In most fantasy seasons, it becomes increasingly difficult to cut ties with players as the season progresses. There is always that small seed of doubt that sits in the back of each owner’s mind, slowly convincing people to keep players that are not performing. But the key to any successful fantasy season is knowing when the time is right to cut loose those players in positional battles, or players that just haven’t put up the numbers necessary to warrant a roster spot. After the first 4 weeks of play, it is time to let these players go.
New York gave the rookie flex-DPS a few games to warm up and get accustomed to the game-speed of the Overwatch League, and the results have been mixed. WhoRU showed some flashes against the weaker London Spitfire and Boston Uprising, but he struggled against New York’s first real test. With Has-seong “Libero” Kim stepping in for the past 2 matches, WhoRU’s fantasy value has taken a bit of a dip. Typically players in a time-share don’t provide sustained fantasy value, and WhoRU may not win out over the veteran flex-DPS.
Photo: Stewart Volland For Blizzard Entertainment
Babel looked promising in his debut against New York, but that opening weekend did not turn out to be a strong fantasy performance. Sadly he didn’t get another shot to pop-off, as Dong-jae “Schwi” Lee took the starting spot for the past 2 matches. It appears as though his start during the New York homestand may have been a one-time deal. Schwi has outperformed Babel in fantasy this season, and London has found much more success with Schwi in the lineup. Feel free to let Babel loose until there is a drastic meta change.
Houston seems to be the home for positional battles this season, sadly making Rapel next on the list. In Houston’s first few games, Rapel and Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty constantly swapped in and out of the lineup. At first it seemed to be a symptom of poor coaching, but it now it appears to be an ongoing tryout between the two. Rawkus for the moment has secured the spot over Rapel. By starting over Rapel for the entirety of the Houston homestand, the Outlaws have made it clear Rawkus is the starter for the time being. Rapel may find himself back on stage, but for now feel free to drop him to the waivers.
Photo: Ben Pursell For Blizzard Entertainment
Karayan isn’t as much in a positional battle, as he is in a difficult situation in general. Florida so far has looked fine for the most part, but really hasn’t made the step into that next tier. As a whole, the team seems to be missing a bit of play-making ability from all roles. While this isn’t an indictment on Karayan’s play, it does explain his poor fantasy performances. Main tank is historically a tough position to produce good fantasy performances, but Karayan’s value is currently at rock-bottom thanks to a struggling team around him. Unless Florida can make some meaningful changes, Karayan will not bring much fantasy value to team owners.
Featured image courtesy of Robert Paul and Blizzard Entertainment
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