kyousuke Second-Most Picked at $197K in EPL Playoffs Fantasy

Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin has emerged as one of the most popular selections for the ESL Pro League Season 24 Playoffs Fantasy game despite Falcons entering the bracket through one of its more difficult routes.

The Falcons rifler costs $197,000 and was the second-most picked player when HLTV highlighted the early Fantasy selections on October 8. Only Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, priced considerably lower at $186,000, was selected more often.

The appeal around kyousuke comes with an obvious risk: Falcons open their playoff campaign against Spirit, while a victory could send them into another demanding matchup against either FURIA or MOUZ.

Quick Summary

Detail	Information
Player	Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin
Team	Falcons
Fantasy price	$197,000
Pick popularity	Second-most picked at time of source publication
Group-stage rating	1.01
Most-picked player	Dan “apEX” Madesclaire
apEX price	$186,000
apEX team	Vitality
Event	ESL Pro League Season 24
Stage	Playoffs
Playoff teams	8
Falcons quarter-final opponent	Spirit
Date reported	October 8, 2026
Status	Confirmed by HLTV Fantasy data

What happened in the EPL Playoffs Fantasy game?

HLTV opened its Fantasy game for the ESL Pro League Season 24 playoffs with eight teams remaining in contention: Vitality, MOUZ, Falcons, Aurora, 1win, Spirit, PARIVISION and FURIA.

Early selection data produced an interesting result.

kyousuke became the second-most popular Fantasy selection despite carrying a $197,000 price tag and playing for a Falcons team placed on a difficult side of the playoff bracket.

The 18-year-old entered the Fantasy game after recording a 1.01 rating during the EPL group stage. That quieter-than-usual performance contributed to what HLTV characterized as an unusually low Fantasy price for the Falcons youngster.

His wider form provides additional context. At the time of the Fantasy article, HLTV's player panel listed kyousuke with a 1.11 Rating 3.0 across 33 maps over the preceding three months.

Fantasy managers therefore face a straightforward trade-off: his $197,000 cost creates potential value relative to his broader individual level, but Falcons' playoff path carries substantial elimination risk.

kyousuke vs apEX: two different Fantasy value cases

The two most popular selections represent very different Fantasy strategies.

Player	Team	Fantasy price	Pick status	Key consideration
Dan “apEX” Madesclaire	Vitality	$186,000	Most picked	Lower price and favorable bracket position
Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin	Falcons	$197,000	Second-most picked	Individual upside but difficult bracket
Other players	Various	TBD	Below top two	Depends on roster construction

apEX was present in roughly half of submitted Fantasy teams when HLTV published its report.

The Vitality captain's popularity was not based simply on individual statistics. HLTV's three-month panel listed apEX at a 0.93 Rating 3.0 across 48 maps, considerably below kyousuke's 1.11 over the corresponding displayed period.

Instead, price and tournament path are major factors.

At $186,000, apEX gives Fantasy managers a comparatively inexpensive route into a Vitality lineup whose side of the bracket contains PARIVISION, 1win and Aurora.

kyousuke costs $11,000 more and comes with a much tougher immediate assignment.

That makes the pair useful examples of two different Fantasy approaches: selecting a cheaper player because his team has a favorable path to additional maps, or investing more in a player with greater individual scoring potential but greater elimination risk.

Why kyousuke costs $197,000

The price cannot be viewed separately from his EPL group-stage performance.

kyousuke posted a 1.01 rating during the group stage. For a player carrying his individual expectations, that represented a relatively slow start to the tournament.

Fantasy pricing can consequently create an interesting dynamic around temporary form.

A player who performs below his usual level before a new Fantasy game may become cheaper, potentially increasing his value if his performance rebounds during the next stage.

That does not guarantee that kyousuke will outperform his $197,000 price.

Falcons' bracket makes that especially important.

Their quarter-final opponent is Spirit, and advancing would put Falcons against the winner of FURIA vs MOUZ in the semi-final.

The potential upside is therefore tied directly to one of the hardest paths through the bracket.

Key details

Category	Detail
Fantasy competition	ESL Pro League Season 24 – Playoffs
kyousuke price	$197,000
kyousuke popularity	Second-most picked
Group-stage rating	1.01
Displayed three-month Rating 3.0	1.11
Displayed three-month maps	33
Most-picked player	apEX
apEX price	$186,000
apEX displayed three-month Rating 3.0	0.93
Falcons first opponent	Spirit
Possible Falcons semi-final opponent	FURIA or MOUZ
Format	Eight-team single elimination + third-place match
Quarter/semi-final format	BO3
Grand final	BO5

ESL Pro League Season 24 playoff timeline

Stage	Development	Fantasy relevance
Group stage	kyousuke records a 1.01 rating	Contributes to his $197K Fantasy valuation
October 8	EPL Playoffs Fantasy becomes available	Managers begin building playoff lineups
October 8	kyousuke ranks second in early pick popularity	Strong interest despite Falcons' bracket
Quarter-final	Falcons vs Spirit	Immediate test of kyousuke's Fantasy value
Semi-final	FURIA/MOUZ winner awaits if Falcons advance	Potential second difficult matchup
Third-place/final stage	Semi-finalists are guaranteed another series	Extra scoring opportunity for players whose teams reach the last four

Why the playoff format matters for Fantasy

The structure of ESL Pro League Season 24 adds another layer to Fantasy selection.

The playoffs feature eight teams in a single-elimination bracket, but unlike a conventional knockout tournament, there is also a third-place decider.

That detail matters.

