League of Legends: Top 40 Players in the World (2019)

Here are the Top 40 players currently in the League of Legends esports circuit. We have broken down the list into the 4 major regions (LCS, LEC, LPL, LCK).

LCS

#1: Doublelift

Position: ADC

Team: Team Liquid

At the number one spot of this LCS top ten list is none other than Doublelift. Team Liquid's star ADC is the focal point of the team and is consistently the best ADC in the league. Because the team plays around him so much, he boasts the highest amount of gold of any player. This is at 10 and 20 minutes, as well gold per minute. It can be risky for teams to put so many resources into one player, but its not for TL. Doublelift carries his games hard, having the highest KDA and is tied for highest kill participation in the LCS. He trails behind only C9's ADC in damage per minute.

TL's rise to dominance since 2018 is largely due to Doublelift and he continues to be the strongest point on his team. Though they had a disappointing run in the 2018 World Championships, he was the MVP of the 2018 Summer Split and is regarded by many as the best bottom laner in North America.

#2: CoreJJ

Postion: Support

Team: Team Liquid

Some say that an ADC can only be as good as their support, and while that's not always true, having one of the best support players in the world certainly doesn't hurt. CoreJJ was part of the Samsung Galaxy roster that defeated SKT T1 in the finals of the 2017 World Championship. He joined TL this year and is another integral part to this team. He complements Doublelift perfectly and the two dominate the bottom lane. Out of lane CoreJJ is always setting up plays for his team, engaging big fights and enabling his carries to destroy their enemies. He also is tied for the highest kill participation percentage in the league at 80%.

CoreJJ is world-class talent and is another major reason that TL is number one. He enables not only Doublelift, but the whole team to thrive. There are other good supports in the LCS right now but CoreJJ stands out above the rest.

#3: Sneaky

Position: ADC

Team: Cloud9

Sneaky, known for his LCS legacy, Twitch stream and great cosplay, is another stand out performer in the LCS. He joined C9 back in 2013 and is synonymous with the organization. He's been a part of and won multiple LCS titles and participated in multiple World Championships, with his most recent run being the best.

Sneaky isn't on this list only for his legacy though, his performance this split so far is stellar. He has the highest damage per minute in the league with only the third highest gold per minute. He doesn't receive the same amount of resources that Doublelift does, but he puts out more damage, which is impressive. Sneaky is a consistent carry for his team and isn't always the flashiest player, but is always dependable. C9 is currently second in the standings and Sneaky's performance thus far is a big reason for it.

#4: Froggen

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Golden Guardians

Froggen returned to the LCS this year after taking some time from the professional scene to stream. Known for his unique champion picks, like Anivia, he is popular among fans. The Golden Guardians picked him up after two last-place splits last year and there has been noticeable improvement.

So far Froggen has proven he is comfortable on most meta picks and can pull out comfort picks like Karthus and Viktor. He is strong in lane and has high gold income. He consistently uses them to the fullest, having the fourth highest damage per minute. When the team plays around him he can use his leads extremely well and outperform his counterparts in the mid and late game. Golden Guardians is in the middle of the standings and will seek to utilize Froggen to push through for their first playoff appearance.

#5: Bjergsen

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Team SoloMid

Bjergsen is as synonymous with TSM as Sneaky is with C9. He started on TSM all the way back in 2013 and has brought his team to win multiple split finals. He attended a host of World Champions as well and is historically hailed as one of, if not the best, mid laners in NA. Bjergsen is a consistent laner and carry in the late game. He is strong in lane and has high CS and gold numbers. In the middle and later portions of the game, Bjergsen is more than experienced enough to output high damage and carry fights.

Every long time fan of the LCS will know what Bjergsen is capable of, and will be looking forward to it. TSM is currently in third place with a decent two game buffer over the middle teams. They'll look to draw on Bjergsen's experience and expertise to propel them over TL and C9.

