apEX Releases CS2 Captain Tier List, Recognizing Chopper Among the Elite

apEX Releases CS2 Captain Tier List, Recognizing Chopper Among the Elite

On August 26, 2025, Vitality’s CS2 in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madescler published a tier ranking of 14 professional CS2 captains in his Telegram channel CS2NEWS . The captains were categorized from S-tier down to C-tier, with the following breakdown:

S‑Tier: blitz, Brollan, chopper, apEX

A‑Tier: FalleN, HooXi, Aleksib

B‑Tier: karrigan, MAJ3R, Kyxsan, siuhy, ztr

C‑Tier: biguzera, huNter-

Notably, apEX placed Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov—Team Spirit’s star IGL—in the coveted S‑Tier, alongside himself, Garidmagna “blitz” Byambasüren, and Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin.

Broader Context: Echoes from Previous Tier Lists

Earlier this year, former CS legend Danylo “Zeus” Teslenko released his own captain tier list, again placing apEX, Brollan, and chopper in S‑Tier. His full classification included:

A‑Tier: Aleksib, Maj3r, Fallen, Cadian

B‑Tier: Siuhy, Electronic, Snax, Twistzz, Blitz

C‑Tier: Kyxsan

Who Is Chopper?

Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov (born February 4, 1997) is a veteran Russian CS2 player and in-game leader for Team Spirit. A decorated competitor, chopper was a champion at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 and several high-profile tournaments throughout 2024 and 2025, including IEM Katowice 2024, BLAST Spring Finals, PGL Astana 2025, and IEM Cologne 2025.

Final Thoughts

Dan “apEX” Madescler’s tier list highlights chopper as one of the leading captains in CS2 today, supported by his past successes and strategic acumen. Coupled with previous recognition from Zeus, it's clear that chopper’s leadership is both respected and validated across the pro scene.