Open already has had a fair share of drama, and its only the preseason. For the preseason we are doing tiers, but once matches start getting played we will rank the top 16. This article is written by Ether and I and rankings are based off scrims and names we know. Do not complain that your team is not on the list or you think you are in a high tier, prove us wrong and we will put you in next week.
Precaution: The placement inside of the tiers have no meaning, only the tier itself.
ie. RatNut being the 3rd name on the list does not mean they are ranked #3.
Tier 1
OfFcLaSsIcO
Players to watch for: wrech
Not much to say about them. Although they are offclassing, this is more or less the team that won IM s21. As of right now, Air won't be able to play because of his internet, so it'll be a literal dice roll between Connor, Unf, and Chriz Tah Fah to see who will be playing scout and med. Expect to see them in the grand finals and likely win the division.
Tier 2
Anal with Alan
Players to watch for: averted, shounic
A solid team with many of their members having high open+ experience from previous teams. This team has decent scrim results against the top of open and IM. Expect them to well this season with a top 4 finish
RatNut
Players to watch for: bo4r; goldish
A very solid team that has a mix of high level 6s and highlander experience. Notable players on the team are goldfish, who has invite experience, and bo4r, a top plat sniper. This is another team with decent scrim results against the top of open and IM. If this team wants to make it to the grand finals, their weaker links will definitely have to step it up throughout the season. However, goldfish is confident this team will win open.
MIGOS
Players to watch for: odb, Drake
A solid team with players that have lots of experience, some in IM. This team can contest the other top open teams. Expect a top 4 finish. Although some of their players are confident they can win the division uncontested.
United Gamers Community
Players to watch for: Rightjustify, barycenter
This is the typical highlander team that makes a run into playoffs. Although we are not entirely sure what their full roster will be, it is expected that barycenter will scout and Rightjustify will demo. Their roster has plenty of talented players with high open+ experience. We haven't seen too many scrims out of these guys, but just based off names this team will do well in open.
Tier 3
Bring Back the Funk
Players to watch for: Zoey, BiG
The core of this roster is sticking together after a 9-7 season (in the much easier eastern conference) last season. Changes to the roster will see, Clopez (originally on scout) swapping off to roamer, and picking up Fallen Lord in the vacant scout spot. This roster is a lot stronger on paper than last season, and watch for Zoey, of plat sniper fame, and BiG to have breakout seasons. If they can continue to improve watch for them to possibly upset a tier 2 team later in the season.
YARN BLACK
Reno/Redshirt?
Players to watch for: Brush, Jamie
This team completely came out of left field as we were double checking teams and what not before we posted. Word is that Reno may be leaving Eels and Escalators for this team (which is a smart idea). We are going to leave Eels and Escalators in their spot because maybe they can pull something together, but this will be a very good team. Its mostly the remnants of Bobby and the Bobettes which barely got their way into playoffs thanks to Air and Kickflip. Expect this team to do well.
Ayyyyylmao
Players to watch for: Thoughtcrime
Looking at the roster, this group of highlander players seems very underwhelming. However, this team is my sleeper team for this season. With very strong scrim results against teams in tier 2 and 3, this team will surprise a lot of people. They also have the added benefit of playing on a gold highlander team together which will lend them two benefits: the ability to offclass well and team chemistry. If they can perform in matches, this team will turn a lot of heads. Look out for them.
Nope
Player to watch for: m0nsta, monkeyjedi
A solid group of fraggers who have experience in mid/high open. I have had a few people messaging me, praising Monkeyjedi (he was definitely the standout player on his team that went 8-8 last season). Expect this to be his breakout season. However, if this team wants to do well this season, they need the rest of their team to step up and not let m0nsta and monkey carry them the entire season.
Squad Fam Esports
Players to watch for: n3, SmAk
A bunch of players you may recognize from mid day pugchamp. This roster is built up on firepower, however the question is if they can have good team coordination. Additionally some of the players are known for being toxic in mumble, so that poses a problem to work through. If they are able to fix these issues, expect this team to break into tier 2.
Yam Fam
Players to watch for: KootyKay, Christie
This team has a good group of fraggers who have lots of experience at the mid-high open level. They have been having good scrims against the other teams around their level, and they have potential to do well in open.
Eels and Escalators
Players to watch for: Conal
Half of the players on this roster haven't played a full season in almost a year because of their teams dying, so we are a bit skeptical about this one. Also, we aren't even sure if Rowpieces is going to be playing on the team because of his dad cutting off his internet at 10. Adding onto that, after viper calling out RoL in the forums yesterday, this team may need 2 scouts. That being said everyone on this team has high open capable dm, and if they all work together and work through this early turbulence, this team could break into tier 2 with some upsets against upper tier 3 and tier 2 teams. Its just a matter of how long the team will last. Only time will tell.
Tier 4
Kritz Kast
Players to watch for: Playmo, Kezia
Everyone on this team, except for beastie, would be playing their first season of open. That being said, Playmo was a sub on my team last season and he is a total monster. In scrims so far for this season, he puts out a lot of damage that the scouts clean up on. The issue for this team from what I've seen is their fear of pushing. If they are able to work through this, expect this team to break into tier 3. They are our team to look out for in tier 4.
BLANC lite
Players to watch for: Charis, Tery
This team has a mix of experienced and inexperienced players. Tery and Charis both have played in IM before and LsRainbows has played several seasons of Open, but the rest have very little experience. However as the season goes on, we expect this team to grow stronger and break into tier 3 as well.
Yarn
Players to watch for: Cayda, Windcubes
Most of the people on this team have either already gone through a season of open or have been around in the community for a while. Out of these players, Windcubes has been on our radar as a good demoman, and Cayda has been improving rapidly throughout last open season, and we expect to see the same this season.
1989 World Tour
Players to watch for:
This team was a very solid bubble team s18, s19, and s21. Although they took s22 off, expect this team to regain its form against a much weaker open division. However, scrims have been iffy, and they have been switching classes around by the looks of it.
Just outside the top 16:
BotDog, PunchLine
SOME UPCOMING MATCHES TO WATCH:
United Gamers Community vs RatNut
Dom's Prediction: 5-3 RatNut
Ether's Prediction: 5-2 RatNut
Both of these teams are very strong, however we think RatNut is the stronger roster based on experience, and not knowing the potential of UGC's soldiers. If RatNut wins this will solidify their spot in the top 3, while if UGC wins or plays them very close, it will show they can contend with the top of open.
1989 World Tour vs Nope
Dom's Prediction: 5-1 Nope
Ether's Prediction: 5-1 Nope
Monkeyjedi and m0nsta should roll over the rusty and shaky roster of 1989. However, if 1989 wins or plays Nope close, this will solidify their ranking inside of the top 16.
BLANC lite vs Squad Fam Esports
Dom's Prediction: 5-4 BLANC
Ether's Prediction: 5-2 Squad Fam
This match is very dependent on the mumble atmosphere of Squad Fam. If they get an early lead, they will win the match based on the strength of their scouts over BLANC's. However, if they lose consecutive rounds in a row, watch for Squad Fam to tilt and BLANC to capitalize on it. Overall, this is a test to see if Squad Fam can hang against a team that we think is evenly matched with them.
Yarn vs Eels and Escalators
Dom's Prediction: 5-3 Yarn
Ether's Prediction: 5-4 Yarn
This match is based on who the scouts that Eels and Escalators have to pick up for the spots they may or may not be vacant. This might even be a FFW for Yarn if the Eels die. We will see what happens on match day. But if Eels and Escalator stay together, we will see how well Yarn can play against a tier 3 team.
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