LEC Spring Split 2020: Week 2 Team Power Rankings
The LEC standings have started to take shape after Week 2. G2 obviously top the power rankings, but which teams are likely to secure a playoff place in Spring?
Following their convincing win over Origen in Week 2, G2 Esports deservedly top the LEC power rankings after four games. It’s likely they’ll remain at the top of the list as they continue to showcase what made them the second-best team in the world in 2019.
As for the rest of the league, it’s becoming more and more clear which teams have what it takes to compete at the top and which teams are destined to finish near the foot of the table.
Fnatic, Origen, and Rogue are all pushing G2 with impressive performances and 3-1 score lines so far. At the other end of the standings, Schalke 04 and Team Vitality are still searching for their first win of the 2020 Spring Split.
What does this mean for the LEC power rankings? How have the teams’ positions shifted since last week? Find out here:
1) G2 Esports
Record: 4 – 0 | Change: =
Unsurprisingly, the defending LEC champions have retained their #1 spot in the power rankings after an unbeaten start to the regular season including a dominating performance in victory over fellow title contenders Origen.
Despite making one of the craziest role swap decisions in League of Legends history, G2 Esports have not broken stride from their near-perfect season both in the LEC and internationally in 2019.
Week 3 will prove to be a test for G2 as they face Rogue and Fnatic, two teams who currently sit in 2nd place, just one win behind the league leaders. Nevertheless, your money would still be on G2 to continue their strong run of form and finish the week 6-0.
2) Origen
Record: 3 – 1 | Change: =
With victories against both Fnatic and Rogue in the first two weeks, Origen have established themselves as the clear second-best team in the LEC.
Many expected the new-look roster to slowly build synergy and develop a playstyle, but already they’ve proved to be a capable side in the LEC, recapturing the sort of performances we saw from 2019 Spring Split Origen.
3) Rogue
Record: 3 – 1 | Change: =
Origen’s only loss came against G2, so they’re below them in the power rankings. Rogue’s only loss came against Origen, so they’re below them in the power rankings. Simple really.
Rogue have been the surprise package of the LEC so far, demonstrating excellent control of the early game and incredible team fight power against mid-table teams. If they can perform as well as they have so far against the likes of MAD Lions and Fnatic, this team have a terrific chance of finding success in playoffs.
4) Fnatic
Record: 3 – 1 | Change: =
Everyone expected Fnatic and Selfmade to take time to gel together and find their footing in the Spring Split, and if you’d offered Fnatic fans a 3-1 start to the regular season they’d have definitely taken it.
The one worry for Fnatic is the fact that they’ve yet to be tested as all three victories have come against much worse opponents. Week 3 is huge for this roster as they face mid-table rivals Excel Esports in a face-off against former head coach Youngbuck, followed by a grudge match against G2 Esports on Saturday.
This weekend is when we’ll see Fnatic’s true level and be able to judge their 2020 prospects accurately.
5) Excel Esports
Record: 2 – 2 | Change: =
Excel Esports are one of the strongest early game teams in the LEC right now. The complete control of the laning phase by Caedrel, combined with the consistency from all three lanes allows Excel to dictate the tempo early on and gradually build a gold lead through smarter map movements and objective plays.
The only thing this roster lacks is composed late game decision making; Excel do everything right, make all the right steps to set-up for a Baron Nashor or team fight, but don’t know how to pull the trigger.
Converting early game gold leads into victories is one of the most essential skills in competitive League of Legends, and this team must improve their shot-calling in the vital stages of the game if they want to compete with the top four this year.
6) MAD Lions
Record: 2 – 2 | Change: =
The teams placed 1st through 5th in the LEC standings have 1 European rookie between them, MAD Lions have 3. The progress that this inexperienced team have made in such a short space of time is remarkable and they’re currently in pole position to steal the final playoffs qualification spot in the Spring Split.
One worry for MAD and their fans is the fact that their only two wins have come against Schalke 04 and Team Vitality, teams that have a combined win/loss of 0-8. Nevertheless, Humanoid and Carzzy have shown enough over the first four games to merit 6th position in the LEC power rankings and look set to push on with two winnable fixtures against SK and Rogue in Week 3.
7) Misfits Gaming
Record: 2 – 2 | Change: +3
Without a doubt, the largest shock of Week 2 came from Misfits Gaming who went from a winless first week in the LEC to a 2-0 record against SK Gaming and Excel Esports. Obviously, these aren’t the two strongest teams in Europe right now, but Misfits looked lifeless during Week 1 and this recovery is nothing short of a miracle considering how poor their start to the season was.
Razork’s starting to settle into the jungle position, Dan Dan’s left that Nocturne top game in the past and Febiven is back to his old self. The only question is whether the team can maintain this form and climb into the playoffs spots over the next few weeks.
8) SK Gaming
Record: 1 – 3 | Change: -1
After “winning” their first game of the season against Team Vitality, SK Gaming have gone on to lose three consecutive matches. Seeing as two of these losses came against G2 and Fnatic, it’d be harsh to write SK Gaming off so far into the season, but they have been very poor in the opening two weeks.
Trick, in particular, has struggled to recreate his excellent Schalke 04 performances from 2019 and is often invisible in early games and a liability for his team in the later stages.
If this roster doesn’t develop synergy and create some sort of identity between now and the end of the split, it’s difficult to see them finishing in the top six at all this year.
9) Schalke 04
Record: 0 – 4 | Change: -1
All the hype surrounding this team in preseason and the excitement of FORG1VEN returning to European League of Legends has quickly dissipated as the veteran line-up find themselves winless after four.
The one silver lining is the fact that Schalke have only faced off against top-six opponents so far, so three of their next five games should be much easier.
That being said, the team have looked idle and clueless in the early game so far in the LEC, merely gifting objectives to the opposition without even trading across the map. There’s still plenty of games to go this season, but S04 need to step up soon if they want to challenge for the playoffs in the Spring Split.
10) Team Vitality
Record: 0 – 4 | Change: -1
Dead last in the LEC standings, dead last in the power rankings.
Unfortunately, Team Vitality have been without their starting mid laner for the first few weeks of the LEC, so we can’t truly tell how well they would have played at full strength. Nonetheless, due to the fact that Saken has been their “star” player so far, it’s likely that they’d still be in this position even with Milica in the team.
Next. How the LEC Would Look If Player Rankings Decided Rosters. dark