#6: PowerOfEvil

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Counter Logic Gaming

PowerOfEvil is another long time player, but has a history of mixed success. Notably, he was on the European Misfits roster that went toe-to-toe with SKT T1 back in 2017. He joined OpTic Gaming last year and was a big reason for many of their wins. His performance is similar this year for CLG, and he's a major reason for their current success.

PowerOfEvil is the only mid laner to have 80% kill participation, meaning he can constantly gain lane priority over other star mid laners and affect the map. He isn't given the same amount of gold as other teams' carries, but that doesn't stop him from pumping out damage. He claims the sixth top spot for damage numbers in the league. CLG is in the middle of the standings but can move on to playoffs with PowerOfEvil's guidance.

#7: Zven

Position: ADC

Team: Team SoloMid

Zven, who was considered one of the best ADC in the west on G2 Esports, continues to impress on TSM. Like some of his teammates, Zven's history is filled with domestic success and Worlds appearances. TSM fans were disappointed by the team in 2018 but the team is on the rise.

This LCS top ten list wouldn't be complete without Zven because of his consistent play. He has the second highest damage per minute, even above Doublelift. Furthermore, his kill participation sits at 70%, exceptional for an ADC. TSM knows how to play around Zven in late game fights and its a major key to their success. He will be crucial to their post-season hopes and success.

#8: Licorice

Position: Top Lane

Team: Cloud9

The second C9 player to appear on this list is their top laner, Licorice. He debuted in the LCS last year as a rookie and quickly made a name for himself. Domestically he was very strong, and even went to the 2018 World Championships. Here he helped C9 go to semifinals, which is the the farthest any North American team went since the Eastern regions were introduced.

Licorice is a versatile player and can play any style. His carry performances are fantastic and shows a willingness to innovate with picks like Hecarim and Sylas top. When he plays a tank, he shows no major weaknesses and contributes a ton for his team. He's not a rookie anymore, but he still impresses many. Licorice will play a big role as C9 try to take over the number one spot from TL.

#9: Santorin

Position: Jungle

Team: FlyQuest

Santorin seeks to make splash this year and is definitely doing so. He isn't known for having a legacy of success, and has struggled on different teams in the past. Though not the flashiest player, Santorin deserves a place on this LCS top ten list for his contributions to his team.

The FlyQuest jungler is proving this split that he can stand up to the best. His early game impact so far is terrific and is a major reason his lanes are able to get leads. Santorin can play both carry and team-focused champions well, and if often a main initiator for his team's fights. Some of his games are worse than others, but he's a major reason FLY are successful so far. They will rely on him to push through the middle of the pack and make it into playoffs.

#10: V1per

Position: Top Lane

Team: FlyQuest

This pick may take many by surprise and is controversial, but V1per makes a strong case for being a top player. There were many worries about V1per coming into the split, but FlyQuest's top laner is shutting them down. He was most known for reaching rank one on Riven in Solo Queue and consistently hitting Challenger since Season Three. He joined Team Liquid Academy last year, where he found decent success. FlyQuest picked him up this year and he is definitely delivering.

He demonstrated in the beginning of the split the ability to play front line and meta champions. Recently, he has debuted his iconic Riven pick and dominated LCS matches. FLY sits in the middle of the pack but recently was in the top three spot. They're likely to make playoffs and can rely on V1per's strong carry performances to make it so.

LEC

#1 Xerxe

Position: Jungle

Team: Splyce

Splyce was one of the most underrated teams coming into the franchised LEC and many didn't believe that this team could perform to the level of Fnatic, G2, and Origen. It feels like Splyce has been on a mission to prove everyone wrong. A significant contributor to this is Xerxe, who is the best jungler in the LEC. League happens to be a team game, but when Xerxe can dictate the pace, you know that Splyce will be on the front foot. Xerxe leads the Jungle position in KDA, Kill Participation, Gold Difference @10, and EXP Difference @10, while also sporting the lowest death percentage in the role. Xerxe has helped Splyce become one of the top teams in the league and will be fascinating to watch in the playoffs.

#2 Caps

Position: Mid Lane

Team: G2 Esports

It is hard to argue against the inclusion of Caps as one of the best players in the LEC. Ever since leaving Fnatic for G2, Caps has shown how much his signing has meant for G2. G2 have hit the ground running and are sitting in first place for the playoffs. Caps has pulled some incredible 1v9 performances and has a strong understanding of the overall map. However, he has encountered times where he overextends and has cost G2 games. Overall, the addition of Caps has helped G2 have a shot to dominate the region once again.

#3 Nukeduck

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Origen

Is this finally the year of the duck? Whether you want the meme dead or want it to finally come through, we have seen glimpses that Nukeduck can accomplish just about anything. He has crushed Caps in lane with a fascinating Zed performance but has also shown some downsides when Origen failed to pick up wins towards the beginning of the season. When he brings his best it feels that Nukeduck is not able to be brought down, but the main thing he's lacking is consistent performances.

#4 Kobbe

Position: ADC

Team: Splyce

Kobbe has been destroying it in the bot lane. This is in part because he has some help from Norskeren to navigate through the laning phase. Kobbe has put up some monster performances against some of the other top ADCs in the league, Perkz and Upset being the most recent ones. Maintaining the second highest KDA in the league for ADCs is no easy feat, but Kobbe has proven that he can play against the best.

#5 Wunder

Position: Top Lane

Team: G2 Esports

Are you massively behind? Is your recently acquired mid laner not helping you when you need it most? Look no further than to Wunder in the top lane. G2 may have added a star in the mid lane, but they must be thankful to have kept one of the best, if not the best top laner in the LEC. He is a 1v9 machine but might not have been seen as a clear top player before. Due to the dominating performances that G2 had in the first half of the season, it is clear that Wunder can't be underestimated as a powerhouse in the top lane.

#6 Crownshot

Position: ADC

Team: SK Gaming

Crownshot is one of the three main players that SK hired from the MAD Lions when fixing up their roster for their comeback into the LEC. Alongside Werlyb and Selfmade, the trio has had some great performances while overcoming some growing pains throughout their development. Crownshot is in heavy contention for Rookie of the Split thanks to some dominating performances against some great European ADC's, including Fnatic's Rekkles.

#7 Selfmade

Position: Jungle

Team: SK Gaming

Selfmade might be in the midst of a close playoff battle, but he has really proved to be one of the best rookies coming into this year's franchising. His play is one of the main reasons that SK Gaming has a chance at playoffs. Selfmade is one of the standout names in the SK lineup, beginning as early as their first game of the split against Fnatic. This rookie is looking to make his name known in the LEC for years to come.

#8 Cabochard

Position: Top Lane

Team: Team Vitality

Considering that Vitality is fighting for the highly contested top two spots, it is no surprise that one of their members would be featured in the list. Cabochard, like the rest of his team, has been inconsistent at times, but when he does show up he likes to put on a show. He is a major play-maker and enables Attila to succeed. Whether it's an impressive carry performance or a much-needed tank/peel type of play, he can accomplish it all. He finds himself ahead of much of his opposition across the board and is clearly a vital part of his team.

#9 Rekkles

Position: ADC

Team: Fnatic

If you asked me to rank the best players at the beginning of the split, you would likely see a couple of players from Schalke. But after their mid-split collapse, it seems that it would be a steal not to include Rekkles and some of his fellow Fnatic players. Rekkles, with the help of Hylissang, have played unbelievably well in their recent win streak. They have put Fnatic in a prime position to be the favorite team heading into playoffs.

#10 Broxah

Position: Jungle

Team: Fnatic

Anyone in Fnatic being included in this list would be ludicrous to think about in the beginning of the split due to Fnatic's dismal early performances. But after their win streak and return to form, it is clear that Fnatic is the hottest team in the league and deserve to have multiple players included in this list. Broxah, the humble giant in the jungle, deserves one of these spots. This is not just because of his impressive performances, but also because of the calmness he has shown. Broxah is a critical player for Fnatic on and off the rift, and will continue to shine going forward.

LPL

#10 Metoer

Position: Jungle

Team: Bilibili Gaming

Bilibili Gaming is in the tight race for the number one spot in China, and a lot of that workload falls onto the shoulders of Metoer. This jungler has proven his expertise and importance by establishing himself as the foundation for Bilibili gaming. Bilibili has yet to play against the top teams in the league, but they will be tested when they do. I believe that Metoer should be able to rise to the challenge and prove that he and his team can be contenders for the MSI spot.

#9 Maple

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Suning Gaming

For many readers, Maple's presence in this list might be a shocker due to Suning falling from grace after their series loss to FunPlus Phoenix. That said, Maple has been an integral part of the successes of Suning alongside SwordArT. No list is complete without some controversy, but Maple has shown his importance to the team. If Suning can rally and come back from their decline during the second half of the split, then Maple can shine among the rest.

#8 Ming

Position: Support

Team: Royal Never Give Up

Ming, not to be confused with Ning, is Royal Never Give Up's support. He has had a strong season so far considering that he has had to play half of it without Uzi, arguably one of the best carry players in the LPL. Ming has played 60% of his games (12) on Alistar with a whopping 75% win percentage and 4.8 KDA. He has been nothing more than a rock at the support role and deserves a top 10 spot. With the return of Uzi on the horizon, look for him to get even better.

#7 Ning

Position: Jungle

Team: Invictus Gaming

Ning is the third Invictus Gaming player included in our list of Top 10 Players. Ning was rightfully celebrated as World's finals MVP and has continued his excellent form into the new season. Rocking a 4.4 KDA while helping IG snag an 8-3 record at the time of writing, Ning has proven his worth and continues to demonstrate that IG should be one of the most feared teams in the World.

#6 Xiaohu

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Royal Never Give Up

When you think of Xiaohu, you think of RNG and all the great things they accomplished last year. This year they hope to achieve a World's Championship win. RNG did suffer for some time without Uzi due to injury, and Xiaohu had to be one of the players to step up. Even though he can't 1v9 in typical Uzi fashion, he has established himself as one of the more solid mid laners of the LPL.

#5 Tian

Position: Jungle

Team: FunPlus Phoenix

When you are part of one of the top three teams in the league, it is hard to argue against you as one of the best of the League. For Tian starting jungler for FunPlus Phoenix, that's definitely the case. Tian used to be a member of the lackluster Suning Gaming as a substitute before moving to FunPlus and coming into his own as a jungler. After the revamp that FPP went through, the team gained a lot of ground and went undefeated until losing to RNG. Tian might still not be as explosive as some of the other junglers in the league, but he accomplishes what is needed from the team.

#4 Knight9

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Topsports Gaming

Knight9 is the starting mid laner for Topsports Gaming, who currently own the top spot in the LPL. Knight9 has played 13 champions in his first 11 series, while also boasting a whopping 7.2 KDA. Topsports are playing through Knight for a good portion of their games, and that shows that this Knight9 can be trusted to carry when given a lead.

#3 Rookie

Position: Mid Lane

Team: Invictus Gaming

Up next, we have another World champion in RooKie. RooKie impressed many with his aggressive playstyle and great synergy with Jungler Ning. That said, Rookie still seems to struggle in certain games when facing the high-end teams of the LPL, but he still has opportunities to prove his doubters wrong. People are waiting for the whole of Invictus Gaming to regain their composure and show that they can dominate the regional competition as well.

#2 TheShy

Position: Top Lane

Team: Invictus Gaming

TheShy has been impressive since he joined Invictus Gaming in 2017. At this point, everyone that follows League of Legends should know who TheShy is and what he is capable of; whether it is turning around a losing fight in the World Finals or picking up a double kill on a three-man dive, TheShy is flashy. He has, however, has shown some weaknesses in the three series that IG has lost. Regardless, it shows that when TheShy is on point, no one will stop him.

#1 DoinB

Position: Mid Lane

Team: FunPlus Phoenix

DoinB has been one of the best mid laners of the LPL in the past three years, especially against the fierce competition in a league known for its amazing mid laners. DoinB manages to stand out and put his own unique stamp on the game, regardless. Whether it's his unique builds or bringing an actual meaning to the phrase champion ocean, he manages to make a name for himself. Take his individual skill and add it to the vast success of FunPlus Phoenix has had in the Spring, and it is clear that DoinB is one of the best in the LPL.

