What the heck are Power Rankings? We all know what they are, but the answer is slightly different for everyone. They encompass a ton of tangible elements like your biggest wins at Regional and Major events (or lack thereof) or where you fit statistically within the wider RLCS. Power Rankings also entail many intangible elements, too, and this is where things can get way trickier…
Intangibles are what make each of our lists slightly different from each other. We might both think leadership is valuable in a player, but what if that affects your viewpoint slightly differently than my value? The other thing that’s very valuable in Power Rankings is a finger on the pulse for active player level and aggregated ideas from a wide variety of opinions. I’ve tried to reflect these elements fairly in my Power Rankings as well.
There’s also the solely individual variables of style that make everyone’s lists different from one another. Traits like how smooth a player looks on the ball, off-the-pitch attitude, and defensive awareness separate certain pros from others.
Is this list completely set in stone and fully accurate? Of course not! These are my own opinions that continue to change by the hour, but I had to hit publish at some point in time. If I made this list tomorrow, the rankings would be slightly different, but I stand by the order and would love to hear your opinions on what I may have overlooked or undersold/oversold that affects the list differently from your eyes.
Alright, I’m rambling. Let’s get into my list as of 10/18/2023
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Firstkiller
The season careening off the tracks down the stretch of last season should not take away from the fact that North America still runs through the might of Firstkiller. One of the most gifted strikers in the world with a deep bag of tricks he can get to fast and often, FK is always a presence on the pitch contributing to winning on both ends of the pitch. Between NA and EU, Firstkiller led in Score, Goals, Assists, Shooting Percentage, and Rating while being second only to zen in Win Percentage per game. To continue the point, FK is Top 3 in Shots and Goal Participation as he marched FaZe to 4 Regional wins in 5 Grand Finals appearances.
- ApparentlyJack
The best player on NA’s top-ranked team for the culmination of last season. From start to finish, Jack showed his on-the-pitch ability to direct traffic, score at a high level, and provide the aura a consummate professional brings to the table. Jack peaked early as the best player in the World, winning the Fall Major and while his team and his scoring fizzled at times, that should not distract from the full set of skills AppJack is equipped with.
- Beastmode
Easily one of the premier two-way talents in the RLCS, Beastmode can scorch you for a Hat Trick one game, then shut you out with a Savior medal the next. A charismatic chameleon of a player who fits with any style, can take over any series, and ice up in big moments.
- Atomic
G2’s former talisman has to be one of the most unique watches in the RLCS, constantly making miraculous, free-flowing plays on the ball that feel otherworldly. Mind-bending shots contorting, stretching, and redirecting the ball all across the field make Atomic a scoring threat from literally every pixel of the pitch.
- Lj
This feels about right for Lj, right? Is he going to absolutely light your world on fire at the highest level like those above him? TBD. What we have seen from Lj is a willing teammate who delivered one of the best statistical performances we’ve ever witnessed at last season’s World Championship and led what appeared to be a ragtag group of pros to a finish that made fans across the world feel silly for doubting them. At his best, he is a sinisterly quick striker, gifted passer, and staunch defender who deserves recognition near the top of the region.
- Crr
I’m a big believer in crr. Is it partially because BigFan recognized his talent well before he came to NA? yes! Is it partially due to me picking him as one of the top players in the world I’d start a new franchise around from my podcast with Michael? for sure. Really though, the results speak for themselves. crr joined a Complexity squad that tried as they may, could not get over the hump, and turned them into a consistent Major attendee who had genuine aspirations to win a LAN. Truly a remarkably accurate shooter, physical playmaker, and outstanding passer.
- Dan
On any given day, many players on this list can look like the best in the world. Daniel can on some days look like an unstoppable juggernaut of unrelenting offense and restrictive defense that can transcend our expectations for a player on the pitch. It’s no mistake that he has commanded so much respect for his potential growth and current status among the best in the business.
- AYYJAYY
Am I too high on AYYJAYY? What’s too high for a jaw-dropping scorer who routinely makes shots I’ve never even fathomed attempting look as simple as riding a bike? The results haven’t been there to move him above this position, but that does not finish their being multiple times this season where AYYJAYY looked almost comically better than his peers both on the pitch and via statistics.
- Chronic
Will absolutely slice and dice your defense if you let him heat up. Chronic’s deep bag of moves ranges from creative to cold-blooded. Williningly controls the pace to speed up his opponents, just to cross them out of their wheels with an off-speed approach. Chronic spent last season rising up to the upper echelon of NA and he could continue to grow from here.
