This article is part of our VALORANT series.
VCT Masters Copenhagen is down to the final four and there are three regions left vying for the top prize -- North America represented by OpTic Gaming, APAC represented by Paper Rex and EMEA represented by Fnatic and FunPlus Phoenix. Here's a look at some players to target, and fade in the final four of VCT Masters: Copenhagen.
Players to Target
Jinggg
Jinggg has been absurd so far in VCT Masters Copenhagen with a 1.19 rating in the competition and a 1.26 rating over the past three months. Paper Rex were a question-mark coming into this event, could they actually compete with the best teams in the world? That question has been answered resoundingly with this team comfortably looking like a top team in the world and even arguably the favorites over OpTic Gaming. Jinggg is in amazing form and is worth targeting in all formats as Paper Rex look for their first title win.
Marved
The other side of the Paper Rex vs. OpTic Gaming matchup is Marved. Analysts, casters and everyone in between love to talk about yay and how he might be the best player in the world. Hot take: he isn't the best on his team, Marved is. This is a player with absurd level's of talent and he's doing it without the crutch that is Chamber and the Operator. Marved has a 1.21 rating across an absurd 12 maps so far in VCT Masters Copenhagen and is showing now signs of slowing down. Marved will be looking for his second straight VCT title as he and OpTic head into the upper bracket final against Paper Rex.
Derke
This is odd to write - Derke isn't the highest rated player in an event, that honor goes to ardiis with an absurd 1.28 rating. Equally odd to type is that Derke, boasting a 1.16 rating is likely due to return to his averages... which are above a 1.30. Fnatic are in the lower bracket final against FunPlus Phoenix, who they have soundly beaten in their last three matchups and are heavy favorites to do so again. With a likely win on the cards and a match with the loser of OpTic and Paper Rex to follow Derke could be in line for a major showing if he wants to lead Fnatic to their first international title.
Players to Fade
ANGE1
ANGE1 had led his side to a top four finish at worst in international competition but it's just impossible to trust him as a fantasy asset. The in-game leader boasts just a 0.75 rating with 158.5 ADR so far in VCT Masters Copenhagen. Those sort of numbers scuttle any fantasy value he offers and leave him sitting near the bottom of the event. ANGE1 has very rare maps where he shows some world-class firepower but, it's hard to gamble for those maps against the likes of Fnatic.
FNS
Another disappointing in-game leader, FNS has a 0.85 rating and 166.6 ACS so far in the event, certainly better than ANGE1, but far below anyone you'd want in a fantasy roster. FNS and OpTic have clearly shown they can take home the top prize in the past so this isn't any sort of indictment of the roster, it's simply a warning for FNS. FNS loves to make plays to set up his superstars in yay and Marved, and those are brilliant plays, but not plays that will keep him in the upper echelons of fantasy.
Benkai
Paper Rex's support and utility player, Benkai, is one of the best in the world at what he does, but the brilliance of the team around him leave him lacking individual stats. Paper Rex have a real chance at winning this tournament and have already secured a top three finish, meaning Benkai will need to step up against the best teams in the world. In a system that doesn't play to his strengths it's more likely than not that Benkai returns a poor fantasy showing, even if Paper Rex take the title.
Stats courtesy of Thespike.gg
