Michigan State's Chase Saldate (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)We Fantasy Team Managers have hit a season milestone this week: The Halfway Point.
Remember back in middle school when you had progress reports? In my day (yeah, I'm using that old-man phrase), back in 2002, before Study Island or teachers corresponded regularly with your parents via the inter-web, we had actual sheets of paper with each subject listed. Each teacher would fill out your current scholastic subject status within their class and, by the end of the week, had to return the progress report signed by a parent or guardian.
Now, I was neither steady enough to freehand my parent's signature nor have the necessary tracing paper available to overlay and copy their signature as they were both products of the 60s catholic school system and were proficient in cursive, which meant a full spelled-out signature. Not just a wispy couple strokes of the pen.
My usual go-to move was to wake my dad up at 6am (hours before I needed to actually leave for school) and get him to sign the random piece of paper I put in front of his one open bloodshot eye. Bingo-bango, no questions asked.
This one time, however, I had a 62% in math. That number alone would stand out even to the sleepiest of fathers, and to boot, was written in blood-red ink. The only teacher to use red ink, in fact. Had she used a black pen, even possibly a darker blue shade, I could have finagled a pencil overlay to make it look like an 82%. But again, red ink.
I rummaged through the several junk drawers, in the kitchen, the several bags of freebies doctors used to get back in the day from drug reps (like pens, pencils, golf balls, music CDs, etc.), until the miracle moment. While sneaking into my dad's office and going through his desk drawer for the literal hail mary search, I found a small rectangular case with graphite to fill into a reusable pencil. And what do ya know, it was RED graphite.
I lightly traced an “8†over the “6†in 62%, woke dad up at 6am who gave the paper a once-over, signed it, lightly erased the red graphite (gently so not to take off the coloring of the paper the progress report was printed on, and no one was the wiser.
That's a long and random story to set up this midway progress report in #FantasyCollegeWrestling.
At the beginning of the season, you most likely saw wrestlers like Spencer Lee, Gable Steveson, Roman Bravo-Young, and Yianni Diakomihalis going in the first couple of rounds. Surprise Surprise, though they are still ranked atop their respective weight rankings, they are not at the top of the list for Best Fantasy Wrestlers.
The current top 13 Fantasy Wrestlers across all weights (stats provided by WrestleStat):
#1. Matt Finesilver (Duke) 72 fantasy points/17 matches/4.20 PPM
#2. Ed Scott (NC State) 60 fantasy points/16 matches/3.80 PPM
#3. Chase Saldate (Michigan State) 56 fantasy points/14 matches/4.00 PPM
#4. Josh Finesilver (Duke) 56 fantasy points/17 matches/3.30 PPM
#5. Logan Messer (George Mason) 53 fantasy points/23 matches/2.30 PPM
#6. Joey Milano (NC State) 52 fantasy points/20 matches/2.60 PPM
#7. Donnell Washington (Indiana) 51 fantasy points/9 matches/5.70 PPM
#8. Brit Wilson (Northern Illinois) 50 fantasy points/15 matches/3.30 PPM
#9. Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) 49 fantasy points/12 matches/4.10 PPM
#10 Anthony Noto (Lock Haven) 48 fantasy points/18 matches/2.70 PPM
#11 Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers) 47 fantasy points/9 matches/5.20 PPM
#12 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) 47 fantasy points/11 matches/4.30 PPM
#13 Seth Koleno (Clarion) 47 fantasy points/24 matches/2.00 PPM
So, how many of these wrestlers are on your team? How has your season been going thus far? Has your roster been exceeding your expectations or underperforming? Is your team at the top of the standings or sinking quicker than the hips of a bad leg-rider? Have your Transfer Portal add/drops been working out or have they been more of a distraction in the locker room?
On to Week 9…
We find ourselves with a few last major tournaments of the 2022 season in the Matmen Open (also known as the “New Midlandsâ€), Hawkeye Open, and Southern Scuffle before hitting the “back nine†and regular-season stretch to wrap up the regular season.
