Skip to main content

FANTASY PLAYS: Injury bug strikes fantasy lineups

By WTOP Staff

JOSH HOFFNER
Associated Press

The second week of the NFL season was downright diabolical to fantasy owners who saw a wave of injuries and suspensions gut their rosters.

Adrian Peterson was deactivated, Jamal Charles went down on his second carry with an ankle injury, and A.J. Green exited the game with a foot injury without recording a single catch. Doug Martin and Carson Palmer were late scratches, and Ryan Matthews and Robert Griffin III were carted off the field with injuries that will cost them each several weeks. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery were hobbled to the point that it was pure guesswork by lineup deadlines as to whether they would play or be effective on Sunday night.

The injuries had fantasy owners desperately running triage to field any sort of replacements in their MASH-unit lineups. That meant pulling the trigger on no-name, waiver-wire pickups like Knile Davis, Matt Asiata, Jerick McKinnon and Bobby Rainey and praying they pan out. (And for what it’s worth, Davis and Rainey are must-owns if they happen to still be available in your leagues).

But where to go from here?

It’s clear that the turmoil will not ease. The new normal in the NFL includes injuries, roster turnover and suspensions, so owners need to hold on for their dear lives and be more active — and proactive — on the waiver wire than ever.

The good news is that some of this can be foreseen. Warning signs existed in the cases of Charles, Martin and Green, and players like Matthews and Griffin have always been injury-prone. So as the next week approaches, here are some tips to help you get ahead of the curve during the next injury bug.

WEEK TWO LEFTOVERS: Lost in all the injuries to marquee players were the health issues suffered by Mark Ingram and Knowshon Moreno, who were off to hot starts for the Saints and Dolphins. Well, they are now out for at least a month each, meaning Khiry Robinson is a must-have for New Orleans. He played well during New Orleans’ playoff run last season, earning the praise of coaching legend Bill Parcells, who compared him to a young Curtis Martin. Mighty praise from the Big Tuna. The Moreno injury gives more opportunities to Lamar Miller, but buyer beware. Miller’s track record has been pretty poor over the last year.

___

ATLANTA WR SITUATION: Roddy White suffered a hamstring injury, and Julio Jones hobbled off the field at one point Sunday in their loss to the Bengals. White is a question mark Thursday night against Tampa, and Jones should be OK. But look at Harry Douglas if you want an insurance policy or a last-minute pickup. Remember, Douglas put up more than 1,000 yards receiving last year for the Falcons.

___

BEAST MODE TAMED? Marshawn Lynch left the game late in Seattle’s loss to San Diego, and coach Pete Carroll said his “back was tightening up.” It’s too early to know if this is a cause of concern ahead of their Super Bowl rematch with the Broncos, but be ready to snatch Robert Turbin if it worsens. Turbin nearly outperformed Lynch from a fantasy standpoint on Sunday. Waiting in the wings is Christine Michael.

___

SAN DIEGO SITUATION: The loss of Ryan Matthews is a tricky one. Everyone’s instinct is to scoop up Donald Brown or Danny Woodhead, but the payoff for such a move remains questionable. The Chargers spread the ball around and seemed more inclined to pass in goal-line situations on Sunday, plus you’re not sure which back is going to get the goal-line touches. Brown seems to have the size to be the short-yardage guy, but it’s an iffy proposition.

___

CAGEY BENGALS: Cincinnati isn’t shedding much light on the foot/toe injury to A.J. Green, but they have a favorable matchup against Tennessee, followed by an off week and then a key matchup with the Patriots. Marvin Jones is also banged-up. Don’t be surprised to see Green get a rest, opening the door to an underrated Mohamed Sanu, who had 84 yards and a touchdown last week and showed flashes in 2013. He also had a nifty completion on a wide receiver pass that last week that nabbed him some passing points.

___

QB CAROUSEL: You could make the case that the unpredictability surrounding the wide receiver and running back spots has made a top-notch quarterback even more valuable this year. Griffin and Palmer are the only notable quarterback injuries so far, and they were hardly top-notch fantasy plays. But if you want to get ahead of the curve (and realistically this only pertains to two-QB leagues) keep an eye on the situations in Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, St. Louis and Minnesota. The Blake Bortles era will arrive at some point in Jacksonville, Mike Glennon is lurking in Tampa Bay after an 0-2 start, and who knows what will happen in St. Louis, although Austin Davis turned in a gutty performance. The boos for Cassel and calls for Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota were ridiculous when you consider it was one bad game in a week where Peterson was suddenly out of the lineup, but the pressure will intensify if the Vikings keep losing.

___

Follow Hoffner on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JoshHoffner

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote