Overwatch League Power Rankings: Stage 3 | Week 5

1. Vancouver Titans

The Titans have been made to bleed at the hands of the L.A. Valiant. Not only was it reaffirmed that the Titans cannot dominate DPS compositions like they can triple support triple tank compositions, but it also reminded fans that there is still some spice left in the league without an artificial 2-2-2 role lock. This may be the last dominant stage the Titans have once it comes around.

2. New York Excelsior

With familiar faces returning to the lineup, the New York Excelsior are the last undefeated team this stage. With a few weak teams in their schedule, the Korean superstars have once again reminded the League that they were the original kings of the regular season. Hungry for a stage victory, they show no signs of stopping their current dominance.

3. Hangzhou Spark

Guxue has lead his team to a top-three spot in the rankings, and for good reason. The expansion team came out guns blazing and surprised audiences everywhere, being a fantastic Chinese team, something the Overwatch League sorely missed in Season 1. The boys in pink have made a statement, but will they end it this stage, or will it continue? Only time will tell.

4. San Francisco Shock

The California representatives have fallen out of the top three spot for a few reasons. Firstly, their dominance not only has ended, but they ended the stage with a similar match score as the L.A. Valiant, the Houston Outlaws, and the Seoul Dynasty. Perhaps they’ve become too complacent, or other teams have adapted to their strategies. Whatever it is, the Shock may be just another upper tier team, but they have the playoffs to prove us wrong.

5. Seoul Dynasty

The team formerly known as Lunatic Hai has had its ups and downs, but this stage has looked formidable for them. Under the leadership of main tank Marve1, the team had new life breathed into them, using the fresh playstyle to surprise opponents. While still somewhat erratic in certain situations, the Dynasty as a whole looks solid, and there’s no sign of that stopping before playoffs.

6. Shanghai Dragons

DDing has been one of the most standout players on this roster, with fantastic DPS play and carrying the dragons in some fights altogether. They’ve shown that they can play not just Sombra GOATS, but also a hard DPS lineup that can stagger even the best GOATS teams. We’ll have to see more before they go higher in our rankings, but there is a high chance at the homestand this weekend that they go full force and break top five.

7. L.A. Valiant

Talk about the comeback kings! After a horrific Stage One, the L.A. Valiant end up being the team to take down the Titans and knock them off their golden season. Both Shanx and FCTFCTN are incredible additions to this roster and continue to prove themselves time and time again. The only problem is that the support lineup seems to get harassed easily, leaving tanks wanting in terms of healing which then limits the aggressiveness of the front line. Fix that up, and playoffs are looking very favorable for the Valiant squad.

8. Houston Outlaws

Akin to the Valiant, the Outlaws had a winless Stage 2 that frustrated players, coaches, and fans alike. However, with Danteh being given more resources and the team looking stronger as a whole, the Outlaws secured playoffs with an incredible seemingly newfound synergy between main tank Muma and Danteh on Sombra. The Outlaws may have lost the Battle of Texas, but they’re winning it seems like this rodeo is theirs for the taking.

9. Chengdu Hunters

The Hunters may not be in playoff contention, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t play well. The play from Jinmu has always been a bright spot for the team, but unfortunately, the Hunters need space for him and other DPS to pop off. In a meta filled with tanks, that space is not always available, limiting the Hunters' success. Ameng’s Reinhardt play has also improved tremendously, so there’s hope for a standard, albeit not as fun, Hunter’s team.

10. L.A. Gladiators

Barely maintaining a spot in the top ten are the other Los Angeles representatives. Even with standout bunker composition plays, the Gladiators look underwhelming in almost all other aspects of the game. To improve for the next stage, finding a way to include Decay, Surefour, and Hydration on the same starting roster in some capacity may be a pathway to success.

11. Philadelphia Fusion

The Fusion are not a bad team. In fact, the duo of Capre and Eqo is one of the best DPS combos outside of the top teams. However, with a lack of DPS play, the playmaking potential of a widowmaker like Carpe is hard to come by. Philadelphia fans can not wait for the next stage, where DPS play is forced, and Carpe will feel right at home.

12. London Spitfire

Despite two embarrassing losses to end the season, the Spitfire are not terrible. They weren’t good during this stage, but they had sparks of life. Fury being an integral part of the team’s success helps, but he can only do so much. Profit and Birdring’s prowess will return next stage with other DPS focused teams, and with it, London fans hope success does as well.

13. Paris Eternal

The Eternal are an interesting team. With players like Benbest, Shadowburn, SoOn, the French team looks to be dangerous. However, they can’t seem to put the pieces together. Some underwhelming support play lead the Eternal to a subpar season, and that is also the point they need to start from in order to improve.

14. Dallas Fuel

The boys in blue have done a reverse Outlaws. From a good Stage One, to making playoffs in Stage 2, to a single win in Stage 3 feels…disturbing. A flash of last season is in everyone’s mind when a record like this one shows. While not a shutout season, it got very close. The Fuel seems to have run out of gas, and the RcK trade may be the nail in the coffin. A Sombra/D.Va player is something the Fuel desperately needs, and Note simply can’t fill that void.

15. Guangzhou Charge

The most forgettable team in the League, the Charge have one bright spot on their team: Shu. In the discussion for one of the top Ana’s, Shu has tried to bring this team to life, but the other players on the roster just can’t seem to compete at a consistent level. Sometimes the team looks good, sometimes terrible, but never great, and that may be why they have next to no marketability or recognition.

16. Florida Mayhem

The bottom five teams are a bit hard to rank, simply because these teams all seem to perform at the same level, a very, very disappointing level. The Mayhem at least won a game this stage, but the Atlanta Homestand games do not look favorable for them, so a 1-6 record looms over them once again.

17. Boston Uprising

What happened? Boston seemed to follow the Fuel in doing well the first stage, middling the second, and now downright terrible. The team seems to have a fear of making decisions, looking lost or unable to make a play in crucial moments. Fusions at the helm of the team may need help in shotcalling because a solo leadership style is no longer working, it seems.

18. Atlanta Reign

The Reign sure do love game five’s. They love them almost as much as losing said game five’s. A winless stage may continue not because of any one player, but just a lack of mental fortitude. Not being able to finish a team once in a game five situation over and over does not bode well for the mentality of the team, so a mental reset over the stage should help this team.

19. Washington Justice

Are we surprised at this point? The Washington Justice and a disappointing performance are nearly synonymous at this point, and the next stage may not be much better. The team does no one thing great, but they do a few things, like GOATS, on an average level. Unfortunately, in Overwatch League, average gets you nowhere.

20. Toronto Defiant

The Defiant, even at the bottom of the standings, knew that this stage was not for them. Picking up a total of four new players over the stage, the lesser Canadian representatives at least have a plan for the next stage. Now, the question remains. Will it work?

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Images via Overwatch League, Robert Paul, Comcast Spectacor, ESPN and the respective OWL teams.