The first major of the Call of Duty League is here! The new game and new lineups helped create some thrilling matches and gave us some shocking upsets. With that being said, it's time to take a look at some players to target and fade heading into the first LAN tournament of the 2023 season.
Players to Target
Afro
Afro was a superstar for a London team that failed to properly build around him. Well he's on a top team in Minnesota now and is playing to the level many had hoped for. Afro has a 1.19 KD, the second best in the league, and the top tally for any SMG players. Afro and Minnesota are looking to put an early statement out in Major 1 and with this sort of form for the young star it's hard to fade him in any formats.
Scump
Switching from a young star to one of the oldest players in the CDL, Scump has been impossible to ignore. The King is showing exactly why he earned that title having produced a 1.18 KD during the qualifiers including a ridiculous 1.50 in Search and Destroy. OpTic haven't looked particularly convincing, but Scump is single-handedly keeping this team relevant with some truly awe-inspiring plays.
Cellium
I'm sick of mentioning Cellium. Truly I am. Afro sits with a 1.19 KD in second overall in the CDL. Cellium has produced a 1.33. The difference between Cellium in first and Afro in second is the same as the difference between Afro and Drazah, who is in 21st. There are simply no superlatives that do Cellium justice. Atlanta is arguably the top team in the league and Cellium is the reining MVP, don't over think it.
Players to Fade
Spart
Spart has been one of the most disappointing players in the Call of Duty League in 2023, especially after winning Major MVP honors in the 2022 campaign. LAG are with Spart for the long haul after giving him a three-year deal, but that deal looks awfully risky early on. Spart sits with the worst individual KD in the CDL at just 0.76, nearly 0.05 lower than Prolute at second worst.
Prolute
Prolute and Spart both showed flashes of absolute brilliance in 2022, and both earned spots in the league off those flashes. Well that's not looking good to start 2023, as both sit at the bottom of the stat page across the entire league. Prolute and Vegas have earned some random surprise wins, but are not a top team by any stretch and come into Major 1 with little going for them. Prolute and Vegas will hope to bounce back in a big way as they try to find any sort of success under the new Vegas banner.
CleanX
CleanX has oft been regarded as one of the best entry SMG's in the world, but his start to 2023 has been absolutely awful. The SMG has retained his incredible pace but has struggled to convert his gun fights and has fallen to some awful scores in the opening four matches. It's hard to fade one of the most talented players in the CDL, but so much of what he does is make space on the map, an extremely valuable job, but not one that rewards fantasy points. CleanX and Toronto are one of the early favorites for the Major 1 crown, so the SMG could still have value just with a deep tournament run and the quality to overcome this rough patch of form.
Stats courtesy of Breakingpoint.gg
