Kyousuke leads the way in CAC Fantasy as Falcons dominate early picks

Kyousuke leads the way in CAC Fantasy as Falcons dominate early picks

Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin has emerged as the most popular player in the CS Asia Championships 2026 Fantasy game, with the young Falcons rifler appearing in 42% of teams. His teammate Finn “karrigan” Andersen follows close behind at 39%, making Falcons the most represented side among the early player selections. 

The popularity of Falcons picks is easy to understand. The international roster arrives in Shanghai shortly after a deep run at PGL Astana, where karrigan made his debut for the team and immediately helped guide them to the grand final. Falcons had already survived a tense comeback against The MongolZ to reach the playoffs, with m0NESY and kyousuke combining in key moments. 

CAC 2026 will take place in Shanghai from May 20-24 and features 16 teams. The tournament includes two eight-team double-elimination groups, followed by a six-team single-elimination playoff bracket and a third-place decider. Opening matches are BO1, most other matches are BO3, and the grand final will be BO5. 

The Fantasy game covers both the group stage and the playoffs, which makes team longevity especially important. Teams that reach the upper-bracket finals will benefit from an extra round of padding, while the upper-final winners receive another advantage by skipping the quarter-finals. That structure gives additional value to players from teams expected to make deep runs. 

Falcons are not cheap across the board, but they offer several attractive Fantasy paths. kyousuke is the top pick by popularity, while m0NESY costs $245,000, his highest price “for some time” according to HLTV. Despite that high cost, 15% of Fantasy users have still selected him, betting that his star power can outweigh the sacrifices needed elsewhere in the lineup. 

karrigan is a more controversial pick. He is listed as a silver card at $188,000, but his recent 0.73 rating in Astana raises obvious risk. His value may depend less on raw fragging and more on whether role and booster points can offset possible rating losses. 

Another budget option drawing attention is Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer. The Ninjas in Pyjamas in-game leader is the second-cheapest player in the game at $170,000, behind Robin “ScrunK” Röpke, and is currently the most-picked bronze card. HLTV notes that Snappi may be necessary for users trying to fit m0NESY into their teams, though his downside remains significant because NIP enter the event as one of the lowest-ranked teams in attendance. 

CAC 2026 also carries extra weight because it is the last tier-one event before the IEM Cologne Major. Perfect World originally announced a $1 million total value for the event, with 14 teams invited through the February VRS and two more spots earned by TYLOO and Lynn Vision through the Asia closed qualifier. 

The full field includes Falcons, PARIVISION, The MongolZ, MOUZ, 3DMAX, B8, Legacy, M80, TYLOO, Liquid, MIBR, NRG, paiN, Ninjas in Pyjamas, BC.Game and Lynn Vision. That mix creates several possible Fantasy strategies: stacking Falcons for upside, trusting other high-ranked contenders such as PARIVISION or MOUZ, or using cheaper underdogs to unlock expensive stars. 

For now, though, the Fantasy crowd is clearly leaning toward Falcons. kyousuke’s 42% pick rate reflects both his individual form and the expectation that Falcons can make another deep run after their Astana final. Whether that faith pays off will depend on how quickly the team can reset after a demanding event and whether karrigan’s leadership can convert Falcons’ firepower into another playoff push in Shanghai.