- Reysbull
A creative aerial wizard who keeps defenses reeling by threading impressive solo mechanics with pristine passing. An X-factor whose continued growth and offensive gifts have allowed Complexity to carve out a space near the Top of NA
- Noly
If I were going to play at a LAN, Noly would be on the shortlist of players I’d want most on my team. A gifted passer who has an exceptional read on the game, he is a productive scorer and capable defender who has seemingly made all his teams better. What Noly excels at is making his teammate’s lives easier. Will physically create space for attacks, cut a rotation for a quick fast break, or drop an absolute dime in your lap for an easy goal.
- Mist
Perpetually ranked near the top of any defensive discussion, mist was dragged down alongside FaZe to wrap up last season. Questions about effort and game time don’t diminish his dominance. The best player for Envy at last year’s World Championship did a lot of heavy lifting to put his team near the top of NA for all of the most recent season.
div> - 2Piece
This pick has a bit of hope and hype attached to it, but I don't think the spot is egregiously placed. 2Piece has rightfully been given attention from fans, scouting teams, and voices around the community for all of last season. His approach is methodical and smooth, shots are accurate and powerful, and opposing shots seem to approach him in ski-motion and 2Piece easily defends. Shopify is on the market for a 3rd alongside Paarth and if this roster takes the next step towards a Major, 2Piece will be a primary factor.
- Arsenal
A unique blend of speed, power, finesse, and aggression. A nightmare for opposing defenses who find themselves trapped in their own corners, Arsenal can just as quickly turn an interception into a goal or great look for a teammate. Electric off-ball, Arsenal has made a living off disrupting up-field to disrupt rotations, then spin into position or cut for an emphatic finish.
- Jstn
Rocket League’s golden boy continues to boast stellar defensive chops and potent mechanical abilities. The days of consistently being a series-altering force on both ends of the pitch may be slightly behind him, but jstn can still be a season-changing component to a Major-bound team. Statistically, almost at average across the board, which is as good or bad as you like. I still feel there’s a lot in the tank for a player who spent many years at the tip-top and continues to exist near the top of the region.
- Retals
I gotta say, Retals is one of those players that every time I watch him, he surprises me. Like Arsenal and comm, his veteran status among the league misplaces him as a non-mechanical player, which just isn’t the case. Still working on new tricks to deepen his bag, Retals is a cognizant player on the pitch who constantly keeps defenses guessing.
- Comm
It wasn’t that long ago that comm was the main focus of Version1’s offense. Since then, comm has willingly accepted different roles in the name of competition and winning Rocket League. Commonly pigeonholed as a demo-hungry smart player, this description takes away from comm’s healthy penchant for making smart plays on the ball. Committed, intelligent, vocal threat, a physical player, that understands how he can best help his team.
- Chicago
Last season, Chicago was rightfully crowned Offensive MVP of the World Championship. His elite finishing, scalding hot shooting, and magical passing made him the heartbeat of the G2 machine.
- GarrettG
Oftentimes the best way to gauge which players are the best in the world is by asking pros who they’d want to team with. Captain America continues to be a common answer from other pros and still has a lot in the tank. While NRG remained well within the spotlight, often for the wrong reasons, GarrettG remains a fixture within the top of NA RLCS due to his speed, dexterity on the ball, and strong communication.
- JKnaps
Whatever you need, JKnaps can still provide it. Middle-field blockades to unleash his teammates? Check. Sly and accurate shooting to break down and punish defenses? You got it. Veteran sensibilities to keep series on the rails? Oh, you betcha! JKnaps continues to remain a pillar of winning and professionalism in the RLCS. Despite maybe no longer having the peak mechanics to be a number one option for a team, JKnaps could certainly join a new team and continue striving for Majors.
- Syp
Hard to quantify a player who reportedly needs to make some tough decisions about his future within the esport, but I’ll try to put that aside. Sypical is a gifted passer, blistering shooter, and capable defender. Helped enable FaZe’s free-flowing style by elevating mist as an off-ball scorer and playing wisely off Firstkiller. Malleable in his role, he is still a threatening player on the ball.