As I often say, it really depends on how the seeds shake out and the bracket is set to determine who is going to have a great day and who is going to have a not so good day, so since it's mainly tournament driven, I'm going to break each weight into two sections: Probably Taken (meaning that there is a high probability that this wrestler is already rostered within your league) and Most Likely Available (meaning the wrestler will probably be available in the Transfer Portal).
Unfortunately, at the time of this article, little detail has been sent out about the Hawkeye Open. I'm expecting some more info to come in shortly, so keep the notifications “ON†to @FantasyD1Wrestl.
We do have a few duals this week, including the (confusingly awkward scheduling of) Northwestern HOSTING (yeah…) SIU-Edwardsville and Virginia on Dec 29 and Oregon State @ Utah Valley on 1/2.
Wrestlers I Like This Week
Wrestler (School)- competition for the week [Proj Score]
*organized by tournament name first, then by school name*
125:
Probably Taken:
Justin Cardani (Illinois)- Matmen Open
Noah Surtin (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Pat McKee (Minnesota)- Southern Scuffle
Most Likely Available:
Dylan Shawver (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Jacob Moran (Indiana)- Matmen Open
Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma State)- Southern Scuffle
Joe Manchio (Columbia)- Southern Scuffle
Killian Cardinale (West Virginia)- Southern Scuffle
Fabian Gutierrez (Chattanooga)- Southern Scuffle
Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech)- Southern Scuffle
Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern)- Vs SIU-Edwardsville, Vs Virginia [+7]
Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley)- Vs Oregon State [+4]
133:
Probably Taken:
Lucas Byrd (illinois)- Matmen Open
Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh)- Matmen Open
Sammy Alverez (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Rayvon Foley (Michigan State)- Southern Scuffle
Chris Cannon (Northwestern)- Vs SIU-Edwardsville, Vs Virginia [+8]
Most Likely Available:
Michael Colaiocco (U Penn)- Matmen Open
Drew Mattin (Michigan)- Matmen Open
Brock Hudkins (Indiana)- Matmen Open
Matt Ramos (Purdue)- Matmen Open
Chance Rich (CSU Bakersfield)- Southern Scuffle
Angelo Rini (Columbia)- Southern Scuffle
Kai Orine (NC State)- Southern Scuffle
Connor Brown (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Kellyn March (North Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Derek Spann (Buffalo)- Southern Scuffle
Jake Gliva (Minnesota)- Southern Scuffle
141:
Probably Taken:
Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Clay Carlson (South Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado State)- Southern Scuffle
Kizahn Clarke (North Carolina)- Southern Scuffle
Real Woods (Stanford)- Southern Scuffle
Allan Hart (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Grant Willits (Oregon State)- @ Utah Valley [+4]
Most Likely Available:
Wil Gil (Franklin & Marshall)- Matmen Open
Parker Filius (Purdue)- Matmen Open
Joey Zargo (Wisconsin)- Matmen Open
Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina)- Southern Scuffle
Quinn Kinner (Rider)- Southern Scuffle
Dusty Hone (Oklahoma State)- Southern Scuffle
149:
Probably Taken:
Austin Gomez (Wisconsin)- Matmen Open
Josh Heil (Campbell)- Matmen Open
Josh Edmond (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State)- Southern Scuffle
Josh Finesilver (Duke)- Southern Scuffle
Zach Sherman (North Carolina)- Southern Scuffle
Yahya Thomas (Northwestern)- Vs SIU-Edwardsville, Vs Virginia [+7]
Most Likely Available:
Anthony White (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Anthony Artalona (U Penn)- Matmen Open
Chance Lamer (Michigan)- Matmen Open
Max Brignola (Lehigh)- Matmen Open
Victor Voinovich (Oklahoma State)- Southern Scuffle
