LEC Spring Split 2020: Week 3 Team Power Rankings
Thirty games played so far in the LEC Spring Split and the standings couldn’t be closer. Here’s a look at the team power rankings after Week 3!
Before the LEC season began, it was widely accepted that G2 Esports would continue to dominate in Europe while Fnatic and Origen attempt to close the huge gap established in 2019. One-third of the way through the Spring Split, EU fans have been proven correct as G2 have already opened up a two-win cushion on their competition and convincingly lead the power rankings.
Below the defending LEC champions in the table, you’ll find three distinct groups: The six playoff hopefuls all pushing to be named “best of the rest”, the winless bottom two who probably just want the split to be over, and SK Gaming.
Having four obvious groups in the standings makes building power rankings easier in terms of their structure, but a much more difficult task when it comes to comparing teams within said groups.
Therefore it makes sense to cautiously move teams up and down the rankings, rather than having huge shifts after an upset or surprise victory for a lower-rated team (at least until more games have been played).
As a result, Week 2’s power rankings won’t look too different from this week’s version:
1) G2 Esports
Record: 6 – 0 | Change: =
Since its formation in 2019 Spring, this G2 Esports roster holds an incredible 34-8 record in the LEC regular season. Of those eight losses, five came after G2 had locked in a top-two seed for playoffs, and were possibly already on an infamous “G2 vacation”.
In their last three games, this line-up have convincingly brushed past Origen, Rogue, and Fnatic, the teams most likely to challenge G2 at the top of the table during the Spring Split. While it would be premature to hand them first place right now, the manner in which they defeated their closest rivals in Weeks 2 and 3 shows that G2 mean business and won’t be stepping off the gas any time soon.
Week 4 pits Misfits Gaming and Schalke 04 against the reigning LEC champs. In normal circumstances you’d expect the in-form Misfits to put up a fight and potentially cause an upset, but not if G2 continue to play like they have been doing so far in Spring.
As for Schalke 04… Be sure to tune into that for what could be the most one-sided game in European League of Legends history!
2) Origen
Record: 4 – 2 | Change: =
Despite displaying a polished Origen playstyle throughout the first five games, the wheels seemingly fell off against Misfits Gaming in Week 3 as they were easily swept aside by Razork’s Gragas.
Nevertheless, Origen remain second place in the LEC power rankings for the time being as there’s no reason to believe their surprise loss wasn’t just a bump in the road.
Facing MAD Lions and Excel Esports in Week 4 provides the perfect opportunity for this exciting Origen line-up to bounce back and showcase their patient approach to games to intelligently take down two strong, but at best mid-table rosters.
3) Fnatic
Record: 4 – 2 | Change: +1
Fnatic are one of four teams placed second in the LEC standings at the moment, but as their only losses have come against G2 and Origen, they’re deservedly placed third in our power rankings.
Although their playstyle may not be as refined as the teams around them, it’s not expected to be so early into their season with a new jungler. As long as Fnatic and Selfmade show signs that they’re developing synergy on the LEC stage during the regular season, then fans can be optimistic of a strong end to the Spring Split and hopeful of a playoff final appearance alongside G2.
In Week 4, Fnatic face Team Vitality and MAD Lions. Assuming they maintain their current form and continue to perform against the teams below them in the table, there’s a small chance that Fnatic could end the weekend alone in second place if Origen slip up.
4) Rogue
Record: 3 – 3 | Change: -1
While Rogue may have one less victory than MAD Lions and Misfits Gaming, it’s a bit too early to drop them down the power rankings considering their very strong start to the season.
Currently, the “middle four” in the LEC standings (RGE, XL, MAD, MSF) are as close as can be and separating them due to a single surprising result or poor performance would be harsh. However, with Schalke 04 and SK Gaming on the horizon for Rogue, another blunder could see them rapidly fall down the power rankings and down the LEC table as you can’t afford to drop wins to the bottom three teams in the league right now.
As a result of Rogue’s poor performance against MAD Lions in Week 3, they’ve dropped below Fnatic in our power rankings. Convincingly dispatching the teams below you in the table is key to achieving a top-three finish in the regular season and Rogue have failed to do that, unlike Fnatic.
There will be a chance for redemption in the near future as Rogue and Fnatic face off in the final game before the Spring Split’s halfway mark on W5D1.
