LCS 2026 Lock-In: 5 lessons we learned from this weekend’s action

LCS 2026 Lock-In was back for another action-packed week of North American League of Legends. It saw C9 and LYON take to the rift, FlyQuest attempting to continue its hot start, and a Shopify squad looking for its first win.

With the games being played in the crowdless side studio, it was a question of whether some of the newer players could calm their nerves in a less intense environment. It’s safe to say those players didn’t skip a beat. Stay tuned as we walk you through five lessons learned from LCS 2026 Week 2.

It’s safe to say that after two weeks of play, Cloud9 are the current frontrunners to represent the region at First Stand 2026. The team’s LCS 2026 results are as follows: four games, two series, four wins, flawless. And while at times they needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat to win, they have looked pretty clean.

APA and Blaber are working very well together. The NA mid laner has fit like a glove into this C9 roster, a roster that is looking to break its international duck in 2026. C9’s ability to maintain a steady gold deficit and not let loseable games get out of hand is the reason they are sitting at the top of the standings with a 4-0 game record. Thanatos looks miles ahead as the best top laner in the league, and the bottom lane of Zven and Vulcan have been clutch when the team needs them most.

Despite Cloud9 beating two of the three teams tipped to win the Lock-In tournament, many still consider Team Liquid to be the team to beat. In scrims, they reportedly dominate, a sentiment echoed on the broadcast, social media, and team content. On the Pros podcast, this conversation came up again: even though Cloud9 is at the top right now, the gap between them and the other top teams is very close.

TL bounced back strongly, taking care of a struggling Shopify Rebellion. Yeon looked like he had a point to prove after a lacklustre season kickoff against C9. Is it only a matter of time before TL takes the number one spot in the League?

This LCS weekend recap may be headlined by LYON, who struggled to close out a single game against Cloud9, despite having every opportunity to do so. The gameplay at the moment hasn’t been pretty from LYON, despite having a supposed star-studded roster. Berserker has looked solid thus far, but the combination of Inspired and Saint is just not working at the moment.

Saint has had some rough games, and it will require him to turn it around if LYON is going to compete for a championship this tournament. Dhokla has been struggling as well, with poor performances in both the C9 and DIG series in lane. Dhokla wasn’t known for his laning, but what he showed in Split 3 in 2025, and what he is showing now, is night and day. 

Many had FlyQuest around the middle of the table, perhaps closer to the bottom for the start of Lock-In, but this young squad is going up against Cloud9 next week in the 2-0 match, with the winner locking in the first seed for the playoffs. And while it wasn’t a 2-0 against DSG, they had a very strong showing.

Exciting rookie, Gryffin, combined with LS and Thinkcard, is going to be a menace in North America for many years. His ability to play unique picks that many aren’t even considering is a joy to watch. Many LOUD fans will know about his Ambessa jungle, and that was the champion that helped FlyQuest take down DSG. Beating C9 might be a step too far for FlyQuest, but they are looking like a dark horse heading into future splits. 

To put it bluntly, Shopify looks like a mess right now in the LCS. They lack aggression, winning lanes, and someone to drag them over the line. It’s been cool to see Zinie be fearless in these games, but at the same time, he’s not getting the protection from his team when the plays don’t land the mark.

They have been dismantled twice in game twos since the start of the tournament, as evidenced by where the team is probably at right now. They have a lot to work on, and it’ll be interesting to see how they navigate this turbulent period. They have no lives remaining; if they lose to Dignitas, they will be sitting on the couch until Spring.