LCK

Chovy #1

Position: Midlane

Team: Griffin

Chovy has arguably been the best player in the LCK for a while now. He was the first player to reach a 100+ KDA, topping out at a stratospheric 115. Since then his death in game one versus SANDBOX in February, Chovy has died only five times. With a total of seven deaths in the entire split thus far, Chovy is quickly becoming every midlaner’s greatest fear. Not to mention he did that on 9 different picks, so it’s not as if he’s been one-tricking his way through everything.

The level of dominance Chovy has showcased is likely unprecedented in League of Legends. Perhaps we could talk about Dade or Faker as the greats of the midlane, but their time has passed. In a year where the younger participants have shined and outclassed everyone, Chovy has stood a head above them all.

Lehends #2

Position: Support

Team: Griffin

In a similar vein to Chovy, Lehends has been instrumental to Griffin’s success. He has the fourth-highest KDA of the split, as a support. He also has the second highest kill participation percentage of the entire Griffin roster. While Tarzan’s 74.1 percent is expected as a jungler, the fact that Lehends isn’t far behind is a testament to his playmaking ability. Papasmithy often likes to remark that League of Legends is really “League of Lehends” because of that fantastic playmaking. During the KeSPA finals, Lehends single-handedly changed the state of game one. He landed two hooks on Ruler in one team fight, ultimately sealing the series.

Like Chovy, Lehends’ champion pool is obnoxiously large at 10 champions, and many of them for more than one game. He has the lowest average deaths of any support, which serves to highlight both his skill and his team’s. More than half of his champion pool is filled with “engage supports,” so his low death average is even more insane. It means he’s not only picking the correct engagements, but his team is nearly always there to back him up. League is Lehends’ world; we’re all just living in it.

Clid #3

Position: Jungle

Team: T1

Now why is Clid on this list and not Faker or Teddy, you may ask. Well, Faker and Teddy aren’t carrying T1 right now. In a jungle meta defined by playmaking junglers, Clid’s legendary Lee Sin has shown. He’s played twelve games on the champ, and that fact that he was even able to do that is mind-boggling. Since Jarvan’s return to the meta two weeks ago, Clid has been unstoppable. An 18 KDA and 100 percent win rate suggest Clid’s Jarvan may be more fearsome than his Lee Sin. Teddy has largely been quiet in his time on the Rift since KeSPA and a few games early in the split. Clid, then, has to pick up the slack and has done admirably as far as I’m concerned.

Flame #4

Position: Toplane

Team: Damwon Gaming

Flame has been a name synonymous with the top lane since the early days of Korean league of legends. After a couple of years in NA on Immortals and Flyquest, respectively, he has returned to Korea in full force. His short time in the LCK has already been filled with success and domination. His CS differential at 15, gold differential at 15, and XP differential at 15 are all positive. He’s already top five among toplaners in KDA, win rate, and lowest average deaths. North America is still often considered a “retirement” or “for fun” region at the professional level. As a result, many were left wondering if Flame still had the necessary skills. I think he’s answered those questions pretty emphatically.

Key #5

Position: Support

Team: Hanwha Life Esports

In the League of Lehends, there is also Key. For Hanwha Life, nothing happens on the map without Key. He has the second highest kill participation of anyone, and the highest by a large margin of his own team. Now when I say that nothing happens on the map without Key, I also mean that how Key plays determines Hanwha’s fortunes. Whenever Key is playing well, it seems the team wins, and whenever he plays poorly, the team doesn’t win.

Can one player hold such a command over his team’s performance? Sure, there have been many examples of players solo-carrying their teams to victory. Are there still four other players on the map? Yes, there are. But it is undeniable that Key is important to Hanwha’s success, especially when he holds such a dominant presence in the stats. If Hanwha wants their playoff spot back, they’re going to need to put Key in a position to help them do that.

