Fantasy Call of Duty league action returns this weekend as 8 of the 12 CDL (Call of Duty League) teams get ready to compete in the Florida Home Series. We will be previewing the bracket, matchups and top plays in an article later tonight so stay-tuned for that.
Until then, let’s explore the core principles of CoD:
- Call of Duty is one of the most popular video games in the world but only recently debuted on DraftKings and Fanduel.
- The first slate was two weeks ago for the Chicago Home Series. This will be the second.
- 12 total teams are represented in the Call of Duty League (CDL) and 8 of them are competing this weekend
- Home Series play is tournament-style with two bracket groups.
- The first two rounds are double-elimination meaning every team is guaranteed to play at least two matches
- Matches are best of 5 games and each match has a set rotation of game modes
- Game 1: Hardpoint
- Game 2: Search & Destroy
- Game 3: Domination
- Game 4: Hardpoint (if necessary)
- Game 5: Search & Destroy (if necessary)
Hardpoint (HP)
A respawn (players have unlimited lives) game mode. Teams fight for control of “Hills” that rotate throughout the map in a set order. Each hill is active for 60 seconds at a time and teams get a point for every second they control a hill. To control, teams need a player to stand within the boundaries of the hill. If both teams are inside at the same time, no points are scored and the hill becomes “contested.” The first team to score 250 points wins the game. There is also a 5 minute game timer that is “paused” when a Hardpoint is being controlled. If that timer runs out before either team scores 250 points, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Search & Destroy (SnD)
A round-based game mode (not respawn) so each player only has one life per round. The first team to win 6 rounds wins the game. Teams rotate between playing offense and defense each round. To win a round on offense, teams must eliminate (kill) the entire defensive team or plant and detonate the bomb before the round timer expires (1:30). On defense, your goal is to make sure the offense does not plant and detonate the bomb. If planted, the defensive team can defuse the bomb and win the round. They can also win the round by eliminating all players on offense.
Domination (DOM)
This game mode is similar to Hardpoint because it is also a respawn game mode where teams fight to control objectives. However, instead of one rotating hill, teams are fighting for control of 3 stationary flags. To capture a flag, players must stand on it. The more players on the flag, the quicker you can capture. Enemy flags can be neutralized and captured in a similar fashion. A neuTeams get 1 point for every 5 seconds they hold a captured flag. If holding 2 or 3 flags, you would get 2 or 3 points respectively every 5 seconds. This game mode is split into two halves – 6 minutes each. Teams switch sides at half time but scores are cumulative. The team with the most accumulated points at the end of the second half wins the game.
Understanding Call of Duty on DraftKings and FanDuel
There are a few important Call of Duty strategies & practices that can help you gain an edge as you begin to build DFS lineups for this weekend.
If you weren’t able to enjoy the action for the Chicago Home Series, I highly recommend you jump in this weekend. We have all the tools you need here at DFS Army including podcasts, cheat sheets and a slack channel dedicated to CoD discussions and coaching.
BUILDING A ROSTER
DraftKings and FanDuel are similar in setup for CoD. On DraftKings, you select 5 players (including 1 captain who has points multiplied by 1.5x) and one TEAM. On FanDuel, you select 6 players (including an MVP who gets 1.5x points) and one TEAM. DraftKings allows you to roster a maximum of 3 players per team (including the TEAM slot) and FanDuel allows up to 4. *Keep in mind that the captain slot on DraftKings also costs 1.5x more while MVP slot on FanDuel costs the same as your flex spots.
SCORING
Scoring is the same between DK and FD.
PLAYERS
Kills: +2 Pts
Deaths: -1 Pt
Capture Time (Hardpoint): +0.1 pts/second
Bomb Plants & Defuses (Search & Destroy): +3 Pts
Captures (Domination): +1 Pt
TEAM
Wins (Games): +4 Pts
Wins (Rounds *S&D only): +0.5 Pts/round
Wins (Match): +10 Pts
It is important to note that there is NO GLA (game length adjustment) in Call of Duty. This means that rostering players from a match that only goes 3 games puts you at a severe disadvantage compared to a match that goes 4 or 5 games. Unlike League of Legends DFS, you do not get any additional points to compensate for your players sweeping a match… just a swift kick in the 🥜.
Lineup Construction Tips and Strategy
- When picking your players, stacking players in competitive matchups increases the ceiling for your lineup – both team stacks (rostering multiple players from the same team) and game stacks (multiple players from both teams in a matchup). In almost every scenario, average players who play 4-5 games will outscore elite players who play only 3. Viable stacks include 3-2, 2-2-1, 2-1-1-1 and *4-3/4-2-1 (FanDuel only)*
- When picking your TEAM, winning the match is by far the most important outcome to consider. A winning TEAM from a match scores at least 25 points (4+4+4 for each game win, 10 for the match win and 3 for winning 6 rounds of S&D regardless of how many games it goes and can score as many as 28 total points if they win the match in the 5th game (an additional 3 points for the final S&D win). On the flip-side, a losing team can only score a maximum of 14 points. Choosing a TEAM that wins is 🔑.
*Don’t feel like you need to include the TEAM in your player stacks. Using a TEAM as a one-off can be very effective. - Kills are 👑 and will represent the majority of points you score. Do your best to target players who are active (high engagements) and have Kill/Death ratios >1. This is especially true of your choice for the CPT/MVP slot. Going cheap there is an easy way to sink your lineup. Not as many objective points can be scored when compared to kills but are still important. They can separate cashing from not so don’t ignore players who like to capture flags, secure hills and plant/defuse the bomb.
- Don’t be overly concerned about leftover salary and don’t be surprised if your best build leaves you with $500+ in the bank.
- Pay attention to betting lines. A quick Pinnacle or Bovada search can help you identify which matchups will be the most competitive.
- Lineups can be built ahead of time with confidence! There are rarely ever subs announced within 24 hours of a match and it’s even less likely that someone gets subbed mid-match. As a result, CoD DFS can be great for casual players who don’t have tons of time to invest.
Final Thoughts
We will have full Call of Duty coverage this weekend. Sign up today (use code CLINK for a 20% discount) for access to our custom cheat sheet, CoD slack channel and player statistics. Our community is here to help you learn and grow as a player! Our player notes/stats will be released tonight along with an in-depth preview of the tournament this weekend. Hope to see you in our Slack channel later 😊 Let’s get it!