Call of Duty League Power Rankings After CDL Chicago

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Call of Duty League Power Rankings After CDL Chicago

Following CDL Chicago and heading into Florida, we take a look at our power rankings, will Atlanta FaZe take the top spot?


With CDL Chicago in the books, we breakdown the top twelve our CDL power rankings.

12. Los Angeles Guerrillas

The Los Angeles Guerrillas ended their CDL Chicago run 5/6th after defeating L.A counterparts OpTic Gaming, but suffering two defeats to the Seattle Surge. Their high risk roster change which brought in three young players, Blazt, Spart and Vivid made CDL fans think that the Guerrillas may pick up some momentum. However, after winning only 8 out of 27 games since forming this roster, they take the bottom spot in the power rankings.

The Los Angeles Guerrilas on stage competing in a live match of CDL
Image: @LAGuerrillas

11. Toronto Ultra

The Toronto Ultra are a team which show a lot of potential. They didn't attend CDL Chicago, however they defeated the Florida Mutineers 3-2 at Dallas, the event that Florida then went on to win. In the four CDL events they’ve attended so far, the Toronto Ultra have only managed two series wins out of nine played. This places them 10th in the CDL standings with only 20 points.

The stage before Toronto Ultra enter the stadium showing their team name and logo on the big screens
Image: @TorontoUltra

Toronto Ultra have a tough group at CDL Florida featuring the New York Subliners, Minnesota Rokkr and the hosts, the Florida Mutineers. However, they will have to step up soon if they want to get out of that 10th spot in the Call of Duty League and make their way up the standings.

10. OpTic Gaming Los Angeles

OpTic Gaming crashed out of the Chicago home series in 7/8th place after losses to the Dallas Empire and their local rivals, Los Angeles Guerrillas. Recent news of Chino coming in as a substitute for JKap means that we’re not quite sure what to expect from this new OpTic roster. However worrying tweets from Slasher indicate that this OGLA team may have lost hope already.

Optic Gaming competing in a round of CDL live on stage
@OpTicGaming

9. Seattle Surge

The Seattle Surge made it to the semi finals of the Chicago home series after defeating the Los Angeles Guerrillas twice. Their controversial substitute has bought them a higher placing than before. But don’t get your hopes up. Seattle Surge still remain unable to defeat any team that isn't the Guerrillas, FIVE events into the season. Yes, the team looks better with players such as Apathy and Karma returning to form, but still. Seattle Surge can’t go all season just beating LAG. Something needs to improve for this team to make it any way higher up the power rankings.

The Seattle Surge cheer on stage after taking a victory in the CDL
Image: @SeattleSurge

 

8. New York Subliners

The NY Subliners stand against the skyline of New York City
Image: @Subliners

The New York Subliners stole the headlines following CDL Chicago as they defeated the hosts Chicago Huntsmen in Game One. The reformed team played with speed that not even the Atlanta FaZe could handle as they were 100 point clubbed on St. Petrograd Hardpoint. Unfortunately, New York finished their event 1-2 after suffering a loss to the Chicago Huntsmen in their qualifying game rematch. MackMelts seems to have bought a new lease of life to this Subliners team, reviving experienced players Temp and Attach who both dropped a 1.14 K/D at the event.

It will be interesting to see whether NYSL can continue this form, and get themselves up the CDL standings. They currently sit 11th with 20 CDL points.

7. Paris Legion

Members of the Paris Legion check their PC's ahead of a game

Paris Legion didn’t compete at CDL Chicago. However they finished the Dallas home series 1-2 after losses to the Chicago Huntsmen and the Minnesota Rokkr, while only scraping past the Seattle Surge to defeat them 3-2. Only one Paris player achieved a K/D over 1.00 in all modes at CDL Dallas. That player being Denz, their Main AR. The rest of the Paris Legion had a poor event, most notably Shockz who finished on a 0.72 overall K/D. Sitting 6th in the CDL Standings with 60 points is better than some, but if Paris dont start to perform better and are unable to make it out of the Group Stage. They may see other teams creeping up and taking their spot.

6. London Royal Ravens

The London Royal Ravens may have finished 7/8th at CDL Chicago alongside Optic Gaming Los Angeles. However, in their 3-0 loss to Atlanta FaZe it was closer than it seems. Hardpoint: 250-234 SnD: 6-5 Domination: 166-149. A round 11 Search and Destroy combined with neither respawn gamemode being won by over 20 points shows that although this series ended in 3-0 fashion. The London Royal Ravens were extremely competitive, and if some scenarios ended differently. They could've taken this series to a Game Five.

