RADIO
Welcome back to my League of Legends DFS column here at Rotoballer! We will continue to extend our analysis for LoL DFS across different leagues and sites, bringing you the insight you need to succeed. With five more games on the docket tonight in the LPL and LCK and the LCS and LEC playoffs in full swing, it's an excellent time for ESports DFS enthusiasts like myself and the number of contests on FanDuel and DraftKings continues to grow.
There are three LPL matches, and two in the LCK grace the slate tonight, as we all get ready for DraftKings massive Forceful Blow. With $200,000 guaranteed with $50,000 to first place, this is the type of large tournament we used to only see during LCS slates. It's so awesome to see these massive contests in ESports DFS, and one can only hope that the enthusiasm for our sport continues even after the rest of the sports world resumes.
Today, I'll be providing my League of Legends advice, analysis, and picks, for this LPL/LCK slate on DraftKings and FanDuel that locks at 2:00 AM on Thursday, April 9th, 2020. Make sure you are following me on Twitter @Mr_Malmanger as I often post starting lineups when I see them and other useful info for the slate.
LCK Matches
4:00 AM: T1 (-800) vs. Sandbox Gaming
The first of the two LCK matches begins at 4:00 AM, which is a departure from the three-game slates we had seen, which locked at 2:00 AM. The most significant change with this setup is that we will not have the starting lineups for this match pre-lock, as LCK teams only release their starting lineups about an hour ahead of their games start time.
T1 dropped their last series vs. DWG and, and will be looking to get back on track vs. SBG in this match. T1 took out SBG 2-0 in week four the first time these teams faced off, I fully expect them to repeat that performance. Sandbox shuffled the top half of their map recently, trying out different combos of top and jungle players.
T1 has similarly have swapped out their junglers at times, but I don't see that being an issue on Thursday. T1 is a first-place team, and a world title contender they will finish off SBG in a clean 2-0 here. They are a cash game option for me as they shouldn't break a sweat in this matchup; therefore, they don't have the upside I need.
Teddy - ADC ($7,800)
If you are going to choose a T1 player, it should be Teddy. Even though Faker is the most known league of legends player ever, it is the young ADC that secures the most fantasy points. He's the team leader in Kp % and kill share plus he is only the fourth-highest priced ADC on DraftKings. ADC/SUP stack is a no brainer in LOL DFS Effort spends a lot of time protecting Teddy, but his price is also down a bit.
Canna - TOP ($7,800)
Canna is rock-solid in the top lane for T1, he's nearly a lock for 80 DKP. He's sitting at 70% KP, which is good for second in the league, behind SBG Lonely. Sitting in third is SBG Summit; this tells me that no matter what, the top side will get focused in this game. That's just another reason to look at Canna on Thursday.
5:00 AM: Griffin vs. Afreeca (-150)
Afreeca has been in free fall recently, and we finally have an answer as to why. Mystic's, their star ADC, has a wife who has been having health problems. This tragedy has contributed to the team's lack of consistency since beating T1 in week five; they have lost every match.
Griffin similarly has been searching for consistency, trying out different top-laners. This match is very close, but with AFS reeling and GRF surging a bit, I like the underdogs to go 2-1 here. Kiin will have a huge advantage over whoever starts in the top lane, and I expect GRF will be popular with the lack of form AFS has shown.
I wouldn't target this match very heavily but do like some of the value options. A note; Griffin knocked off DWG this morning with a surprising 2-0 sweep, and this outcome is the worst thing that could have happened. I wasn't expecting them to look good, so now I expect them to be VERY chalky on Thursday.
Viper - ADC ($7,000)
The meta shifting slightly to tank top laners and more ADC focused comps helps out GRF quite a bit. Viper has been their best player this year. He leads the team in KP% and kill-share. He's been playing a lot of Varus and Kaisa recently, and that's good for him as he's better late. I'd look to pair him up with Irove his support he's too cheap.
LPL Matches
2:00 AM: LGD vs. Royal Never Give Up (-800)
Royal currently sits in fifth place in the LPL, but all the top tier teams are in their rearview mirror. Their final five matches are all against teams outside of the top ten, and unlike some other top organizations in the LPL, they do not mess around.
