In Call of Duty: Warzone’s second year, competition hit new levels. A new top earner was crowned, tournaments shifted to Customs, and we got the first taste of LAN. Emerging from it all, here are the five best players of 2021. 

There’s no easy, uniform way to define talent and success in the Warzone scene. The shift to Customs did raise the level of competition, but it simultaneously removed our ability to track player statistics.

So we’re left with two principal metrics of judgment: Tournament placement and the eye test. The former correlates directly with prize money and clutch factor, the latter with raw mechanical skill.

A new map, players crossing the $300,000 earnings threshold, and a glimpse at LAN – Warzone’s second year was a big one. And, amidst a number of perfectly reasonable candidates for the top five, these pros were undeniable.

You can also check out our rankings for the best League of Legends players, best Call of Duty players, and best Valorant players here.

5. Almond

This @Almxnd_ sequence is ridiculous 😵‍💫pic.twitter.com/B57pfQv1BJ

— Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) December 21, 2021

A mix of talent and game sense, Almond posted an exceptional year. Tommey’s duo and the third prong of the TBE trident, Almond earned a whopping $241,507 across 79 tournaments he placed in the money for in 2021 (second-highest earned on the year).

Placing first in countless events, none could be bigger than the Baka WonderLAN. In Warzone’s first-ever LAN, Almond and Tommey proved their individual prowess and, more importantly, indisputable synergy.

4. Newbz

If Almond earned more money than Newbz, why isn’t he higher? And the answer is adaptability. While the TBE Trio won countless events, Newbz was left as the lone man out for Duos and, instead, built chemistry with HusKerrs. 

And that chemistry, while shaky at times, culminated in a World Series of Warzone Duos championship and a number of other event wins. The $197,735 earned (fourth-highest) is nice, but Newbz’s ability to take gold with different teammates is practically unprecedented.

3. DiazBiffle

Grand Finale, $100K on the line, and @DiazBiffle wins the 1v2 vs Tommey and Almond 🤯

Fitting finish for the #BakaWonderLAN to end with a Baka clutching up. pic.twitter.com/usactxxmc1

— Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) December 18, 2021

One could easily argue that Biffle shouldn’t be in the top five simply because he was the ninth-highest earner in 2021. But, while every other member of this five placed in 70-plus events, Biff placed in just 31.

And, when he did place in the money, he showed out – first-place finishes galore, second place on LAN, and outrageous clips and stats along the way. Biff’s average earnings per tournament that he placed in were $5,064, nearly $2,000 more than the second-highest on this list.

If you ask any Warzone streamer who the most talented player in the world is, D’s name will be under consideration. When he’s on, his ceiling than anyone else in the game. Eye test, average placement, average earnings – you can’t have a top-five without the kid.

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2. Aydan

The former top all-time earner in Warzone, Aydan didn’t give up his mantle easily. With the third-most earnings in 2021, he won prestigious events like ZLaners Banger, the World Series of Warzone Trios, and the Dallas Empire Challenge.

Ego-challing like this in customs?!@aydan got twisted as he, @Rated_COD, and @zSmitOfficial came back to win eFuse's $10K 💸 pic.twitter.com/NE8uGDAhOb

— Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) July 16, 2021

Mechanically, it’s got to be a contest between Aydan or Biffle. Both are literal G-FUEL demons who probably slide-canceled their ways out of the womb. But, despite some inconsistencies, Aydan plays a lot, wins a lot, and was about one bullet away from winning the WSOW Solos – which would have catapulted him to No.

1. Tommey

At this point, Tommey has a serious case for the greatest IGL (in-game leader) in Call of Duty history. The guy thinks as straight as he shoots and has more composure in one eyebrow than most CoD players could dream of.

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The new highest earner in CoD history, Tommey (alongside Almond) is undefeated on the new Caldera map and won the first-ever Warzone LAN. While he still needs to win a WSOW, the former CoD pro raised the bar in 2021 and deserves the top spot.

Be sure to check out the rest of Dexerto’s Best of 2021 series, for the best players, influencers and games of the year.

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