The London Royal Ravens celebrate on stage after a win
Image: @RoyalRavens

Skrapz played especially well finishing with a 1.22 overall K/D, the third highest of the event. Only falling short to Shotzzy and Octane. While his twin brother Wuskin had a slightly disappointing event, if both players turn it up at Florida. London Royal Ravens could be a team to watch.

5. Minnesota Rokkr

The stage set for the Minnesota Rokkr to play.
Image: @ROKKR

The Minnesota Rokkr are a team which surprised many at the start of the season. The remain one of only three teams able to defeat the Atlanta FaZe this season cementing them in the top five. GodRx and Alexx continue to dominate matches resulting in MVP nominations from the community every time they play. Their 62% series win rate this season shows how well this team has performed, considering they went under the radar of many CDL fans at the start of the season. However, they are still to win an event meaning they don't quite make the top four. Minnesota take on the hosts Florida in Game One at the weekend, this will be a tough game considering who's up next…

4. Florida Mutineers

The Florida Mutineers walk on stage at the CDL
Image: @Mutineers

The Florida Mutineers have excelled many fans expectations. After winning CDL Dallas the Mutineers find themselves in the top four of our power rankings. Standout performances from Skyz and Fero accomplishing 1.30 and 1.24 overall K/D’s respectively show the outslaying power of this Florida team. While all other members also put up K/D’s over 1.00, apart from Frosty who finished with a 0.99. The Florida Mutineers have now reached a final on LAN and won an event Online, while also being one of the three teams to beat Atlanta FaZe this season. They have a tough group at their own home series, but they'll be looking to find their second chip of the season.

3. Chicago Huntsmen

The Chicago Huntsmen are going through a tough period at the moment. Recently, Arcitys said on The Trip-Cap Podcast “We don't know how to play the game”. This along with multiple arguments during scrims shows that the Huntsmen have not been getting along over the past few events. Rumours of Arcitys now living with his brother Prestinii after moving out with Gunless only adds to the speculation. On top of this, substitute General was scrimming with the squad in place of Gunless.

The Chicago Huntsmen sit down behind their PC's at the start of a round.
Image: @Huntsmen

No one really knows what's happening within the Huntsmen camp right now. However their team performances have been poor and they've relied on individual skill to bail them out in game. Something needs to change, whether that be a trade or role change, who knows. But the Chicago Huntsmen are underperforming Online, and need to improve.

2. Atlanta FaZe

The Atlanta FaZe fell short to the Dallas Empire 3-1 in the final at the Chicago home series. Although, their head coach Crowder admits “we lost 4-0” on the Hardpoints Podcast. FaZe play at an incredible speed with the ‘tiny terrors’ Simp and aBeZy dominating the respawn game modes. However, this weekend Atlanta FaZe showed signs of weakness. Being their first online event it is unsure whether they were underprepared or underestimated their opponents, but a very close series against London and being taken to a game five by New york. For the first time this year, FaZe looked vulnerable. Their astonishing 85% series win rate puts them in the top two, but even with Simp breaking kill records ; it still wasn't enough to take down our number one team.

The members of the Atlanta Faze bump fists above their monitors after a win
Image: @CODLeague

1. Dallas Empire

Dallas Empire take the top spot in our CDL power rankings. Dallas put on a dominant performance against Atlanta FaZe in the final, and dominant performances throughout the weekend in general. Shotzzy achieved a 1.29 K/D, the highest of the event and the Dallas Empire failed to drop more than one map over the whole weekend. This team has improved event after event and look extremely good online and on LAN. Being the first and only team to win two chips this season. Young guns Shotzzy and iLLeY have shown massive improvements since the beginning with accomplished players Clayster and Crimsix guiding them along the way. Dallas Empire sit the next two out, however they return in Minnesota and will look to defend their title. Possibly being the first team to win three events this year.

The CDL standings following the Chicago home series;
The current standings after Chicago, showing the Dallas Empire in the top spot with 150 points

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Avatar of Charlie Cater
Charlie Cater
Charlie "MiniTates" Cater has been an esports writer since May 2020, specialising in Call of Duty. He is also a University Student studying esports.