I expect them to win out, starting with a 2-0 here. RNG is expensive here, but LGD is sloppy and is second in the league in total deaths. RNG can pay off those prices with some help from their opponents.
LangX - TOP ($6,200)
The former SNG stalwart LangX is showing the form that made him such a big pickup for this RNG lineup last summer. He is second in the league in KP% among full-time top-laners in addition to that the fact that his lane opponent Cult leads LGD in death % LangX is set up for a big series.
Xiaohu - MID ($8,000)
Xiaohu is used to playing second fiddle on his team, and this split looked like a chance for him to break out of Uzi's shadow. Instead, we have seen Betty step up huge in Uzi's absence. This game, however, will be an excellent chance for him to step up and show everyone his worth. Betty will have a tough matchup in the bot lane with a polished veteran in Kramer. Meanwhile Xiaohu has a better go against Yuuki.
4:00 AM: Li-Ning Gaming vs. Edward Gaming (-230)
The second LPL match of the night is another seemingly easy matchup. EDG has unexpectedly looked very good this split; they have been without their starting jungler JieJie and top-laner Jinoo since before the Chinese New Year break.
LNG has been disappointing this spit after adding some new pieces in the offseason. The strength of LNG is Gala in the bot lane, and I expect a lot of action to go to the bot side of the map in this one.
EDG should be able to match that aggression while also getting advantages across the rest of the map. EDG has much better baron numbers and vision control, so I expect them to pick up the win here with a possible sweep.
Hope - ADC ($8,200)
With LNG trying to focus pressure on the bot side of the map and EDG looking to match that, I expect another huge game from Hope. EDG's ADC continues to lead the team in KP% and kill share in addition to nightly flirting with 100 DKP. He's one of the most expensive players on the slate, but he has earned that distinction.
JunJia - JNG ($7,000)
At this time, starters haven't been released yet, but it shouldn't matter as JunJia has earned this spot. Taking over from JieJie due to the coronavirus quarantine in China he has produced all split long, and with a favorable matchup against XX today, I see that trend continuing. He is second on the team in KP%, and along with his mid-laner Scout acts as a glue guy for EDG.
Editor's Note: JieJie is now starting and makes for a suitable play in JunJia's stead.
6:00 AM: Jingdong Gaming vs. Invictus Gaming (-300)
It's out of the frying pan and into the fire for JDG on Thursday as they face former world champions IG. After toppling the surprising eStar on Tuesday, things don't get any easier for them as they face the top team in the league.
JDG has advantages in all primary objective stats, drakes, baron, and vision, but as I've mentioned before, their stats don't define IG. The two things IG does lead in are gold generation and damage output, and that's all they seem to need.
I like IG here as they have a very positive history vs. JDG, and even with Zoom coming back into the top side for JDG IG counter with theshy. As is always the case with IG, it can still be worth it to hedge with their opponent. In their wins over LGD, and RW they were outscored in fantasy points in several positions.
Puff - IG - ADC ($7,800)
Puff and Southwind might be the most significant advantage IG have in this match. The bot lane duo is tied for second in KP% on the team, with 62.6%. Invictus has abnormally low KP% across the team due to their propensity to take fights at a disadvantage, often engaging down a man or even two where other teams would back off. For that reason, you can't go wrong with any combination of Invictus players tho I would start with the bot lane duo.
Kanavi - JDG - JNG ($6,400)
We've seen losing players bring home big scores against IG due to their lack of respect for other teams. Kanavi, with his nearly 80% kill participation and team-leading kill-share, is a great candidate to do exactly that on Thursday. Whether you use him as a value one-off or start your contrarian JDG stack with him, Kanavi can more than pay off his price.
Summary
I'll be ready for more surprises on Thursday morning it seems as if some of these teams are wearing down a bit with matches taking place every day. Be prepared for some more upsets before the spring split is over, especially in the LPL, where the scrappier style lends to it.
Looking Forward
With LPL and LCK overnight slates continuing through mid-April, we here at RotoBaller have got you covered. The League of Legends DFS action never stops. The LEC and LCS playoffs are in full swing, and EU Masters kicked off yesterday.
Be sure to check back throughout the week as we'll be publishing daily ESports DFS articles, analysis and lineup picks for League Of Legends, Counter Strike, Rocket League and eNASCAR. Thanks for reading, and good luck RotoBallers!
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