5) Excel Esports
Record: 3 – 3 | Change: =
When the likes of Fnatic and Origen are showcasing their complete control and innate ability to dictate the tempo of the laning phase, even in a gold deficit, it’s somewhat surprising that Excel could be the strongest early game team in the LEC right now.
As illustrated by our Week 2 player power rankings, Caedrel has established himself as one of the best junglers in Europe right now thanks to his capacity to shut down his opposite numbers and guide his team through to the mid game with a gold lead.
If Excel could translate this early game domination into strong late game shot-calling to close out wins, then they would be favorites to clinch a playoff spot amongst the “middle four”.
Week 4 involves two very different tests for Excel. First, they’ll take on SK in a game which they should win convincingly, then they’re up against Origen in what will be an interesting battle of two of the more patient, controlled teams in the LEC.
6) MAD Lions
Record: 4 – 2 | Change: =
Part three of the middle four is MAD Lions, one of the most exciting teams in the LEC right now.
The only new brand in the league entered the season with a rookie-dominated line-up and very little was expected of them coming into the Spring Split. It hasn’t taken long for MAD to prove everyone wrong and cement themselves as playoff contenders in the first three weeks of the season though, showcasing strong team fighting and smart plays around key objectives throughout the early to mid game.
In Week 4, MAD Lions will face Origen and Fnatic, two very difficult fixtures. It’s likely they’ll drop down the standings after this weekend, but shouldn’t be disheartened – particularly if they perform well – as their incredible start to the season has them in good stead heading towards the second half of the split.
7) Misfits Gaming
Record: 4 – 2 | Change: =
Four consecutive wins, second in the LEC standings, surely Misfits deserve to be ranked higher than seventh? If you’re basing the power rankings off the last two weeks alone, then sure. But, that’s not what power rankings are for.
Misfits’ complete turnaround from an 0-2 Week 1 to their current 4-0 streak has been both surprising and impressive. The way in which this rookie squad has matured so quickly on the Berlin stage is nothing short of remarkable and bodes well for the future of the organization.
Unfortunately, Week 4 won’t tell us much about whether the last few weeks have been representative of Misfits’ actual level or just a fortuitous run, as they face off against G2 Esports and Team Vitality, as certain a 1-1 weekend as you can get.
Nevertheless, if they come out of their next two games with solid performances and the teams around them fail to impress, there’s no reason why Misfits can’t make themselves favorite to secure fourth place in the Spring Split.
8) SK Gaming
Record: 2 – 4 | Change: =
The gatekeepers of the 2020 LEC Spring Split. The team that refuses to lose against two of these worst performers in EU history. SK Gaming could end the season with four wins and still finish eighth, which would be a feat of its own, albeit a disappointing one for the organization.
It could be argued that if this SK line-up were placed in either 2019 split they’d finish dead last. Fortunately, they’ve been placed in the 2020 Spring Split which hosts Schalke 04 and Team Vitality, two free wins for SK Gaming, even though they lack the quality to challenge for playoff qualification and will almost definitely end the regular season with single-digit victories.
That being said, if Trick wakes up and starts impacting the early game, linking up with his laners to find picks and build a gold lead, maybe SK have an outside chance of finishing in the top six. But, that is one big IF.
9) Team Vitality
Record: 0 – 6 | Change: +1
Gaining a place in the power rankings despite not winning a single game is very odd, but it certainly isn’t due to their own performances. When you compare Vitality and Schalke there is one clear difference: Vitality are proactive in the early game, Schalke are not.
Due to this, Vitality actually have a route to win games, especially with Skeanz showcasing some intelligent jungle pathing and ganks in his first six games on the LEC stage. That’s not to say that Vitality will win many games during the Spring Split, but at least they are showing signs of life, unlike…
10) Schalke 04
Record: 0 – 6 | Change: -1
Schalke 04’s attempts to save their split by substituting rookie jungler Lurox in to replace Gilius were unsuccessful as they fell to Misfits Gaming and SK Gaming in Week 3. Unless they can recover from their awful start to the season, this experienced roster’s only hopes of winning a single game this split boil down to their two bottom of the table clashes against Team Vitality.
Next. LEC Week 3 Recap. dark