With the Call of Duty League just around the corner, teams are gearing up for the inaugural season opener in Minnesota. For the Atlanta Faze, this is a team of players with a winning background, dedicated to succeeding in esports. Here is a CDL team preview in preparation for the first official franchised season.
Roster
Head Coach: James “Crowder” Crowder
Assistant Coach: Richard “RJ” Simoncelli
Analyst: Austin “Easy Mac” O’Neil
Starting Roster:
Chris “Simp” Lehr – SMG
Tyler “aBezy” Pharris – SMG
Preston “Priestahh” Greiner – Flex
McArthur “Cellium” Jovel – Flex
Michael “MajorManiak” Szymaniak – AR
Substitutes:
Juan Antonio “JurNii” González
Thomas “GRVTY” Malin
The Atlanta Faze are a team of all-stars with three out of five of their players placing in the top two at the 2019 Call of Duty World Championship. This young team is full of Search and Destroy masterminds with a good mix of playstyles amongst them. However, there have been concerns about who will be the leader in-game.
Coaching Background
Crowder was previously the head coach of the 100 Thieves, with back to back championship wins at CWL London and CWL Anaheim last year. A former pro himself, having won the 2015 Call of Duty World Championship with Denial eSports, he is no stranger to the Call of Duty competitive scene and will play a big part in the success of the Atlanta Faze.
Player Backgrounds
Simp, is well known for his Search and Destroy gameplay and arguably one of the best players in Black Ops 4. He comes from eUnited, alongside his duo, aBezy. He was the 2019 esports Console Rookie of the Year and the MVP of the 2019 Call of Duty World Championship.
aBezy is an in your face, fast-paced player. He has been around since WWII but made a name for himself in 2019 on eUnited.
Priestahh is a flex player from 100 Thieves. His ability to adapt in-game will be integral for the team.
Cellium is a flex player from Faze. Like Simp, 2019 was his rookie year. Despite ending his 2019 season with a disappointing loss to 100 Thieves, he is a top tier player who is capable of making clutch plays when it matters.
MajorManiak comes from Gen.G and is often underestimated. He is a consistent player and secured second at the 2019 CWL Pro League Playoffs. His ability to hit long-range shots will be crucial in this slower-paced game.
Homestead Team Schedule
The Atlanta Faze will be hosting the following teams on the following dates at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Georgia:
February 22-23
- Chicago Huntsmen
- Florida Mutineers
- London Royal Ravens
- Minnesota Røkkr
- OpTic Gaming Los Angeles
- Paris Legion
- Toronto Ultra
May 30-31
- Dallas Empire
- Florida Mutineers
- London Royal Ravens
- Los Angeles Guerrillas
- Minnesota Røkkr
- New York Subliners
Most Anticipated Games of the Year
The most anticipated games will be against the Dallas Empire and the Chicago Huntsmen. Most pre-season rankings have these teams at 1-2-3, so it will be interesting to see which team comes out on top. Both the Dallas Empire and Chicago Huntsmen have veteran players who have proven themselves over the years to be some of Call of Duty’s best. It is only a matter of time until the Atlanta Faze will have the opportunity to potentially do the same.
Players to Watch This Season
MajorManiak will be the player to watch this season. His biggest strength lies in his consistency. He can be a great shot caller and is a decisive player who performs well under pressure. While the Faze are full of talent, they will be looking for MajorManiak to help push them to the top.
Keys to a Successful Season
As long as they stay focused and don’t get complacent, the Atlanta Faze will be a force to be reckoned with this season. This is a strong roster full of young talent looking to cement themselves as the Call of Duty greats. They need a leader in-game, one MajorManiak seems best suited for.
Overall, the Atlanta Faze look excellent on paper. After dominating pre-season scrims, it will be interesting to see whether they can live up to the hype and translate their past successes to this season.
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