Shu was an early contender for Rookie of the Year due to his amazing plays on Ana and Zenyatta and was an integral part of the Guangzhou Charge in their early-season success. He was quickly able to adapt to performing on stage under pressure and popped off numerous times, almost securing the Charge a win against the Vancouver Titans early in the year. This 2019 All-Star once again has his chance to shine for the Charge on their home turf in 2020 and may even come out swinging as the strongest flex support of the Pacific East. – Ethan “BruNestor” Seftor
Sp9rk1e is the highest-ranked OWL rookie on this list, and it only takes watching a single match he’s played on Element Mystic to understand why. An explosive, unstoppable Doomfist is his signature pick, but in his short career Sp9rk1e has shown the ability to play practically every DPS hero at a high level. As soon as he’s eligible to play later in the season, Sp9rk1e may well enter the conversation for best DPS in the league. – Gabby “Tattletale” Hidalgo
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Known for his insanely clutch plays during season one, it’s no surprise that Carpe is on this list. A bold player with a “winnable” attitude, Carpe’s insane mechanical skills have captivated audiences for years. A lot of pressure is often put on the young fish’s shoulders to be the carry that fans know that he can be. The pressure will be even stronger next season with the Fusion’s recent additions to their roster. However, if anyone is up for the challenge, it’s Carpe. – Kate “Sybil” Shepard
Formerly of the Los Angeles Valiant, KariV defined what it meant to be a bloodthirsty support. In 2018, KariV worked alongside support partner Custa to bring success to the Valiant’s inaugural season. This past season, KariV was regarded as the reason why the Valiant made such a strong comeback late in the season. His clutch play against the Vancouver Titans served the unstoppable juggernauts their first regular season loss propelling the Valiant to continue regaining their former glory. Next year, the Toronto Defiant get to wield his power, other OWL teams beware. – Mallory “macklemallory” McMahon
Erster is one of those rare players that can switch to any hero on the roster and pop off. Throughout the 2019 season, he made appearances on 18 different heroes despite mostly having to play Brigitte through much of the year. His ability to just take over fights (even getting a team kill on his own as Tracer on Eichenwalde) makes any opponent think twice before facing off against him. – Matthew “Setanta” Kennedy
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
It only took the coming of role lock (2-2-2) for fans to finally see that Corey is the real deal. An absolute nutter of a DPS, Corey has given fans jaw-dropping performances both on the Overwatch League stage and during the Overwatch World Cup. If those are any indicator, there are big things in store for Corey this year. – Brad “BradRK” Killion
Viol2t started last season as one of the most highly regarded rookies in the league and only got better from there. He always had the fragging power expected from a top tier flex support, but he quickly developed an all-around game with strong awareness and ultimate usage. By the end of the year, Viol2t had a legitimate claim as the best in the league at his position. – Bradley “Shy Guy” Long
While NYXL have struggled in playoff games, they’re known for their high skill, precision and coordination, and MekO’s off-tank play was a key part of their dominance. Now he’s the centerpiece of a revitalized Houston roster. His addition to the formerly all-Western lineup was a surprise, but GM Matt “Flame” Rodriguez said MekO simply views it as “a new challenge.” – Rainee “JeziBelle” Scott
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Rascal may be the most versatile player of the entire league, having mastered multiple different roles in order to help the San Francisco Shock dominate the entire 2019 season. While he didn’t have time to shine on London or Dallas, he’s absolutely popped off on San Fran, playing Brigitte near flawlessly and mastering Baptiste before anyone else could, before finally playing DPS again at the season’s end.
On a top tier team with four superb DPS players, Rascal retaining his starting spot nearly every game is a testament to the insane ability of this young man. Expect that to only increase as more heroes are added to the game. -Ethan “BruNestor” Seftor
In 2019, guxue looked like one of the best main tanks in the league, expanding his hero pool beyond his signature Winston to adapt to Reinhardt and Orisa-centric metas without missing a beat. That would be impressive enough on its own, but the fact that guxue put on such a strong performance without sharing a native language with any of his teammates speaks to an unbelievable level of raw talent that will only be refined further as he spends more time building synergy with the Spark’s roster. – Gabby “Tattletale” Hidalgo
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