Nominees for The Markus Nielsen Offensive Player of the Year Award
The Iconic Awards Offensive Player of the Year Award is being dedicated in the name of Markus Nielsen, one of paintball's greatest offensive players in its history. Markus was a trailblazer who defined what aggression in the competitive sport of paintball can be and he will always be remembered for his tenacity on the field.
Blake Yarber, San Diego Dynasty.
All season long Blake Yarber was a massive threat for San Diego Dynasty in the center of the field. He consistently finds way to cut through the gaps of the opposing team and cause damage early on. Perhaps his best skill, is his ability to void the opposing teams game plans within the first 15 seconds of the point by causing chaos in the center. Teams learned quickly this season that taking a gun off Blake is a bad idea, and he stormed through the season earning two event wins and a co-MVP at World Cup.
Alexander Berdnikov, Moscow Red Legion.
In a year that saw rare inconsistency from the Red Legion, "Malloy" as he is affectionately called, was able to buoy the attack for Moscow and generate eliminations from all sides of the field. He is by far the most versatile of any attacker in the league, and he can play any attack position on the field at an elite level. He often makes moves that seemingly defy explanation and he should continue to be a thorn in the side of every team he faces next season.
Archie Montemayor, San Antonio XFactor.
The 2021 season added yet another chapter of elite play to the storied career of Archie Montemayor. He is one of the biggest offensive weapons in the history of the game, and he showed all season long that he is still a top-10 player in the World. Although XFactor started the season slow, Archie helped end the season decisively, with two finals appearances over the final two events of the season. In both Chicago and World Cup, he played nearly every attack position on the field, whether it was going head to head with Fedorov in the doritos, or charging down the snake. He will surely be remembered as not only the greatest player to ever come out of Texas, but one of the greatest players to ever step onto the pro paintball field.
Harrison Frye, Los Angeles Infamous.
Harrison came into the 2021 season looking to establish himself among the sports elite players; through his ambition and sheer audacity, he produced one of the best offensive seasons of the year. He is incredibly reminiscent of Nicky Cuba in the way that he attacks the field at all levels. Harrison was the best attacker on the team with the best offense in the league, Los Angeles Infamous. His ability to push the tempo on the dorito side, snake side, and center is what makes him such a vicious weapon for Los Angeles, and he should continue to be one of the best attackers in the league at just 29 years old, with a long career ahead.
Konstantin Fedorov, Houston Heat.
After missing the first event of the season in Florida, Konstantin came into the Mid-Atlantic Major with the goal of reminding the league that he is still one of the world's most dangerous players in the world on a paintball field. He produced an MVP performance on his way to an event win in Philly and was the best dorito side player of the event. If there is one thing Fedorov has done throughout his career, he has always found way to produce eliminations. His creativity while on the offensive is unmatched and his timing is elite. He seemingly always makes the right move and was the top attacker on Houston throughout the year.