Alex Madrigal (George Mason)- Southern Scuffle
157:
Probably Taken:
Kendall Coleman (Purdue)- Matmen Open
Doug Zapf (U Penn)- Matmen Open
Austin O'Connor (North Carolina)- Southern Scuffle
Brayton Lee (Minnesota)- Southern Scuffle
Chase Saldate (Michigan State)- Southern Scuffle
Jared Franek (North Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Ryan Deakin (Northwestern)- Vs SIU-Edwardsville, Vs Virginia [+10]
Most Likely Available:
Brock Mauller (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Colton Yapoujian (Cornell)- Southern Scuffle
165:
Probably Taken:
Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh)- Matmen Open
Zach Hartman (Bucknell)- Matmen Open
Izzak Olejnik (Northern Illinois)- Matmen Open
Julian Ramirez (Cornell)- Southern Scuffle
Shane Griffith (Stanford)- Southern Scuffle
Keegan O'Toole (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Peyton Hall (West Virginia)- Southern Scuffle
Most Likely Available:
Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin)- Matmen Open
Phil Conigliaro (Harvard)- Matmen Open
Luke Weber (North Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Alex Facundo (Penn State)- Southern Scuffle
PJ Ogunsanya (Columbia)- Southern Scuffle
174:
Probably Taken:
Matt Finesilver (Duke)- Southern Scuffle
Chris Foca (Cornell)- Southern Scuffle
Peyton Mocco (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Michael O'Malley (Drexel)- Southern Scuffle
Most Likely Available:
Josh Kim (Harvard)- Matmen Open
Jackson Turley (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Cade DeVos (South Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Tyler Eischens (Stanford)- Southern Scuffle
Bailey O'Reilly (Minnesota)- Southern Scuffle
184:
Probably Taken:
Myles Amine (Michigan)- Matmen Open
John Poznanski (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Bernie Truax (Cal Poly)- Matmen Open
Brit Wilson (Northern Illinois)- Matmen Open
Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)- Southern Scuffle
Jeremiah Kent (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Most Likely Available:
Donnell Washington (Indiana)- Matmen Open
Trey Munoz (Oregon State)- Matmen Open
Chris Weiler (Wisconsin)- Matmen Open
Jonathan Loew (Cornell)- Southern Scuffle
Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota)- Southern Scuffle
Layne Malczewski (Michigan State)- Southern Scuffle
Gavin Kane (North Carolina)- Southern Scuffle
197:
Probably Taken:
Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh)- Matmen Open
Braxton Amos (Wisconsin)- Matmen Open
Rocky Elam (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Jacob Cardenas (Cornell)- Southern Scuffle
Cam Caffey (Michigan State)- Southern Scuffle
Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Most Likely Available:
Greg Bulsak (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Michael Beard (Penn State)- Southern Scuffle
Jaron Smith (Maryland)- Southern Scuffle
Owen Pentz (North Dakota State)- Southern Scuffle
Andrew Davison (Northwestern)- Vs SIU-Edwardsville, Vs Virginia [+7]
285:
Probably Taken:
Trent Hillger (Wisconsin)- Matmen Open
Zach Elam (Missouri)- Southern Scuffle
Lewis Fernandes (Cornell)- Southern Scuffle
Most Likely Available:
Ethan Laird (Rider)- Matmen Open
Boone McDermott (Rutgers)- Matmen Open
Luke Luffman (Illinois)- Matmen Open
Michael Wolfgram (West Virginia)- Southern Scuffle
Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech)- Southern Scuffle
Owen Trephan (NC State)- Southern Scuffle
Austin Harris (Oklahoma State)- Southern Scuffle
Konner Doucet (Oklahoma State)- Southern Scuffle
Gary Traub (Oregon State)- @ Utah Valley [+4]
Think I missed someone? Disagree with someone on the list or their projection? Want to know our thoughts on a matchup? Let me know!
Win the week!
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