Top Dog

Junior Trevor Powell’s fantasy football team “Young Bull” isn’t about stats, research, or spending hours on lineups; it’s mostly about luck. While many people in the school fear fantasy league stress over trades and matchups, Powell has been sitting in the first place for the whole season, doing something no one expected. His team was auto-drafted.

Instead of having a strategy looking at stats, past seasons, his team auto-drafted his team, and it’s working out great for him so far. “I missed the draft time, so it auto-drafted for me, and after the draft, I was projected number 1, and I’m number one right now.” Powell said.

“I was 8-0 before I took a tough loss to Jake Beer,” Powell said. “My whole team was on a bye that week, but we bounced back strong.”

Even though he didn’t plan his draft, Powell’s’ team has been stacked all season. His tight end, Trey McBride, has been putting up huge numbers week to week and has been the statement player of his team. “He just put up 27 points for me and has been very consistent so far this season. He’s definitely my team’s MVP,” Powell said. McBride is the number one tight end in fantasy right now, averaging 18.5 points per game – compared to the 14.3 average for the league.

“Jack Henry’s team was definitely my favorite win and the highlight of my season so far

Fighting to not be in last

Junior Joao Domingos randomly joined his fantasy league big ballers because they needed one more person for the league.

It’s been a tough season for Domingos, who’s currently fighting to stay out of last place in his fantasy football league. Despite his 3-7 record, He’s an active participant in the league, always looking at the waiver wire to see who the next best player is to add to his team.

“I didn’t really get to pick my team,” Domingos said. “I was at work during the draft, so I had to auto-draft.” His team, named Joao’s Finest Team, started on the wrong foot, but that hasn’t stopped him from competing.

Even with a rocky start, some of Domingo’s players have stepped up, giving him hope. “Josh Jacobs and Trey McBride have really been helping me out,” he said. “Jacobs is putting up 30 points multiple times and being pretty consistent, giving me a good boost over whoever I’m playing.”

Still, the season hasn’t been smooth with injuries affecting his team and playing a major role in his struggles, especially the loss of Garrett Wilson – who is out for multiple weeks  because of a knee injury. “Not having him hurts a lot.” Domingos said. Domingos is currently 3-7, but he’s staying active, checking the waiver wire, looking at matchups, and adjusting his lineup each week.

One of his biggest moments this season came in week 7 when he pulled off a close win against Nate Kinzer, a 2025 graduate, by just nine points. Unfortunately, luck didn’t swing his way the following week when he lost by just 0.3 points to Johnnie Alexander.

Chuba Hubbard, his running back , has been a letdown this season. Due to fewer rushes, Rico Dowdle has taken his spot for the Panthers.

Domingos has been active on waver wire all season trying to reshape his team. “I go in every week and do my check-ins. I haven’t made trades, but I’m always looking for the best pickups I can get,” Domingos said.

Even though the season hasn’t gone the way Domingos wants, he is staying locked in until the end for him to simply not finish last.

First Pick

While some fantasy players rely on luck for their first pick, senior Chayton Katterman built his team around a bold decision by Bijan Robinson.“I took Bijan Robinson first overall, even though the haters didn’t mess with it,” Katterman said. “I saw the value.” Robinson was coming off a strong sophomore season, and he believed year three would be “electric.”

Early on, it looked like a smart move. But things have slowed down. “At the beginning of the year, I was proud of my pick,” he said. “In the past three weeks, he’s been underwhelming. But I still think he can put up the numbers to get me to the championship.”

Even with some inconsistency, he has been at the top of the league with a record of 7-3 in a 12-person league and has a strong position for the playoffs.

His team name, “Put a Buck in My Cup,” comes from his love for wide receiver Cooper Kupp. “I’m a huge fan,” Katterman said, though he eventually dropped Kupp after a down year.

Not everything has gone smoothly for Katterman, “There was this one bad trade,” he admitted. “I traded Jonathan Taylor and Cooper Kupp for Kyren Williams and Jaylen Waddle.” The move hasn’t paid off.

For players struggling this year, he had simple advice: “Take risks. Send trades. You can trade up for better players, just don’t make stupid trades. Make them thoughtful.”

On The Uprise

Junior Dominic Cimino didn’t start his season the way he hoped. After opening the year with three straight losses, his confidence was low, and his team looked like it was in trouble. But unlike any other player, Cimino stayed patient and confident, and it paid off.

“I had around the seventh pick, and my first pick was Jahmyr Gibbs,” Cimino said. “He’s an absolute dog.” And considered the MVP of his team.

Gibbs has become the centerpiece of his roster, consistently giving him a chance to win, “He’s in my flex, and my whole team really runs around him. He dropped 30 last week. Without him, I wouldn’t be 5–5 right now.” Cimino said after winning 3 weeks in a row.

After his rough 0–3 start, he knew he needed to take action. “I looked at the waiver wire, which is the most important thing in fantasy, picking up Aaron Jones and Wandel Robinson. People don’t realize how many injuries happen,” he said. That’s where his season started to turn, Cimino said.

Cimino goes week to week looking at matchups, targets, and injuries before making decisions “Knowing who the wide receiver one is, who gets the targets, or what defense someone is facing it all matters,” Cimino said. “People are quick to drop someone because of one matchup, but you have to look at the whole schedule.”

He also made a trade, helping them significantly, “I traded for Hunter Henry,” he said. “Drake Maye throws to him a lot in the red zone, so he’s been huge for me.” The swap giving away Zach Ertz turned into a major upgrade at tight end.

For players who start their season slow, Cimino has simple advice. “You just have to risk it,” he said. “You’ve got nothing to lose. If you’re 0–3, send trades, take chances, look at the waiver wire. Even if it doesn’t work out, at least you tried.”

High Hopes

Senior Dylan Cinquinio is definitely one of the most active players in his fantasy league, constantly checking waivers, sending trades, and adjusting his lineup.Cinquino is in a 10-person league, his team name being, “D money.”

Cinquino entered the season with the second overall pick and selected Bijan Robinson. “I thought he was going to be dirty,” Cinquino said. “He just gave me 37. He’s a strong running back for the Falcons, and it was a great choice.” Robinson has been solid overall, despite a few down games. After the draft, Cinquino was projected to finish first. Currently, he sits third at 6–5.

Injuries and inconsistency has affected his team a lot, “Josh Jacobs just got hurt, and that’s huge,” CInquino said. One week, both Robinson and Jacobs were on bye, leaving his team no hope.

“I’m probably the most active in the league,” he said. “I’m all over that waiver wire.” One of his biggest pickups was a Giants tight end he later flipped in a trade package. Cinquino made two significant trades that turned his season around. He dealt James Cook, Alec Pierce, and his tight end for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Ferguson, then later traded for Puka Nacua, giving up Mike Evans and Zay Flowers. Since making those moves, he’s undefeated: “After the trades, I’m 2–0.” Cinquino said.

His advice for people in the same position, “You have to watch the games. See how teams use their receivers and running backs. Look at who gets red-zone touches. Pay attention to how offenses run. That’s how you make smart pickups and trades.”