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.
Remember that the Thursday meet this week doesn’t count toward week eight!
Injury Updates
- Alyona Shchennikova – LSU – knee injury (2/15/22)
- Christie Tini – Central Michigan – unknown leg injury (2/15/22)
- Hannah Stahlbrodt – Southern Connecticut – torn Achilles (2/16/22)
- Sara Ulias – UCLA – torn ACL (2/16/22)
- Bailey Bunn – Kentucky – knee injury (2/17/22)
- Kalyany Steele – UCLA – offseason ankle surgery (2/17/22)
- Chloe Lashbrooke – UCLA – unknown (2/17/22)
- Lindsey Thornton – Ursinus – torn Achilles (2/18/22)
- Gabi Wickman – Washington – broken hand (2/18/22)
- Elena Bailey – Southern Connecticut – torn ACL (2/19/22)
- Janelle Lopez – SEMO removed from injury list (2/19/22)
- Mia Sundstrom – Denver – torn Achilles (2/19/22)
Week 8 Byes and Doubles
Byes: Alaska, Hamline, North Carolina, West Virginia
Doubles: Air Force, Bridgeport, Centenary, N.C. State, Rhode Island College, Southern Connecticut, Temple (triple meet week: Friday, Sunday Thursday), Towson, Utah State, West Chester
Deep Cuts for Deep Leagues in Week 8
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: Gayla Griswold had herself a day, sticking her Yurchenko 1.5 for a 9.975 and new Lindenwood program record. She hasn’t been below 9.825 in February and is excellent on floor, too. Hannah Baddick has gotten into a good groove on vault the past few weeks for New Hampshire.
Bars: Towson’s Clara Hong has emerged as an excellent bar worker; if you picked her up for beam and floor, now is the time to add her to your bar lineup.
Beam: N.C. State’s Alexis Ortega has really settled into a rhythm on beam, with back-to-back 9.875s; she has gone as high as 9.900. Deja Chambliss finally had a day up to her standards on beam, hitting for a 9.925.
Floor: Northern Illinois’ Emmalise Knock was missing last week; we’re not sure why. Brookelyn Sears stepped in for her on floor for a solid 9.825; if Knock is out longer term, Sears may remain in this lineup.
Starts and Sits for Week 8
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: Don’t fret about Ona Loper; she went too hard for a stick on podium and Big Fives and didn’t get enough rotation, so she put her hand down. It doesn’t seem like a mistake she’ll make again. Mia Sundstrom‘s Achilles injury poses a problem for Denver, which was already shuffling lineups to fill Lynnzee Brown’s spots. Rosie Casali vaulted at Metroplex, and Alexandra Ruiz is the other option.
Bars: UCLA’s rough bar day started in warmups with a freak fall from Frida Esparza, who was held out for precautionary reasons. She should be back this week. Makarri Doggette didn’t compete after her week six ankle injury; there’s no need for Dana Duckworth to rush her back so close to postseason, but if she reappears somewhere this week, bars seems most likely.
Beam: We finally saw Maggie O’Hara back on beam. It wasn’t amazing, but we can see Jordyn Wieber giving her another shot this week given her high scoring potential. Kiara Gianfagna was out, but she did compete bars. Arkansas’ lineups remain more in flux than many teams at this point, while Wieber searches for her best six on beam and bars especially. Only put these gymnasts in lineups if you can withstand a zero. Emily Muhlenhaupt added beam back this week as well; like O’Hara for Arkansas, her potential is too high for her to not be back this week. Olivia Trautman is also back; we can expect her to try to add other events slowly as we approach postseason, but for now beam is the only sure thing. She replaced Jordan Bowers, who has struggled on beam.
Floor: With Alyona Shchennikova sidelined for now, Olivia Dunne stepped into LSU’s floor lineup at both meets last weekend for a 9.900 and 9.850; she seems likely to keep that spot for now. Lucy Stanhope took the injured Jillian Hoffman’s spot for the Utes; with a 9.875, she did a lot to secure that spot moving forward.
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.
Vault: If you’re looking for a high risk/high reward vaulter, see if Illinois State’s J’Chelle Heard is available; she can hit 9.900s. SEMO’s Lindsay Ockler is the best USAG vaulter by average. She won’t pull a high number but if you just need another 9.8-ish vault, she’s your pick. She’ll pull decent number on bars, too.
Bars: UC Davis’ Gabby Landess was back on bars after only scoring a 9.000 in her one outing January. She scored a 9.900 on Sunday. Yale’s Sherry Wang has had some ups and downs, but has settled into being a top USAG bar worker, with her most recent three outings all in the mid-9.8s.
Beam: SEMO’s Anna Speller stepped into the beam lineup for the first time Friday for a 9.900. Conference-mate Madeline Gose has been on a roll on beam and floor in recent weeks. The Texas Woman’s Pioneer notched 9.900s on both last week.
Floor: Nebraska’s Kylie Piringer had a great showing at Big Fives for a 9.875, following up a few 9.850s earlier in the year. Northern Illinois’ Alana Anderson had the first 9.900 of her year after a smattering of 9.875s. West Chester’s Jessica Meakim is back to her high-scoring ways on her best event; her last three floor numbers are all 9.875 and above.
READ THIS NEXT: The Dismount: Week 7
Article by Emily Minehart
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