MatScouts Dynasty Fantasy Wrestling Pre-Draft Preview (Earl Smith)

If you think back hard enough, you may remember that your timeline was blowing up with random wrestler names and the hashtag #MatScoutsDynasty just over a year ago. That was the inaugural draft of the MatScouts Dynasty Fantasy League.

Since then, deals were made, duals were waged, and teams were sent to a grand National Tournament in March vying to be the Top Fantasy Wrestling Team in the Dynasty League. We now enter Season 2 of the #MatScoutsDynasty League, so let's catch you up to where all the teams stand.

As a refresher, here is the basic point scoring rules:

For wrestlers competing in dual meets, Standard Dual Team Scoring is used (win by Dec +3, loss by Dec -6, etc).

Bonus Points are given when your wrestler beats a ranked wrestler OR if your wrestler loses to a ranked wrestler

ex: if your wrestler beats Spencer Lee by Dec, your wrestler would get +3 for the Dec and another +6 for beating the #1 ranked wrestler.

If your wrestler loses by Dec to Spencer Lee, your wrestler is penalized only for -1 pt.

One starter per weight with two Flex classes.

Two in-season competitions of Head-to-Head Duals and Cumulative Total Points. Each competition brought with it the prize of earning additional team points for the National Tournament. 1st place = +9 team points for Nationals, 2nd place = +8, etc (if you win 1st in the Duals and Total Points, you earn +18 team points for Nationals, etc)

The Ninnie's Propaganda

Team Manager: Earl Smith (@EarlBSmith20)

How It Started:

He accepted the invite back when he was the Earl of TOM, now he's the skipper of the InterMat crew. Earl had the #3 pick

For Earl's full draft recap, see the full draft board HERE

Hindsight Draft Review:

First Round Pick (#3 Overall): Only a Junior, Earl thought he was getting a National Contender for the next two years when he selected 285 Gable Steveson (Minnesota) with the #3 overall pick. This offseason really played with Earl's emotions, though, as it was one of the great string-them-along will he/ won't he return drama's we've seen in some time. Now we know he's signed with the WWE and he will return for one last rodeo on the folkstyle mat. He has shown through the past season that he is in another galaxy compared to the loaded heavyweight competition. He finished as the #2 Fantasy Wrestler at 285 and #4 overall in Fpts.


Great Picks: Drafted late in the 20th round (#198 overall) 165 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) was picked up to be a reliable backup as Carson Kharchla was chosen 4th round to anchor the 165 spot. Also, some weight uncertainty loomed as it was unclear if he would be going 165 or 174 for this season. Everyone knows Anthony and the talent, but he had yet to AA which may be one reason why he slid in the draft. But, as unfortunate the injury to Kharchla was, Valencia took over the starting role and finished as the #8 Fantasy Wrestler at 165 and finally caught that elusive AA trophy


Under The Radar Pick: Originally drafted for 165, a mid-season lineup change solidified Peyton Mocco into the starting 174 role for Missouri. Mocco was selected #223 overall (23rd round) after an up-and-down 2020 season in which he still was able to be #25 in Fpts at 165. This season, he finished as the #2 Fantasy wrestler at 174 and was #20 overall in Fpts in WrestleStat leagues.


A Miss For This Season: 133 Stevan Micic (Michigan) was drafted in the 3rd round (#23 overall) and logged 0:00:00 mat time this season. It's a Dynasty League so luckily he was carried over, but when you're in your 3rd year of Med-School, do you have time for practice?

How The Season Played Out:

Some weight changes and injuries caused Earl to have to dip into the Transfer portal a couple times. The Ninnie's Propaganda went on a 4-dual win streak before losing the next two and securing 3rd in both Total Points and in the Dual Standings. His team did, however, win the last dual of the regular season so they get some momentum heading into Nationals with his earned +14 bonus team points.

See the full Dual and Total Points Standings HERE


Because of the weight changes, injuries, and some season cancellations, the Transfer Portal was used a few times:

- Adds 141 Allan Hart (Missouri) with use of an open roster spot

- Drop 125 Reece Whitcraft (Oklahoma State), adds 157 Justin Thomas (Oklahoma)

- Drop 174 Shane Reitsma (Rider), adds 125 Micah Roes (Binghamton)
​
The Ninnie's Propaganda was also involved in two trades this season (made right at the deadline):

- 3/15/2021: The Ninnie's Propaganda trades 149 Jaden Abas (STAN) to Team Gould for a 2022 4th Round Pick ; Drop 285 Colby Whitehill (Pittsburgh)

- 3/15/2021: The Ninnie's Propaganda trades a 2022 3rd Round Pick to Team Upson for 125 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (OKST)


2021 NCAA Tournament

The Ninnie's Propaganda approached the 2021 NCAA Tournament with this End-of-Season Roster:

And this is the lineup Earl entered for Nationals:

Finishing with 90 total points, The Ninnie's Propaganda finished in 9th place in the #MatScoutsDynasty League Standings for the inaugural season.

The Ninnie's Propaganda Entering the 2022 Season Draft

Potentially, Earl enters the 2022 draft with only one of his main 10 starters being a Senior (Micic) and a pretty young base foundation for 125, 165, and 197. Immediate needs for the future are at Heavyweight as, for all we know, this is the last Folkstyle season of Gable Steveson, and 133. It wouldn't hurt to get a little depth at the heavier weights, just in case either. In the next two seasons, 10 wrestlers will have graduated, but overall there is good balance up and down the lineup to build and not lose a step.

The Ninnie's Propaganda is the #2 pick in the draft this season on October 18, 2021. Who should he target? Should he drop anyone before the draft? What weights need depth? Should he look to trade? who?

Let us know!