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FANTASY PLAYS: QBs have more value amid injuries

By WTOP Staff

JOSH HOFFNER
Associated Press

The 2014 season may go down as the worst year ever for the first five picks in fantasy football drafts.

Let’s assume your league went LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte and Eddie Lacy at the top of the draft. They have combined for 810 yards and one touchdown through three games, giving them 87 fantasy points based on standard scoring formats (1 point for 10 yards, 6 points for a touchdown).

Now add up the points for Andrew Luck, who could have been drafted somewhere in the seventh round. He has scored 95 points in leagues with standard CBSSports.com and Yahoo scoring formats. Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan and Jay Cutler aren’t far behind.

The disparity between one mid-round pick and half of the entire first round demonstrates how undervalued quarterbacks are in an era when injuries to running backs are rampant and rule changes provide greater leeway to the QB position. It also raises the question about whether preseason quarterback rankings should be given higher value in the future to reflect the trend.

Quarterback is also a position where you can find some value on the waiver wire and through trades as the season unfolds, something that is even more necessary now that bye weeks are upon us. Here are five QB plays to consider:

KIRK COUSINS: His gem turned in for Washington against Philadelphia (427 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) has created a quandary for fantasy owners because it’s impossible to know if the game was an anomaly or a sign of great things to come. If you have the roster spot and question marks at quarterback, why not take a flier and grab Cousins?

WILSON AT HOME: How is this for a QB strategy? Draft Russell Wilson and start him only when Seattle is at home and find a suitable second option during the Seahawks’ road games. You pretty much know what you’re going to get from him at home: 250 yards, 2 TDs, 40 to 50 yards on the ground, not many interceptions. If you could bank on that for eight games and scrounge for points in the other weeks, it might work.

KAP AND TRADE? Colin Kaepernick can be obtained at a bargain-basement price on the trade market after a rough 1-2 start for San Francisco. If you think the 49ers will pull out of this funk, get their house in order and surge in December, it’s worth going after him at a cheap price. Remember, San Francisco was 1-2 last year at this point, but the team reeled off winning streaks of five and six games to finish strong. But if you think the poor start is a harbinger for a bad 2014 season, then stay away.

JOE FLACCO: The Super Bowl-winning quarterback has never been much of a fantasy producer, but Flacco is a viable option as a bye-week replacement or a spot matchup play. The Ravens are passing even more in their new Gary Kubiak system, so don’t be surprised to see Flacco put up some big numbers at various times in the year as he becomes more comfortable in the offense.

TWO-QB LEAGUES: In a nod to the growing number of two-QB leagues, the carousel is spinning even more forcefully heading in to the fourth week. Last week we talked about how Blake Bortles and Mike Glennon were lurking in the state of Florida, and both will be starting this week. The next wave: Keep an eye on the situations for the Titans (Charlie Whitehurst/injured Jake Locker), Jets (Michael Vick/ineffective Geno Smith), Dolphins (Matt Moore/ineffective Ryan Tannehill, who isn’t getting a strong vote of confidence from his coach) and Panthers (Derek Anderson/Cam Newton, who was hurting badly in Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh).

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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
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