Fantasy gym—like everything since the COVID pandemic began—is a little different this season. The official game isn’t running because Kristen and the College Fantasy Gymnastics crew welcomed a little one to their family (congrats!). However, we know many of you are playing in private leagues, or are using the brand new site Gymlytics from Twitter user GymChem, so Fantasy Central lives on!
We’re switching up the weekly cadence to match Gymlytics’: The fantasy “week” begins with Friday meets, ends with any Thursday ones and trading happens every Monday via waiver wire. However, you’ll still find us here every Tuesday talking about “next week.”
This is your one-stop-shop for all things fantasy each week. We’ll be tracking injuries, byes and double headers, and giving you tips and tricks to put forward your best possible team.
While we still saw cancellations last weekend, we had a more normal slate of meets. That just feels like it will be the way of it for at least awhile while Omicron rages. What a relief the game is 10 up this year instead of eight! My suggestion is to always put up 10 on events, even if it is incredibly unlikely that Susie Jane will do beam. You never know! We’re seeing gymnasts branch out to help their teams on events they don’t usually compete to fill absences.
COVID and Injury Updates
Confirmed COVID absences last week: Ariel Toomey (Utah State), Rebecca Wells (Utah State)
Gymnasts notably missing from lineups last week: Lindsay Bacheler (Maryland), Emma Brown (Denver), Martina Comin (Nebraska), Addy De Jesus (Iowa State), Morgan Hoang (Stanford), Jessica Hutchinson (Denver), Taylor Lawson (Stanford), Shealyn Luksik (Kentucky), Emma Pritchard (Ohio State), Nyah Smith (MSU), Nika Takagai (LIU), Aleka Tsiknias (Maryland), Tory Vetter (Ohio State), Brittany Vitkauskas (BYU), Chloe Widner (Stanford)
Injuries:
- Olivia Trautman – Oklahoma – knee tendonitis (1/9/22)
- Morgan Hurd – Florida – knee surgery (1/10/22)
- Robyn Kelley – New Hampshire – boot and crutches (1/10/22)
- Emma Brown – removed from injury list –Denver (1/10/22)
- Mia Betancourt – removed from injury list – Rutgers (1/11/22)
- Jordyn Duffield – removed from injury list – Rutgers (1/11/22)
- Myra Daniels – removed from injury list – Rutgers (1/11/22)
- Chloe Negrete – N.C. State – torn Achilles (1/12/22)
- Amanda Jackson – William & Mary – season-ending injury (1/12/22)
- Carly Kulevich – Penn – elbow surgery (1/13/22)
- Cami Weaver – torn ACL – Arkansas (1/14/22)
- Elena Deets – removed from injury list – Arizona (1/14/22)
- Caitlin Henry – Yale – knee surgery (1/15/22)
- Anika Dujakovich – Nebraska – crutches (1/15/22)
- Kynsee Roby – Nebraska – in a boot (1/15/22)
Week 3 Byes and Doubles
Byes: Lindenwood, Sacramento State, San Jose State, Springfield, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh
Doubles: Alaska, Bowling Green, UC Davis
Deep Cuts for Deep Leagues in Week 3
Tips for players in leagues with 10-plus players, where you need to be a little more creative to fill out lineups; especially during big bye weeks.
Vault: Alana Laster competed just a full for Illinois State in what was a tough vault rotation; don’t give up on her just yet, though. The full is dynamic, and she has that 10.0 in her back pocket. Alana Rickets nabbed a 9.800 in her season debut for LIU.
Bars: Alyssa Al-Ashari was solid for 9.775s on bars and beam; she’s remained right around 9.8s in her two performances so far, with big room to grow for Northern Illinois.
Beam: Penn’s Natalie Yang is back to her strong beam ways, with a 9.875 in last week’s record-breaking performance. Deja Chambliss struggled a bit on beam in an otherwise strong showing for George Washington; rest assured she’ll remain in the all-around.
Floor: Illinois State had a tough day on vault, but Jaye Mack, one of the teams’ 10.0 starts, put up a 9.875 on floor. She should be in both lineups if she’s on your squad.
Starts, Sits and Pickups for Week 3
Are you playing in a smaller league and still looking for advice about big names? Are you in a deep league but not sure what to do with that OU beam specialist? These tips are for you!
Vault: Abby Johnston is working back from health and injury issues. She was with the Razorbacks in Bud Walton last week but should be kept out of lineups until we see her training. Shallon Olsen and Kaylee Quinn were back on vault for Alabama’s contest at Florida and seem poised to stay in that lineup if they stay healthy. Danae Fletcher made her Sooner debut, taking Melin Sullivan‘s spot from last week; it seems likely the two will compete for the spot again this week.
Bars: For Penn State, Cassidy Rushlow had a tough showing in the all-around week one and competed only bars last week. Perhaps she’s having endurance issues or has a nagging lower body injury, but for now it seems best to keep her on bars only. Anyssa Alvarado returned to BYU’s bar lineup and should be there to stay if she’s healthy. Skylar Killough-Wilhelm had strong bars and beam showings for Washington; the sophomore all-arounder seems to be coming into her own.
Beam: Kentucky’s Josie Angeny is reportedly working back into lineups and put up solid numbers on bars and beam last week. Though Kara Eaker is out with just a sprain, it’s advisable to hold her out of your lineups until we hear otherwise from usually transparent Utah. Nicoletta Koulos performed an exhibition beam set for the Wolverines; if you have her on your bench, hold onto her for just a little longer as she works her way back from a hand injury.
Floor: Jeff Graba seems to be playing with his lineups early in the year; while Sunisa Lee was excellent on floor, players shouldn’t expect her to compete there every week, at least for now.
Waiver Wire Wrap-up
Finally, we have a waiver wire in gymnastics! Who should you prioritize this week? Since Fantasy Central comes out on Tuesdays, keep in mind that these tips are catered toward next week.
Alright friends, it’s finally waiver wire time!
Vault: Kent State’s Kyndall Gilbert is back from injury and nabbed a 9.875 last week. If you need an all-arounder to aid on big bye weeks or to pad for COVID issues, Sarah Moravansky is a great pickup; she’s solid across all four and scored a 9.850 on vault last week. Mia Betancourt is a strong vaulter for Rutgers, pulling in a 9.850 last week. Denver freshman Momoko Iwai stepped into this lineup last week; she also exhibitioned on beam. She’s not likely to compete every week but is a solid backup if you’re searching for depth.
Bars: Kaitlyn DeGuzman made her Wildcat debut on bars. Jensen Scalzo bounced back from a tough first meet for a 9.900 this week. The bars specialist might be up for grabs in your league. Jada Mangahas put up a strong 9.875 for Arizona State last week. She also competes vault. Penn’s Kristen Kuhn put up a 9.875 in the Quakers’ performance last week.
Beam: Western Michigan’s Halle Faulkner scores solidly here, and competes floor as well. Stephanie Berger made her Buckeye debut with solid showings on bars and beam. Jenna Domingo had a stellar set for a 9.900 in the Beavers’ debut last week; the specialist should be on your radar. If your league slept on Alabama freshman Lilly Hudson, now would be the time to pick her up.
Floor: The Spartans’ Ashley Hoeflich and Gabi Stephen both went 9.9-plus on floor last week; Stephen is an all-arounder. Adeline Rieder is carrying the BYU floor specialist torch with a 9.850 in her first showing last week.
READ THIS NEXT: The Dismount: Week 2
Article by Emily Minehart; additional reporting from Kalley Leer
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