Call of Duty is widely recognized as one of the most influential shooter titles in the whole of gaming. Its first release was in 2003, since then it has racked up a lot of different releases that have contributed to the series’ huge popularity. At first, the series was mainly focused on its offline campaign modes. However, as time has passed the online side of the game has become a complete juggernaut. As consoles and technology developed the online mode started to take more importance for top CoD players.

The Call of Duty series has been the source of a lot of innovation in the shooter genre. It has pioneered wider maps and more interaction with the environment; such as taking vehicles or items from the maps as part of our strategy.  Some elements remain faithful to the game’s early days, but CoD has always been a reflection of what is possible for shooters. The best CoD Players have developed as the game progressed; now being part of big teams that face off in major Esports tournaments.

Today, thanks to these players, the game is no longer a pure playing experience. Full tournaments and leagues have been created, that span year-round with the highest level of gameplay. A whole league of teams has popped up to accommodate these events. This is where the best CoD players are found. All this has created a new experience for us, as fans, players, and of course bettors.

What decides the best COD Players?

The top Call of Duty players is a bit of a hard thing to judge, it is inherently subjective. We can look at the performance of overall teams, individual stats, or personal performance. However, none of this can be separated out from the team-based nature of the game. This list of the top players is based on 2021 and the performance of the team’s so far in this Season. However, we’re also looking at recent Seasons alongside it.

Primarily, we’ve based these rankings on the performance of the overall team in the league. The players that contributed the most to their team’s success, and stats like objective time or kill to death ratio. There is also the historical performance of players since some have been achieving these results for a long time.

It is worth bearing in mind though that is very subjective and things change quickly. For an example of how subjective this list is, the top player for objective time recently was Fire who has since been dropped entirely from his major team and knocked back down to Challengers. So, stats aren’t everything.

We’ve tried to make this best Call of Duty players list rely on some metrics we can look at, but this judgment is subjective and opinions are going to differ. These are the top Call of Duty players currently in the League, and a few old faces:

Top 10 Call Of Duty Players

Now the important thing, let’s meet the best CoD players of 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.

Simp won the 2019 MVP award. His team is currently atop the rankings for Call of Duty League and he is a big part of that. He’s also grabbed the Stage 1 Player of the Stage award, the Rookie of the Year in 2019, and Respawn Player of the Year in 2020. Essentially, while he’s only young he’s quickly become one of the top Call of Duty players.

Chris “Simp” Lehr

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.

Ian “C6” Porter

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.

Seth “Scump” Abner

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.

Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson

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.

Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro

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.

McArthur “Cellium” Jovel

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.

James “Clayster” Eubanks

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.

Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat

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.

Dylan “Envoy” Hannon

10. Matthew “FormaL” Piper

FormaL is one of the players in the entire history of Call of Duty championships that has had 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 is a key part of his team’s success.

Even though FormaL’s career is 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 is undeniable, as he’s one of a few players to dominate in both CoD and halo. While he’s yet to really click with a major team, 2021 and 2022 could be his years.

Matthew “FormaL” Piper

You can toggle this section to see the Best COD Players in 2020. ⬇

Best CoD Players in 2020

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.

© Atlanta Faze

2. Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro

Shotzzy is another of the youngest surprises 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.

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.

© Call of Duty League

3. McArthur “Cellium” Jovel

Cellium is one of the most important rising stars today. He is 19 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.

© Hannah Foslien

4. Dylan “Envoy” Hannon

Envoy has had some problems establishing in a team, even when he is already big in the esports scene for CoD. He is 20 years old and has managed to win $275,000 in different tournaments although he has not reached stardom yet.

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.

© Gen.G Esports

5. Sam “Octane” Larew

Octane has broken the CoD scene more than once. To date, he has not managed to win any tournament but has been an important part of his teams. With barely a few years in the esports scene, he has won $394,000 in tournaments and covers several important roles for his teams at the same time.

He currently plays for Seattle Surge in a very versatile role. Despite this, we can see him using mostly assault rifles using mainly the M4A1 as the first choice in the game.

© OpTic Gaming

6. Adam “GodRx” Brown

GodRx is a substitute player that has gained fame in the CoD scene this 2020. He has participated in several high tier teams and amasses just over $200,000.00 in earnings from his performances.

Sadly, GodRX does not have a stable team and his role varies according to the needs of the team. We have seen him using weapons like the M5 although we have also seen him with FAL among others.

© CDL

7. Bradley “wuskin” Marshall

Wuskin is one of Europe’s promises. He is currently a bit out of the picture due to his departure from the London Royal Ravens team a couple of months ago. He is 23 years old and has earned just over $210,000.00 throughout his career.

Although he has no team we have seen him playing more in a support role and with a defensive style of play.

© MLG

8. Seth “Scump” Abner

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

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.

© Call of Duty Youtube

9. 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 $628,000 just in tournament prizes.

He is part of the Atlanta FaZe and is one of the team’s most recent additions. 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.

© AimazingXP

10. 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 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.

© MLG

Why is it important to know the best CoD players?

Mostly for betting – Although you can just talk like a real fan. Like in traditional sports, such as football and basketball, before betting you need to analyze which players are in certain professional teams. Or how they can act individually and how that can make a difference when it comes to getting a score. When we do these studies our chances of winning when we bet are increased. Or if we don’t gamble, at least we know who is more likely to win.

Well, the same thing happens when we talk about Call Of Duty. When we know the best CoD Players we are covering our backs against any eventuality that might occur. Although a chance is something that will not always be in our favor, knowing more about it never hurts. That’s why having this information, we know which teams have a better chance of becoming tournament champions. We also know who has the best chance of shining individually.

That’s why by studying and analyzing each of the players, we can get a little ahead of the results and use this to our advantage. Especially in Esports betting, where we can use our knowledge and get more profit.

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

Fantasy CoD: The fans game

On the other hand, we have Fantasy Esports becoming a big deal. In this regard, the result of each game will have an impact on this type of gaming.

As you may find out, sites like DraftKings already have a nice catalog of players and teams available for betting. Here you can select from the two latest CoD titles and assemble your professional team whose individual results in real life will determine your CoD Draftkings Fantasy team finale.

Honorable Mentions among CoD Players

Below you will find other six Call of Duty Players that are worth to be mentioned:

Esports Country Rankings - The nations with the best esports players

Best CoD Players FAQ

Who is the best CoD Warzone player?

As for 2021, Symfuhny is acknowledged by most experts to be the best Warzone player, mostly due to his precision and his ability to constantly perform bold plays.

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 2021 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 C6. 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 “C6” 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 1.1 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