Preseason LCS Power Rankings Shaken Up in First Two Weeks of Play
The first two weeks of LCS play have caused a major shake-up in our preseason power rankings. Established teams like TSM and CLG have underperformed, while Dignitas has surprised everyone with their strong performance.
After closely observing these teams in action for the past two weeks, we have noticed a state of precarious parity emerging. When we asked our voters to rank each team from one to ten, there was unanimous agreement on the ranking of four teams. In the remaining six cases, the votes only differed by one rank. Here are the results:
| Rank | Team | Points | Rank Change |
| 1) | Cloud9 | 60 | — |
| 2) | Team Liquid | 54 | — |
| 3) | Dignitas | 45 | — |
| 3) | FlyQuest | 45 | — |
| 5) | TSM | 34 | — |
| 6) | 100 Thieves | 32 | +3 |
| 7) | Immortals | 24 | +1 |
| 8) | Evil Geniuses | 18 | -1 |
| 9) | CLG | 10 | -3 |
| 10) | Golden Guardians | 8 | — |
Interestingly, the top of our rankings remains unchanged from last week. The real drama has unfolded at the bottom of the table. Let’s take a closer look at how each team has performed.
Uncoordinated: CLG, Golden Guardians
We admit we were wrong about CLG. Despite strong roster changes and promising signs for the team, they have struggled to find their footing. Lee “Crown” Min-ho, their star mid laner, has been underwhelming with disappointing laning numbers and low damage output. The lack of synergy between CLG’s players is evident, with jungler Raymond “Wiggily” Griffin in particular taking a step back from his previous peak performance. On the other hand, Golden Guardians’ mid laner, Grayson “Goldenglue” Gilmer, has been a standout player despite the team’s struggles.
Setback: Immortals, Evil Geniuses
Immortals have shown some intelligence in their gameplay but haven’t been able to secure wins against top teams. Evil Geniuses, with their experienced players, should have performed better. However, individual mistakes and lackluster performances have held them back.
Lifeline: TSM, 100 Thieves
TSM and 100 Thieves have both bounced back from slow starts to secure important wins. TSM’s coordination and map control have improved, while 100 Thieves have displayed a more complete team game. These teams are showing promise and have a chance to climb up the rankings.
Tied up: Dignitas, FlyQuest
Despite Dignitas losing to FlyQuest in their last matchup, our voters were split on which team should be ranked higher. Dignitas’ strong win against Team Liquid and the potential comeback ability of their top laner, Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon, influenced the decision to keep both teams tied for now.
Unchanged: C9, Liquid
Cloud9 and Team Liquid continue to dominate as the top teams in the LCS. While Liquid has suffered some losses, their overall performance and the impending integration of their new starting jungler, Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen, give us confidence in their abilities.
All teams have shown potential in these early weeks, and we’re excited to see how they perform as the season progresses. Stay tuned for more updates!