- Paarth
Second-fiddle on an often intriguing Shopify roster, Paarth is commonly undervalued. I still remember speaking with OpTic’s Head coach RawGreg about players he has his eyes on moving forward and he highlighted Paarth. “Paarth?,” I thought to myself, “The flip-reset demon who can get up quickly to make plays on the ball and keep defenses guessing?” Yeah, I guess I get it…
- Hockser
I’ll admit it, I scratched my head when SSG seemingly dug deeper into the talent barrel than I thought they would to pick up Hockser. Yes, he had found success at International events, but that felt so long ago at the time that it didn’t seem to count as much as it would have years prior. Hockser’s elite challenge game and ability to blitz defensive transitions showed to be the perfect running mate for Arsenal. Tremendous game sense and quick recoveries were keys to Hockser looking like the best player for SSG in the Group Stages of the World Championship.
- Majicbear
Scrim-legend and a truly gifted player. I still remember Retals proclaiming that Majicbear could be a top-10 player and I don’t doubt the potential. A lack of results online and offline in big moments is a detractor for me and that’s what lands a valuable name like MB this far down my list. If proven wrong by wins in big moments, I’ll gladly eat my words.
- CHEESE
One of the players on this list I have the least clear read on. CHEESE has emerged as an up-and-coming talent who has impressed on and off the ball.
- Evoh
Evoh really looked his best in Dignitas’ Winter split showing up as a dynamic scorer in his own right. Using speed to find and exploit tight-angle shots, Evoh started to look more and more like the making of the star his potential had made him out to be.
- Dreaz
It’s an open secret that dreaz has now been a part of three separate rosters to make a Major. While he is yet to pan out to the daunting top-end talent many hoped for at the outset of his career with G2, dreaz has still consistently been a malleable asset that has contributed to winning. In spurts, dreaz can be a world-class striker and rounding out the rest of his skillset could lead to the still young pro moving his way up this ranking.
- Sosa
Every time I watch sosa, he makes a play I must rewatch. Smooth, strong shooter, and a great defender, especially in controlling off his own backboard. I was sneakily buying stock on him all last season and think there’s a chance it will pay dividends this year.
- Aqua
Oozing with potential, Aqua is a genius on the ball. There are some games I watch where Aqua is untouchable in the air and looks like a clairvoyant maestro, weaving through his opponents for easy goals. There are also times when his explosiveness is tempered and his lack of consistent defensive chops and occasional positional lapses make him an easy target on the other end of the ball. Aqua is about to enter the most compatible team yet for his skillset and we’ll see if he can translate this into victories.
- Squishy
At many times this season, I felt Squishy seemed unsure about how to translate his talent and past accolades into still being a productive member of his team. I still make time to watch Squishy’s YouTube content and consider him a lucid, calm, and dynamic playmaker, but last season showed me less than anticipated levels of performance on the pitch. Sometimes all it takes is a new situation and Squishy has built his own squad to return to glory. We’ll see if he can captain a team riddled with chips on their shoulders back to the top.
- Andy
All around solid. A pinch of scoring, a dash of defending, and more than a handful of being a great teammate are the elements that comprise Andy. In the off-season, we’ve seen some pretty notable tandems opt to use Andy as their third in tournaments and that’s worth something. Will never set the stat sheet on fire, but can certainly be the steadying anchor a team needs to push into a Major.
- Toastie
At the beginning of last season, I circled Toastie as a player who could have a breakout season. While I might have set expectations a bit too high, I still don’t regret eyeing him as a player who could make an impact in the region. A talented scorer, Toastie can still be an excellent second/third banana for a team looking to make a Major.
- Gimmick
A seasoned pro who looked like Team Axle’s most dangerous player in last season’s final splits.
- Lionblaze
I don’t know enough about the CRL to speak to how dominant Lionblaze has been, but from what I have seen and heard, he is clearly someone with the gifts to impress at the RLCS level as well. A magnificent event here and there has been due to his play, but the gifts are yet to translate to consistent and impactful wins at the highest level.
- Taroco
I may be one of the last people remaining on Taroco Island, but if you need a plug-and-play player to come in and give you reliable games, Taroco should be on your shortlist.
- Gyro
Is still a scorer who deserves respect. Has led many a young team to outshine the results they should have on paper and is a pro that other top pros still enjoy playing with.
Yep, that’s the list. Some notable names who are not on this list could certainly make it soon. Players like Wahvey, aris, Cosmic, creamz and others have made the most of improving and showing their skills this off-season.
