are playing PGG (who they have beaten in every matchup thus far and usually by a pretty wide margin) and PSG Talon. While PSG is a little scary for me, seeing their match against MAD Lions and how they were slowly strangled out shows me that they are susceptible to teams who have a better grasp on meta play. GALA has quietly put in work for RNG and has really stepped into the shoes of the former superstar from RNG in Uzi by being an absolute menace for teams in the bot lane.  

Value Pick: Humanoid (MAD: $10,500)

Top Lane

Favorite: Xiaohu (RNG: $7,000): Xiaohu has completely styled on every matchup in this tournament. In fact he was actually moved into the mid lane for a game and completely bodied PGG’s mid laner (Chazz) in that game. Xiaohu leads all top laners in kills (42), first blood participation rate (36%), and gold differential at 10 minutes (+826). He has played more aggressive top laners compared to any of the others in his role including the Lucian top. This is almost a must-include in your lineup and the closest thing to what feels like a guarantee to production value with the skill gap in the top lane right now.  . 

Value Pick: Fudge (C9: $6,200) 

Jungle

Favorite: Elyoya (MAD: $6,800): We may be watching the greatest performance by a rookie in an international performance ever. He has a 6.2 KDA and has 41 kills to only 20 deaths. Outside of Wei from RNG, Elyoya has the most dominant numbers in gold differential (+363), kill share percentage (22.5%), and death rate (19.0%). He is the backbone of this team and has covered up flaws like time to time poor performances by Humanoid or Carzzy when they have made poor choices or got caught out. He can play the tankier champs like Udyr or the damage focused champions like Rumble. Great pick up and MAD will need him to pick up a lot of the pressure tomorrow.  

Value Pick: Blaber (C9: $6,600)

Mid Lane

Favorite: Perkz (C9: $7,200): If Cloud9 is going to make it out of the Rumble round, they realistically should go 2-0 in this slate. The reality is that it is very probable for them to do. PGG and their mid laner (Chazz) is by far the weakest in this round and DWG has already loss one (and nearly another two) games to Perkz and C9. I am not sure what has been wrong with the North American representatives this round but there is so much raw talent on this roster and at the top of that talent list is their mid laner Perkz. I want to see him on his control mage picks again and not on the more niche assassin-like champions.  

Value Pick: Maple (PSG: $6,600)   

ADC

Favorite: Carzzy (MAD: $7,200) I am more of the mind now that MAD Lions may be the second best team in this round of play. He has 63 kills in 10 games (an actual better kill/game ratio than any other player in the tournament) as well as only 14 deaths. His absurd kill share percentage of 34.6% is only paired with an impressive 13.3% team death share rate. What do these numbers mean? It means the common discourse of Carzzy being overly aggressive and a liability is old news. If MAD are going to make a real run in this tournament, Crazy needs to keep playing at this elite level.  

Value Pick: Ghost (DWG:$7,600)

Support

Favorite: Ming (Ming: $6,000) It is pretty rare to see a support break into the 6k club but here we are with Ming. I think Ming is really that player who is so good but easily gets forgotten because they are buried on a team full of superstar talent. In reality, RNG is probably not where they are right now without Ming. He is so good with vision control and he is not kill/skirmish focused but instead does such a great job making sure opposing teams cannot get into the backline easily. Love his 131 assists and how much fighting is going to take place against PGG and MAD Lions tomorrow.   

Value Pick: Kaiser (MAD: $5,600) 

Team

Favorite: Royal Never Give Up ($5,400)  I am not really in the business in betting against the best. This team is literally speed running this tournament and most teams haven’t been able to keep it close. While they struggled some on Saturday, there was never a point in which it was close, it was just less far. 

Value Pick: Cloud9 ($4,600) 

Cann’s Example Lineup

Captain (x1.5): GALA ($12,000)

     Alternate: Ghost ($11,400)

Top: Fudge ($6,200)

Jungle: Elyoya ($6,800)

     Alternate: Blaber ($6,600)

Mid: Perkz ($7,200)

ADC: Carzzy ($7,200)

     Alternate: Doggo ($6,800)

Support: Ming ($6,000)

Team: Cloud9 ($4,600)