Any team reaching the semi-finals is guaranteed two additional series: either the grand final or the third-place match.

For Fantasy managers, reaching the final four therefore provides additional opportunities for selected players to accumulate points.

It also increases the importance of bracket forecasting.

Selecting a strong individual player whose team exits immediately can restrict the number of maps available for scoring. Conversely, a cheaper player from a team that makes a deep run can remain active for substantially longer.

Fantasy impact: the case for kyousuke

The argument for selecting kyousuke begins with price relative to his wider recent performance.

His 1.01 group-stage rating was below the 1.11 three-month Rating 3.0 displayed by HLTV at the time. His $197,000 valuation therefore gives managers access to a high-upside Falcons rifler without pushing his cost into the very highest Fantasy price tier.

His popularity suggests many players see that discrepancy as an opportunity.

There is also a simple performance argument: if kyousuke rebounds from his quieter group stage while Falcons survive their quarter-final, his individual production could make the price attractive.

That remains a projection rather than a guaranteed outcome.

Fantasy impact: the case against kyousuke

The bracket is the clearest downside.

Falcons face Spirit immediately.

Spirit entered the playoff field as HLTV's No. 1-ranked team on the Fantasy article's event panel, while Falcons were displayed at No. 5.

Should Falcons advance, they do not receive an obviously easier route. FURIA or MOUZ would be waiting in the semi-final.

This creates meaningful tournament-longevity risk.

A Fantasy manager selecting kyousuke is therefore not merely predicting his individual performance. They are also making an implicit bet that Falcons can survive enough of a difficult bracket for that performance to matter.

Why apEX became the most-picked player

apEX offers almost the inverse proposition.

At $186,000, the Vitality captain is $11,000 cheaper than kyousuke.

His displayed individual numbers were lower — a 0.93 Rating 3.0 over 48 maps during the preceding three months — but Fantasy selection is not purely about choosing the highest-rated players.

Vitality's playoff path was a major reason for his popularity.

PARIVISION, 1win and Aurora occupy the same half of the bracket as Vitality, giving Fantasy managers reason to view the team as having a favorable route toward the final.

If Vitality make a deep run, a relatively inexpensive apEX selection could remain active across several playoff series.

That combination of price and expected tournament longevity explains why he became the most popular early selection.

Tournament impact

The Fantasy story also highlights how differently Falcons and Vitality enter the knockout phase.

Falcons' path begins with Spirit and could continue through FURIA or MOUZ.

Vitality are positioned on the opposite side of the bracket with PARIVISION, 1win and Aurora.

The Fantasy pick rates effectively reflect those two competitive narratives: managers are willing to take a risk on kyousuke's individual ceiling while simultaneously using apEX as a cheaper route into a heavily favored Vitality lineup.

Fantasy popularity should not, however, be treated as a prediction of the actual tournament winner.

What changes now?

Nothing changes to either Falcons' or Vitality's competitive roster because of the Fantasy selections.

For Fantasy users, however, the start of the playoffs turns theoretical value into actual scoring.

kyousuke's $197,000 price will look considerably more attractive if his group-stage dip proves temporary and Falcons progress.

Conversely, an early Falcons elimination would limit his opportunity to generate points regardless of individual output.

For apEX owners, Vitality's tournament longevity becomes especially important because his appeal is tied heavily to price efficiency and bracket position.

What to watch next

The most important match for kyousuke owners is Falcons vs Spirit.

His individual output matters, but Falcons simply surviving the quarter-final could be equally important because advancement guarantees another playoff series.

The second factor is whether kyousuke's group-stage 1.01 rating was a temporary downturn or carries into the knockout phase.

For apEX selections, the key question is whether Vitality convert their favorable bracket position into a deep run.

Finally, Fantasy pick percentages are dynamic. The figures reported here describe the state of the game around HLTV's October 8 publication and should not be presented as permanent final ownership numbers.

Related players, teams and events

Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin — Falcons: The second-most selected player in the EPL Playoffs Fantasy game at the time of HLTV's report, priced at $197,000.

Dan “apEX” Madesclaire — Vitality: The most-picked player in the early Fantasy data. His $186,000 price provides a lower-cost entry into the Vitality lineup.

Falcons: Enter the playoffs against Spirit before a possible semi-final against FURIA or MOUZ.

Vitality: Enter from the opposite half of the bracket alongside PARIVISION, 1win and Aurora.

Spirit: Falcons' quarter-final opponent and therefore the immediate competitive variable affecting kyousuke's Fantasy outlook.

ESL Pro League Season 24: The tournament hosting the eight-team playoff bracket covered by this Fantasy game.

FAQ

How much does kyousuke cost in EPL Playoffs Fantasy?

kyousuke is priced at $197,000 in the ESL Pro League Season 24 Playoffs Fantasy game.

How popular is kyousuke in EPL Fantasy?

He was the second-most picked player when HLTV published its Fantasy breakdown on October 8, 2026. Pick rates can change as users continue creating teams.

Who was picked more often than kyousuke?

Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire was the most-selected player in the early data. He costs $186,000 and appeared in roughly half of Fantasy teams at the time of HLTV's report.

Why is kyousuke priced at $197,000?

HLTV highlighted his relatively slow EPL group stage, where he recorded a 1.01 rating, as a factor behind the unusually low price for the Falcons youngster. Falcons' difficult playoff bracket also affects the Fantasy outlook.

Who do Falcons play in the EPL quarter-finals?

Falcons face Spirit. If Falcons win, they advance to face the winner of FURIA vs MOUZ in the semi-final.