Deft #6

Position: ADC

Team: Kingzone Dragon X

In a Kingzone that had a disastrous start to the split, Deft has been quite consistent. As the rest of his team has struggled to keep the pace, Deft has been the guy to keep the team in contention. In his attempt to do that, he’s gone far and wide in his picks. With the sixth-largest pool in the LCK, he’s played everything from Xayah to Ziggs (he won that game too). Recently, he’s become the Xayah player of the region. While it hasn’t always been good for him on the pick, when it has worked, it has dominated.

Deft is to Kingzone a lot like Ruler is to Gen G: the player they can go to when they need wins in the worst way. The stats tell the same story. Deft has the highest gold per game, KDA, and kill participation on his team. Kingzone pours a lot of resources into Deft, and more often than not he makes good use of them. Look for him to consistently perform as long as Kingzone continue to set him up for success.

BeryL #7

Position: Support

Team: Damwon Gaming

Much like Flame, BeryL came into the second half of the split for Damwon and immediately made a difference. With seven games on three champions, BeryL has one of the smallest pools of those with a similar number of games. His best champion, Alistar, has been far more effective in his hands than in Hoit’s. Given Alistar’s presence in the meta, this is a good sign for Damwon. As far as pure stats go, BeryL is well ahead in many categories when compared to other supports with similar numbers of games. While his assists per game is the third-highest of all supports, his average deaths is also high. This is more than likely due to a couple of bad games on Galio. However, if he can clean up some of his play, Damwon are in a great spot going into later weeks.

Ruler #8

Position: ADC

Team: Gen G

It seems we can’t stop talking about Ruler. Whenever a discussion of the best ADC’s in Korea, if not the world, comes up, Ruler is always there. Statistically, Ruler is by no means the best ADC in the region. He may not even be the best in the world from that perspective. This is one of those scenarios where Ruler being on this list is because of his impact on Gen G.

If Key plays a massive role in HLE’s success, then Ruler plays the only role in Gen G’s. In a world where Gen G is struggling, any time they play around Ruler, they come out ahead by-and-large. The stats say it all on this point. He has the second highest kill participation, highest kill share, and highest gold share of all ADCs. The answer is clear: Gen G live and die by Ruler’s performance. When Ruler is playing well, Gen G have been successful; when Ruler doesn’t get enough resources Gen G haven’t been successful. The team actually has the narrowest of margins to make playoffs still, but they need to let Ruler carry them there.

Tarzan #9

Position: Jungle

Team: Griffin

When Griffin were running around in the KeSPA cup dominating everyone, it was thanks to Tarzan’s Sejuani. Tarzan quickly opened up a very narrow jungle meta by playing champions everyone else forgot about. After that, no one can forget the trailblazing Tarzan has done for junglers this year (redemption Olaf). While the current overall meta doesn’t put Tarzan on as much of a pedestal, he is still an integral part of Griffin. Among junglers, Tarzan is in the top five in every category except CS per game. The fact that he can take a less important role in his team and still be one of the best in the region speaks volumes of his raw talent. Only Chovy can boast a better kill participation or KDA among Griffin, so Tarzan’s skill and importance to the team is undeniable.

Summit #10

Position: Toplane

Team: SANDBOX Gaming

In a toplane world turning back to carries and flashy plays, there is Summit. While he may not be the best in the stats, he is certainly consistent. That can sometimes be more valuable to a team. If you knew that one of your players was going to be ok and play well, it would take a huge weight off your shoulders. Many consider toplane to be an island, and if Summit is having a good time on the island, SANDBOX are better for it. His CSD at 15, gold differential at 15, and XP differential at 15 are all wildly in his favor, a sign that he is not only playing well but winning most of the time. As a result, SANDBOX doesn’t have to worry about Summit, because when the time comes he’ll be more than ready.

The list was created by our LoL writers: Manny Gomez, Brandon Sturak and Major Castleman.

Stay tuned here at ESTNN and follow us on Twitter for more League of Legends news, articles, opinions and more.

Images via: LoL Esports Flickr