As we pass the halfway point of the split, we have watched players who have dominated and taken over games with ease and those same players losing to Golden Guardians. Here are a few players who are in contention to be this split’s MVP.

Dardoch

Because of behavioral issues with several different organizations as infamously shown in Team Liquid’s documentary Breaking Point, Dardoch has been known as an egotistical and difficult player to work with. But Dardoch’s talent is undeniable as he has been regarded as a top NA jungler since his first appearance on Team Liquid during Spring Split of 2016. Before the start of the split, many have considered Echo Fox to be a highly volatile team because of the possibility of Dardoch’s personality clashing with his teammates’, in particular with his current top laner Huni.

Half a split later, Dardoch is going through a redemption that rivals the likes of Vegeta in Dragonball Z. Dardoch has been showing a positive attitude towards his team and it reflects in his current play style. Previously, Dardoch focused on outmaneuvering and outplaying the enemy team’s jungler, expecting to carry games through his skill alone. This split Dardoch has centered his aggression towards gaining early game leads for his solo lanes. Not only does Dardoch enable Fenix to play on the same level as top NA Mids, he also allows Huni, who many regard as the best Top in the region, to flex his dominance. Dardoch’s synergy with Huni and Fenix is incredible but should not overshadow his own individual talent. Dardoch starts teamfights by slinging himself onto key targets, allowing his team to freely walk up, while looking to punish and zone mispositioned champions. Standing at the top as the best Jungler in the NA LCS, Dardoch is my frontrunner for MVP of the split.

Even though Echo Fox is currently 9–1 and 1st in the standings, anything can change at a moment’s notice. My only concern is Dardoch’s aforementioned behavioral issues. Dardoch has parted ways with multiple organizations due to this and it could recur if Echo Fox begins to lose and the team atmosphere falls apart. Can Dardoch maintain his current status at the top or is he doomed to repeat history?

Smoothie

After losing Impact and Contractz to pick up a washed up jungler and an unproven rookie, C9 is barely scraping by with their measly 2nd place standing and 8–2 record. All jokes aside, C9 has been looking phenomenal this split. Licorice is looking competitive with veteran top laners, Svenskeren is playing at a level that is reminiscent of his 2016 World’s performance, and Jensen is juking skill shots like fat kids juke vegetables. Every member of C9 has been performing above the normal standard of play, but Smoothie is playing in a tier of his own.

Many fans would rate Smoothie and Sneaky to be the best bot duo in NA. As the primary shotcaller and the most vocal member of his team, Smoothie makes the calls for many of C9’s plays and rotations, and with the meta being shifted towards playmaking supports, Smoothie looks especially dominant in his role. Early game, the C9 duo pushes in the lane in order to give Smoothie the opportunity to facilitate plays around the map. Sneaky has been able to lane 1v2 without looking like a meme and Smoothie has been able to secure leads for the team without Sneaky being punished. The lead they earn is well protected through Smoothie’s oppressive zone control, giving the backline the space they need to pump out damage and win fights.

Smoothie’s gameplay is nearly immaculate, but sometimes he falls victim to playing with brain damage. Smoothie has lapses in judgement which could be avoided with just a quick second of thought. Solo defending bottom tower versus Kalista and Tahm Kench when playing against Echo Fox and dying three times in a row without using either of his summoner spells in the game versus TSM are prime examples of these avoidable errors. But with an occasional brain check, Smoothie can make a real case for himself as MVP.

Febiven

Through the Houston Rockets’ venture into esports, Clutch Gaming launched into the scene. Many predicted that this EnVyUS 2.0 roster would hover around the bottom half of the standings along with Optic and Flyquest, but Clutch Gaming is currently tied with Team Liquid for third. This is all thanks to Febiven’s extraordinary and ridiculous performance.

Compared to Smoothie and Dardoch who each make a good team look great, Febiven manages to make a subpar roster look competitive. With a huge champion pool and strong laning phase, Febiven astounds the viewers with his level of play. Whether it’s sniping unexpecting ADCs with Zoe or acing the entire team with Azir, games are won off of Febiven’s excellent positioning and damage output. With Febiven as the center and driving force for Clutch Gaming, fans have to wonder just how close Febiven can get to the sun before he and his team come crashing back to reality.

Febiven has the potential to be the best in the region, but he still has a lot to prove. Although the team is 3rd in the standings, Clutch Gaming’s most significant wins are off of a struggling TSM. Clutch struggles to take wins off of top teams like Echo Fox and Cloud 9. Will Febiven cement his spot as a top NA mid laner with Clutch Gaming or will he have to take his chances with another organization?

Fans should look out for these players in the following weeks leading up to playoffs. With new blood in the scene, playoffs should stray from the typical TSM vs C9 finals.

All photos are from LoL Esports.

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