Hey everyone! I’m Avery, you may remember me from the LCK articles at the end of spring split. Well, Lewis is still just as clueless as before, so here I am again! Week 1 will surely be an exciting one, as all 5 of the top 5 teams from spring have at least one match with another top 5 team. With such close matchups and little time to set your lineup, I’ll help you try to make sense of it all.
Top Lane
Rich- NS RedForce $230,000 (vs KT & LSB)
NS may not have finished top 5 last split, but they did finish 6th thanks to a late-season surge, qualifying for playoffs and taking HLE to 5 games. Considering they play two teams that missed playoffs in spring, Rich could be a nice budget pickup. But don’t expect a big boom; LCK teams love their tanks in top lane.
Jungle
Clid - Gen.G $320,000 (vs DRX & HLE)
GEN is one of those top teams that plays two other top teams this week. But DRX is probably the most vulnerable out of the top 5, and HLE stumbled late last spring. Clid is one of the focal points of this team and maintains a high KP. Even at the high cost, it may be worth it.
Mid Lane
Faker - T1 $270,000 (vs HLE & DK)
So apparently, God has a price value and a relatively cheap one at that. Seriously though, T1 surged once they set their roster at the end of the spring split, beating HLE. They should pick up right where they left off and challenge the normally dominant DK. If Faker is subbed out, though, feel free to flame me.
Bot Lane
deokdam - NS RedForce $300,000 (vs KT & LSB)
In a week of close matchups, NS has about as close as you can get to a guaranteed series win. Deokdam is the primary carry for this team; let him be the main carry of yours as well. He may not be a bad captain, either: he played 3 games of Ezreal in playoffs and has played a good amount of Jinx recently, and both are strong picks.
Support
Keria - T1 $70,000 (vs HLE & DK)
Of all the moving around that T1 did in spring, Keria was the one constant. So there won’t be any risk of subs here. Keria is an amazing player, and with my prediction of T1 beating HLE, 70k for him is an absolute steal.
Team
Nongshim RedForce $270,000 (vs KT, LSB)
If you’re the kind who likes to pay up for your team, NS is certainly the way to go. As mentioned before, they’re almost guaranteed at least one series win, and they’re not even the most expensive team, either.
Best Overall Captain: DK Canyon: Udyr & Rumble
There were many different picks in each role this past weekend in other regions, but the jungle meta was most stable. Udyr and Rumble were both staple picks, and both are champions that Canyon has played frequently this season in LCK and MSI.
Risky Captain: GEN Ruler: Jinx & Tristana
Ruler is one of the best Bot Laners in the LCK, and GEN has a very realistic shot at beating both DRX and HLE this week. It’s unclear precisely what champions the LCK meta will favor in the Bot Lane, but Jinx and Tristana are both strong right now, and Ruler has played both several times in recent memory.