Fantasy College Wrestling - 2024 Season Top-20 (149 lbs)

2024: FCW Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers

149

The data has been processed, the charts have been reviewed, and the evaluations are complete. The 2024 breakdown of the Top Fantasy Wrestlers of the 2024 season is here to help you start your 2025 season research.  

Just like in the past few years, some names are going to be expected, while a lot more may not be. That's the beauty of Fantasy Wrestling, where any wrestler can be the star of the weekend and win the dual for you.

To compile these lists, we used standard WrestleStat Fantasy College Wrestling Data & Scoring. Just a reminder of how points were tallied in WrestleStat leagues:

1) The scoring used was standard team scoring across all competitions (+3 for a win by decision, -4 for a loss by major, etc)

2) Scoring only counted against D1 competition

3) Wins via forfeits (FFT) would count as +6 towards a wrestler's point total

4) Wins or losses by medical forfeit (MFF) did not count as + or - towards a wrestler's point total

5) Points were only accumulated during the regular season
 

149 Top-20

Notes:

The only NCAA Champion to also finish as the #1 Fantasy Wrestler in their weight, was Caleb Henson. He was a leader in the overall standings for much of the year, amassing two pins, five techs, and two majors in his first 12 matches. But as the regular season came to a close, six of his last nine matches ended in decisions. 

The wire-to-wire InterMat top ranked 149 lber, Ridge Lovett, finishes at #2 in the fantasy standings, 11 Fpts behind Henson. He did finish with the best PPM of any 149 wrestler in the Top-20, edging out Henson by 0.01 even.

Lehigh’s 149 slot seemed to be a revolving door during the season, but it was Kelvin Griffin who got the postseason nod. Despite his 11 losses, and only wrestling in three dual meets, his entry into seven in-season tournaments helped him propel up the standings to #3.

Another true freshman success story, Ty Watters, had 10 pins in his first 18 matches of the season (though nine of the ten were ranked higher than 100 on WrestleStat). The best pin of his during the regular season is slotted one rank below him in the Top-20 at #5, Corbyn Munson. 

Jackson Arrington and Jude Swisher both had 67 Fpts but arrived at it from two completely different paths. Arrington, who finished at #6 on the Top-20, was starter from day one and rattled off six techs in his first six matches. Swisher, #7 on the Top-20 this season, was in a roster battle a weight up until the last 20 days of the season when he dropped to 149. Swisher would wrestle nine matches in 21 days, and in a two day span, travel from Philly, to Lancaster, to Fairfax VA and back (a total of ~375 miles round trip)

Mr. All-He-Does-Is-AA Kyle Parco is also Mr. Consistent when it comes to fantasy wrestling as well. In the past four years (2021 to 2024) he has finished in the Top-10 at 149, with his best year being 2022 where he finished 4th. Not counting the COVID year 2021, he's also wrestled at least 20 regular season matches each year.

Three redshirts make the list, with Sam Cartella as the best falling 0.5 PPM outside the Top-10. Lucas Kapusta wrestled in only one dual meet for Lock Haven, but represented them at seven tournaments, which helped him finish at #15. And lastly, Kannon Webster wrestled the least number of matches inside the Top-20 with 18.
 

Who Missed The Cut:

Four All-Americans missed the Top-20, with Casey Swiderski (ISU) the closest by one Fpt. Road warrior Tyler Kasak (PSU) finished with 41 Fpts, and Quinn Kinner (RID) with 23 Fpts.

National finalist Austin Gomez (MICH) only wrestled in eight matches, going 7-1 for a total of 24 Fpts

Ethan Fernandez (COR) was the first man out at #21, tying #20 Drew Roberts but falling 0.2 behind in PPM. Nicholas Stonecheck (LHU) takes the #22 spot, also with 43 Fpts, but behind in PPM to Fernandez by 0.1.

Other notables to miss the Top-20 include Ethen Miller (MARY) with 38 Fpts, Caleb Rathjen (IOWA) with 33 Fpts, Jordan Wiliams (OKST) with 25 Fpts,  Jaden Abas (STAN) with 22 Fpts, and Gabe Willochell (WYO) with 14 Fpts