Best COD Players in 2022 | Who Are the Top Call of Duty Players?

There can be no doubt about it – Call of Duty is probably the most impactful FPS title to ever exist. It first launched way back in 2003 as a PC exclusive title, and since then, it has grown to become an industry-leading shooter franchise. It has spawned countless main titles, a slew of spin-off games, and arguably the most popular battle royale game to ever exist. Today, Call of Duty offers a vibrant and valuable esports scene and some of the world’s best COD players compete for millions of dollars.

Once upon a time, competitive Call of Duty was a humble, peer-to-peer scene. There were modest LAN events that introduced some of the world’s finest gaming talent to the mainstream, but for the most part, it was relatively underspoken. Then, around ten years ago, the Call of Duty esports scene exploded, with the official backing of grand, global tournaments. Currently, the most impactful tournament in the COD landscape is the Call of Duty League, a tournament worth around five million dollars to competitors.

It’s one of the biggest and most popular esports tournaments in the world.

As with many of the leading esports platforms today, Call of Duty has turned gamers into multi-millionaire superstars. We’re here, right now, to address these superstars, listing the best COD players in 2022. These competitors make up the finest that the Call of Duty esports scene has to offer. They’re world champions, playmakers, team leaders, and some of the biggest earners in the history of Call of Duty.

What Makes The Best COD Players?

Initially, it’s a subjective discussion – everyone has their idea of the ‘best COD players’ out there. For instance, the majority of Call of Duty fans may look for straight statistics, whereas others will identify the player’s personality or charisma on camera. For others, it can be the player’s tenure; the amount of time they’ve spent competing at a professional level in Call of Duty. Ultimately, the numbers are what matter most: the earnings, the big wins, the highest KDs, and yes, the tenure.

This list is made up of the most promising and high-performing players in recent years. We’re targeting those competing in the Call of Duty League in 2022, but there are honorable mentions for those from days gone by. For the most part, these players make up the MVPs of the League, and each and every one of them has shown remarkable skills in the last few years.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that lists like these can quickly become subjective – or even outdated. In the diverse, dynamic world of Call of Duty esports, players can chop and change at a moment’s notice. If one player has an unfavorable performance through one stage of the tournament, they could be benched or dropped entirely by the team. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, but when there are five million dollars on the line, every second counts.

Let’s take a look at the best COD players out there today.

Top 10 Call Of Duty Players

1. Ian “C6” Porter

If you’re looking for the GOAT, look no further than Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter. He’s one of the fabled veterans of Call of Duty esports, boasting a remarkable legacy that stretches back more than ten years. He has been a massively impactful presence and a driving force behind the development and popularity of the Call of Duty League. When he plays, he’s a capable leader, often pushing from the front and scooping up immense wins.

Since he started competing way back in 2008, Crimsix has racked up well over one million dollars through winnings alone. He’s a highly sponsored and hugely popular creator with half a million followers on Twitch. Furthermore, Crimsix is the winningest Call of Duty player in history, boasting a record count of 37 major victories. He’s also a three-time world champion, and in 2022, he’s still competing, this year under the New York Subliners banner.

There can be no doubt that Crimsix is one of the top players in Call of Duty history.

2. Seth “Scump” Abner

Scump is one of the most electrifying competitors in esports today. He’s a playmaker with a decade in the business and a bright future still ahead of him. When it comes to Call of Duty creators, few have pushed out the sheer impact that Scump has. He’s one of the most storied and followed Call of Duty players in history, with more than 1.3 million Twitch followers. He has racked up more than $1 million throughout his Call of Duty career and he’s a world champion gamer.

Today, Scump is almost synonymous with OpTic, the organisation that has homed Seth ‘Scump’ Abner for the majority of his career. As they’ve grown hand-in-hand, each entity has benefited the other. As we move into 2022, Scump still plays for OpTic, this time under the OpTic Texas name, a brand new team for the 2022 season. He remains one of the most remarkable players in Call of Duty history, and he falls shy from hitting the top spot by way of nothing more than numbers.

3.  Chris “Simp” Lehr

Simp is something of a prodigy, having been penned as an up-and-coming talent long before he entered the Call of Duty League. In fact, he began playing at a professional level almost the minute he became old enough to do so. He was a sought-after player that had already amassed a huge following on social media. By the age of 20, Simp was an honest-to-God MVP of the League, had amassed more than half a million dollars in earnings, and established himself as a Call of Duty world champion – twice.

His skills on the battlefield are nearly unmatched, and as he’s so young, there’s potentially another decade in the business for Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr. He’s one of the most aggressive, strategic, and capable players in the world, and since 2019, he has represented the legendary FaZe at the highest level. There can be no questioning this fact: Simp is a fan favourite, and he certainly has the ability to win more world championships in the near future.

