7 players to watch during 2021\u2019s CDL Kickoff Classic Call of Duty LeagueActivision\u2019s Call of Duty League is finally here and things are getting started with the CDL Kickoff Classic \u2014 a preseason event where x-factor players on all 12 teams can begin making their mark. With an exodus of 12 starters as the CDL shifts to a 4v4 format in Black Ops Cold War, individual play is paramount. Players have less backup on the battlefield and, with a deep talent pool in the Challengers scene, more competition for their roles. Representing Chicago, OpTic Gaming are back with Hector \u2018H3CZ\u2019 Rodriguez, Seth \u2018Scump\u2019 Abner and the gang. Delighting fans, Matthew \u2018Nadeshot\u2019 Haag\u2019s 100 Thieves return to competitive CoD for Los Angeles. Teams have shuffled since the inaugural season and each team\u2019s expectations will be tested by at least one player\u2019s CDL Kickoff performance. Alec \u2018Arcitys\u2019 Sanderson (Atlanta FaZe) The best AR in CoD? While Michael \u2018MajorManiak\u2019 Szymaniak was highly regarded by his teammates last season, few rank him in a tier anywhere near Arcitys. FaZe\u2019s submachine gun and flex play was never a question, but adding Arcitys on the assault rifle could push them past the Dallas Empire in power rankings. If Arcitys continues, let alone improves upon, his 2020 form, then Atlanta should be an early favorite. Tested by a strong Florida Mutineers squad, fans should get a quality temperature check on FaZe\u2019s newest member. Ian \u2018Crimsix\u2019 Porter (Dallas Empire) Did Dallas release the right veteran AR? The transition from 5v5 to 4v4 was not without heartbreak and few splits were as tough as the Empire\u2019s. Dropping James \u2018Clayster\u2019 Eubanks instead of Crimsix was a difficult decision and, at the CDL Kickoff Classic, that decision will receive its first evaluation. When the two veteran ARs face each other, Crim will be with the same absurd, young trio of \u201cXeo\u201d gunners and Clayster with\u2026 one standout sophomore and two formerly projected bench players. It shouldn\u2019t be too hard of a test for Dallas, but fans should be curious to see how much Crim\u2019s thumbs have aged. Donovan \u2018Temp\u2019 Laroda (Los Angeles Thieves) Big Brand meets Big Ego Tying for 5th at CDL Champs wasn\u2019t enough to keep OpTic in Los Angeles so Nadeshot got to buy into the league. Although the team\u2019s Challengers call-ups, Zack \u2018Drazah\u2019 Jordan and Darien \u2018Hollow\u2019 Chervchko, played admirably in the postseason \u2014 100T replaced them in the starting lineup with one of the league\u2019s most confident ARs. The self-proclaimed top \u201cgunnie\u201d in the CDL, Temp has an unrelenting belief in his ability (alternatively, a \u2018strong personality,\u2019 per general manager Eric \u2018Muddawg\u2019 Sanders) backed by a strong history of top-tier, albeit streaky play. While his year with the New York Subliners was disappointing, Temp now rejoins former teammates Austin \u2018SlasheR\u2019 Liddicoat and Thomas \u2018TJHaLy\u2019 Haly. With 100T\u2019s enormous fanbase and a matchup with OpTic Chicago, the gunner gets a large stage to prove his play can rise to both the occasion and his own expectations. Preston \u2018Priestahh\u2019 Greiner (Minnesota ROKKR) The honorary Tiny Terror? FaZe were the second-best team in 2020 and Priestahh would likely still be on the team if not for the swap to 4v4. Instead, one of the league\u2019s most selfless players gets to turn a new leaf with a fully revamped ROKKR squad. Starting with Minnesota\u2019s preseason matchup against the Toronto Ultra, Priestahh should shift from flex to his more natural sub role. Expectations for what was a miserable ROKKR team will hinge on his ability to prove he was being overshadowed in Atlanta and can transition from dirty work to slaying. Makenzie \u2018Mack\u2019 Kelley (New York Subliners) No ZooMaa, No Hydra: Return of the Mack Easily one of the top rookies in 2020, Mack jumped into New York\u2019s starting lineup and almost immediately surged into the MVP conversation. The Subliners had a quality offseason after fizzling in the playoffs, but new issues mean Mack will have to go above and beyond to start 2021. With rookie Paco \u2018HyDra\u2019 Rusiewiez dealing with visa issues and Tommy \u2018ZooMaa\u2019 Paparatto retiring due to injury, Mack is moving to SMG for an unfinished roster. He\u2019s back in his preferred role, but the season depends on his ability to reach 2020\u2019s near-MVP form. Brandon \u2018Dashy\u2019 Otell (OpTic Chicago) Heeding Chicago\u2019s Bat-Signal Like Atlanta, Chicago shuffled pieces after falling just short of the championship in 2020. With Arcitys eager to rejoin former teammates on FaZe, H3CZ celebrated the return of OpTic with the return of one of the brand\u2019s former players. But 2020 was an ugly year for Dashy and, aside from some big moments as a suddenly summoned bench player in CDL Champs, questions surround the formerly elite AR. Expectations are high for the biggest brand in CoD, but will rise and fall depending on Dashy\u2019s play. Peirce \u2018Gunless\u2019 Hillman (Seattle Surge) Started from the bottom, now we Peirce Like Dashy, no one questions the raw mechanical talent that Gunless holds. Unfortunately, also like Dashy, the gifted player spent most of a porous 2020 on the bench with rumored character concerns. Now, he joins two others as reinforcements for Sam \u2018Octane\u2019 Larew on 2020\u2019s worst team: Seattle. If the Surge are going to improve upon a 5-18 record that ended dead last at CDL Champs, Gunless will need a return to form beginning on Day 1 against the Los Angeles Guerrillas. Read more: CDL 2021 Stage 1 group draw explained – While the Call of Duty League is chock-full of players with high expectations, low expectations and everything in between, these seven stand out as those with the most notable stocks in the preseason. A variety of other rookies and transferred players can make statements during the Kickoff Classic, but power rankings and fan expectations should hinge entirely on our listed x-factors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
7 players to watch during 2021\u2019s CDL Kickoff Classic Call of Duty LeagueActivision\u2019s Call of Duty League is finally here and things are getting started with the CDL Kickoff Classic \u2014 a preseason event where x-factor players on all 12 teams can begin making their mark. With an exodus of 12 starters as the CDL […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22221\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}