Counter Strike: Global Offensive Daily Fantasy Helper: ESL Pro League, Thursday 4/9/20

With traditional sports on hold for now, esports has taken the front seat in DFS, and we now have Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to play on FanDuel. Affectionately known as CS:GO, two teams -- of five players -- play each map until one team reaches 16 rounds. Most series are played as a best-of-three and will feature teams from the ESL Pro League in both North American and Europe.

If you are new to esports DFS or CS:GO DFS, take a look at the introduction piece with a rundown of format and scoring.

MVP Considerations

NiKo, FaZe Clan ($11,200)

NiKo is considered among the best players in the world, and that translates directly to fantasy points and a player you want in your MVP spot. FaZe -- as a team -- are struggling right now and are 0-4 in matches since entering Stage 2 of the ESL Pro League, but that hasn't stopped NiKo from showing his all-world skill.

In those matches where FaZe are 0-4, they have played a total of 11 maps. In those 11 maps, NiKo has finished with 17 kills or more nine times, along with having a high impact -- posting a kill or an assist (KAST) in at least 65% of the rounds, in 10 of the 11 maps.

There is a lot to take in here, especially if you are new to CS:GO. There are plenty of other stats we'll look at as we move on with this as a DFS option, such as Average Damage per Round (ADR), Flash Assists, and Headshot percentage.

We have a player who is regularly, at the top of the leader board for his team and in the game. He is finishing with plenty of kills on every map, and if he isn't picking up a kill, he is contributing with an assist, equaling more fantasy points.

Players

Magisk, Astralis ($9,300)

Magisk has been one of the most consistent players in recent years, and most importantly, he has been racking up a ton of headshots (HS) lately -- granting him an additional 0.2 points per HS. Over his last four maps -- where Astralis are 4-0 -- Magisk has a total of 14, 27, 25, and 16 kills. Of those 82 kills, 43 -- or 52% -- have been headshots. Another stat to look at is what percentage of rounds a player has a kill or an assist -- KAST. This gives you a good indication of how much of an impact a player has for his team and thus more fantasy points for your team.

In each of his these last four maps, Magisk is holding a 65% KSAT or higher on every single map. I'm not one to pass up on extra fantasy points, and you shouldn't be doing that either.

electronic, Natus Vincere ($10,300)

Since the start of Stage 2 in the ESL Pro League, electronic has played 11 maps and racked up 187 kills in that time. That is an average of 17 kills per map, making him one of the most consistent players you can roster today. If a player is able to average over 20 kills per map, that is what puts them into the elite category of players -- see his teammate, s1mple.

If we look back further and include Stage 1, we see electronic sitting in fourth for total headshots -- giving him a ton of extra points on the volume of kills he is getting every map. electronic and NaVi are taking on Fnatic today, which looks likely to push towards three maps and that means more rounds to rack up fantasy points.

VINI, FURIA ($8,500)

VINI is a bit of a cheaper option, and if you are looking to pay up for some of those star players, you need the savings. If we take a quick look at some of his recent maps, you will find that he has a wider range of outcomes when it comes to his kills -- what translates directly to fantasy points. Over his last eight maps, he racked up 6, 7, and 10 kills on three maps, but was also able to post 17, 19, and 21 kills.

That is not consistent by any means, but a player who can get up to 20 kills and is only $8,500 is worth considering. Spending down to a player with higher variance is never the safe option, but the point-per-dollar upside can be tough to match.

Team

Astralis ($8,500)

The team spot in CS:GO is interesting because you can look for a team who is going to pull off the 2-0 sweep and get the bonus points, or you can find a team who will be playing a ton of rounds, leading to extra fantasy points. Astralis are taking on mousesports today, a matchup that features the second-ranked and fourth-ranked teams in the world. If you're a CS:GO fan, or a newcomer, this is a great matchup to watch with some of the best in the world.