In third place, Simp certainly is one of the world’s best COD players.

4. Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson

Arcitys is a seven-year veteran of the Call of Duty esports scene, and he has done a huge amount within that timeframe. He’s a world champion both by achievement and by nature, and he’s one of the deadliest AR players in the franchise. Since 2015, Arcitys has been competing at the highest levels, moving early on to serve under the legendary eUnited for a three-year period. In 2019, he fought alongside Chicago Huntsmen, before porting out to Atlanta FaZe in 2020.

In 2019, Arcitys became a Call of Duty World League champion, and in 2021, a Call of Duty League world champion. He has racked up more than $1 million in earnings and in 2022, he’s set on a path to pick up a few more trophies. With more than 100k followers across Twitch and YouTube, Arcitys is also a popular content creator, streaming his gameplay to enamored viewers.

5. James “Clayster” Eubanks

Clayster is another veteran force in the Call of Duty esports space. While he’s one of the oldest competitors in Call of Duty today, he’s by no means a slow mover, eagerly making plays in almost every match he competes in. He’s a born leader, he dominates social media, and he’s one of the most influential players in the Call of Duty League. In 2021, Clayster led a team of relative rookies to near-stardom, dominating teams that should have easily outplayed them.

He has picked up multiple MVP awards with ease, and he’s a three-time Call of Duty world champion. Like many of the other players on this list, Clayster has won more than one million dollars from his Call of Duty tournaments. He’s a high KD player, perhaps a little brash, but he has the experience to well and truly back it up. On Twitch and YouTube, Clayster has worked to amass a following of more than half a million fans, further backing up his credibility as one of the best COD players on this list.

If there’s one reason why Clayster doesn’t rank higher on this board, it’s because his retirement is ultimately pending. It’s an unfortunate fact, but there may be very little left in the tank for the likes of Clayster, who will be turning 30 in May of 2022.

6. Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro

Like Simp, Shotzzy is a prodigy, coming on from a very young age to dominate the Call of Duty scene. By just 19 years of age, Shotzzy was a bonafide Call of Duty world champion, having won the CDL under Dallas Empire. He has locked down half a million dollars in winnings, and in 2022, he plays alongside industry greats such as Seth ‘Scump’ Abner, as a part of OpTic Texas. It’s a prestigious position for such a young player, but Shotzzy honestly has the skill to back up the potential.

As a frontline, aggressive player, Shotzzy almost always creates huge plays and upsets. He’s a master of the sticks, preferring to lean towards a fast-paced SMG role, but he’s a very capable player across all areas of the game. He certainly is one of the top COD players in the world right now.

7. Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris

Here’s another Atlanta FaZe prodigy to make this list – Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris. He’s an already iconic player, despite only having been competing in Call of Duty since 2018. In that remarkably short period of time, aBeZy has risen to become the fourth-highest earning Call of Duty player in history. At the time of writing this list, aBeZy boasts a Call of Duty fortune worth more than $1 million. He’s a two-time world champion player with unimaginable levels of skill in the game.

With Simp at his side, the two players became known as the ‘tiny terrors’, owing to their smaller stature. As a duo, they’d dominate the battlefield with rapid SMG combat, flying around their opponents like a pair of aggressive hurricanes. In 2022, aBeZy is looking to push status as one of the best COD players even further, competing once again under the prestigious Atlanta FaZe banner.

8. McArthur “Cellium” Jovel

Okay, we promise this is the last one.

Cellium is the fourth and final Atlanta FaZe member to make this list – and he’s an important one at that. With Simp, Arcitys, and aBeZy at his side, Cellium stormed on to become a world champion at just twenty years of age. He has made more than $700k through Call of Duty tournaments, despite only being a professional gamer since 2018. He started off with FaZe Clan and has remained a part of the organisation since day one.

While he’s a more cautious player than his Atlanta FaZe counterparts, Cellium is by no means a weak link. He’s cold, calculated, and can be relied upon to land a nasty clutch at any point in a tournament. As 2022 opens up, we’ll likely see Cellium dominate the Call of Duty League again as one of the best COD players around.

9. Dillon “Attach” Price

Dillon ‘Attach’ Price is a world championship player with an extremely prolific legacy behind him. Despite being just 25 years of age, he has been competing since 2013, and throughout his career, he has played for hte likes of NYSL, Minnesota Rkkr, Evil Geniuses, and spent four years with FaZe Clan. He’s one of the most recognisable players in the Call of Duty League, and his social media following proves how popular he is with the fans.

Between YouTube and Twitch, Attach boasts almost 600k followers.

He has racked up almost $400k through his Call of Duty career, and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In 2022, Attach continues to play under the Minnesota Rokkr label, serving as one of the most integral, pivotal members of the high-performing squad.

10. Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat

SlasheR has enjoyed a long and storied Call of Duty career that stretches back almost a decade. He got started way back in 2013, and since then, he has enjoyed affiliations with Elevate, FaZe Clan, 100 Thieves, OpTic, and the LA Guerrillas. He’s an adaptable and dynamic player with plenty of trophies to back up his talent. He’s a certified world championship player with more than $700k in winnings, and in 2022, he’s still going strong.

While he isn’t the most popular creator out there, he’s got a following and is backed by the fans when he competes. He’s a team player at heart, and his ability on the field is more than consistent with the performance you’d expect from a world champion.

Quick List

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Best CoD Players in 2021

1.  Chris “Simp” Lehr

Simp is a player who has earned over $546,000 in CoD tournaments despite being only 19 years old. He has won a couple of tournaments so he is already considered a world champion in the CoD scene.

He currently belongs to the Atlanta FaZe team and plays mostly in the frontline. He makes use of several SMGs although his favorite weapon is usually the UMP45 in addition to having a rather aggressive but strategic play style.

2. Ian “C6” Porter

Ian is one of the best players of the last decade of CoD. He has been involved in Call of Duty games since the legendary Call of Duty 4 and has remained so until more recent games such as Black Ops 4. He’s gone by both Crimsix and C6.

He has proven to be one of the most adaptable players around. He’s won 37 majors. C6 has been a World Champion in 2014, 2017, and 2020. Basically, he’s one of the most decorated Call of Duty players around yet has a decent Halo career too. C6 is definitely one of the top players in Call of Duty.

3. Seth “Scump” Abner

Scump is without a doubt one of the most famous CoD players in recent years. He became a world champion in 2017 and has played on major teams since the beginning, earning over $859,000 thorough his career. He started at OpTic when Modern Warfare 3 was in its heyday, Scump has left behind performances worthy of a star player. He is still a major part of the League, despite competing since 2011.

He still plays for OpTic Chicago, with a role between defensive and aggressive. He is known for his constant use of SMG, being one of his favorite options the M5 and UMP45. Scump still maintains an important position in the League, despite going up against younger talent. He’s a great example of how important experience can be in esports.

4. Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson

Arcitys is one of the oldest faces within the CoD scene. He is a world champion and has participated in major tournaments since his first appearance in 2015. As a result, he has amassed over $628,000 just in tournament prizes.

He is part of the Atlanta FaZe, who are arguably the best team in the League. He plays a very aggressive role within the team and is known to be a lover of assault rifles, with the M4A1 being one of his top choices.

Arcitys became a World Champion in the 2019 Season. He’s also taken home a Stage 3 Player of the Stage award in 2021, and was part of the SCUF Team of the year in 2020. Weirdly, his twin is another Call of Duty pro player; Prestinni.

5. Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro

Shotzzy is another of the younger prodigies in the game. He is 19 years old and is already a world champion, a title he won during 2020. So far he has accumulated $575,000 thanks to the tournaments he has participated in. In the 2020 Season, he also won MVP. That’s a clear indicator that this player is something special even outside of his team. Like Simp he’s also picked up some Rookie of the Year awards.

He is part of the Dallas Empire and plays in the frontline position. We have seen him using assault rifles and SMGs, his favorites being the M4 and MP5 that accompany his elite aggressive style.

6. McArthur “Cellium” Jovel

Cellium is one of the most important players in the League today. He is 20 years old and, although he is not a CoD world champion yet, he has managed to win $338,000 throughout his career.

He is part of the Atlanta FaZe frontline action and usually goes for assault rifles such as the classic M4A1. As for his gaming style, Cellium runs with caution, rarely launching himself to action in the middle of a match, and focuses more on killing the other team than the missions. He has recently stepped up to FaZe’s full team. Working with Arcitys and Simp, he’s part of a particularly strong squad in the 2021 Season.

7. James “Clayster” Eubanks

Clayster has earned his place among the best Call of Duty players over his many years playing in the game. He’s now 29, but is still a major part of the League. One of his major achievements came in the final round of the 2015 world championship. He was basically in charge of leading Bracket Play with one of the best killing/death percentages of the last round. Clayster was named the most valuable player in the competition.

He’s had impressive results throughout his very long career. He’s the first player to win every championship accolades, the most successful Modern Warfare 2 player, and he’s won back-to-back World Championships in 2019 and 2020. That is why he is known today as the Grand Slam Champion thanks to his famous performances.

8. Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat

SlasheR is well known within the CoD world. He has participated in great teams and is also a world champion since 2016. Despite being a bit out of the game at the moment, he has earned over $703,808.40 in his active years. He is currently only a sub in the game, but his history and current performance still put him up there in rankings.

He is currently a member of the Los Angeles Thieves and is known to be a pretty aggressive assault rifle player. His favorite weapon is between the M4A1 and the Kilo 141.

9. Dylan “Envoy” Hannon

Envoy is only 20 years old but has managed to win $275,000 in different tournaments. He isn’t quite on the same name-recognition level as others in this list, especially given his jumping around from team to team. However, he does seem to have found a good niche at OpTic since 2020. He’s picked up a few smaller wins like the All-Star 2021, and Clutch Player of the year award.

Currently, he is part of OpTic Chicago and plays killing. His favorite weapons seem to be SMGs and assault rifles such as the UMP45 and M4A1 which go hand in hand with a rather calculating style of play.

10. Matthew “FormaL” Piper (Retired)

FormaL was one of the players in the entire history of Call of Duty championships with a more than exceptional killing/death rate. This led him to win the championship in 2017, and he was also named the most valuable player in the competition. K/D isn’t everything, but FormaL was a key part of his team’s success.

Even though FormaL’s career was not that long, from the beginning he was seen as one of the best prospects to be seen in the game. FormaL has 22 Major Championship wins. His skill was undeniable, and he is one of a few players to have dominated in both CoD and Halo. At the end of 2021, FormaL announced his retirement from Call of Duty esports, revealing a transition into Halo Infinite esports.

Why Do You Need to Know The Best COD Players?

If you’re a Call of Duty bettor, knowing the best players can be invaluable. It’s information that could lead to a huge win, particularly with in-play, dynamic markets. However, just knowing which team has the strongest players is often enough to win an outright winner market. Furthermore, it’ll enable you to get involved with the competition and actually enjoy it, tracking players that you have studied and that you know should play quite well.

When it comes to esports betting, information is key, whether that’s statistics, form details, or numbers on the players themselves. It doesn’t hurt to go into your wagers with a little more information than the average bettor. Hopefully, through the use of this guide, you’ll be able to identify some of the key, star players for the 2022 Call of Duty League.

If you’re going to get involved with esports betting, consider backing the teams on this list.

Read also: Nevada to Allow Call of Duty League Esports Betting

Don’t Forget The Fantasy

Further to betting, fantasy esports has become a big deal in recent years. These days, you can build fantasy teams based on the real competitors in the Call of duty League. For example, if you utilise the COD DraftKings fantasy team platform, the real-world performance of these Call of Duty players will impact your fantasy team.

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Best COD Players – FAQ

Who is the best CoD Warzone player?

As of 2022, the best Call of Duty Warzone player is likely Aydan, a multi-tournament-winning devil of the sticks. He’s massively successful and throws out some of the cleanest, most unreal gameplay that anyone in the Warzone space has ever seen.

Who is the best COD Mobile player in the world?

Based on his ranking and moves, the YouTuber iFerg is considered the best CoD Mobile player. By 2022 he has over a million viewers and manages to run clean strategic play almost every time.

Who is the best female COD player?

While there is a huge gap between CoD pro-League and the FPS founded aside it and there are really few ladies in the scene, the YouTuber and gamer Alia Marie “Lia” Shelesh, known as SSSniperwolf, is probably the best CoD player out there. Sadly, she does not focus on any game, but rather runs videos in all sorts of FPS including Overwatch, Fortnite, and CoD.

Which is the best Call of Duty team?

Atlanta FaZe could easily be called the best Call of Duty League time. They’ve had some blunders, like losing against the Dallas Empire with a 5-1 result during the CoD League 2020. However, they tend to dominate the League since it launched.

Who is the best CoD Player of all time?

It is difficult to pick a single best CoD player of all time. If you’re looking purely at achievements, it is probably Crimsix. However, Karma has a decent claim to that title too. Both of these players are more known for their legacy than current gameplay though. So it is hard to directly compare them. Simp is comparatively a newcomer, but he has the potential to surpass these players if his career is long enough.

Who is the best-paid CoD player of all time?

Ian “Crimsix” Porter is one of the best players of CoD. He has been involved in Call of Duty games since the legendary Call of Duty 4 and has remained so until more recent games such as Black Ops 4. While not on the top by 2020, Crimsix has proven to be one of the most adaptable players around and stands closer to the best CoD player of all times. Furthermore, by the end of 2021, Crimsix held 37 victories in major tournaments and the title of the richest CoD player with over 1.3 million dollars. He may not be considered as the best CoD player by many esports analysts, but no one will argue that Ian is by a long shot the most successful one career-wise.

Read also: Call of Duty Modern Warfare Update