diff --git a/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.simulator.tsx b/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.simulator.tsx
index a82a7fe..f59d4c3 100644
--- a/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.simulator.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.simulator.tsx
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ export async function loader({ params }: Route.LoaderArgs) {
     input: inputMap.get(participant.id) ?? null,
   }));
 
-  return { sportsSeason, participants, config, inputRows, readiness };
+  const inputPolicy = getSimulatorInputPolicy(config.config);
+
+  return { sportsSeason, participants, config, inputRows, readiness, inputPolicy };
 }
 
 interface ActionData {
@@ -234,12 +236,11 @@ export async function action({ request, params }: Route.ActionArgs): Promise<Act
 }
 
 export default function AdminSportsSeasonSimulator({ loaderData }: Route.ComponentProps) {
-  const { sportsSeason, config, inputRows, readiness } = loaderData;
+  const { sportsSeason, config, inputRows, readiness, inputPolicy } = loaderData;
   const actionData = useActionData<ActionData>();
   const navigation = useNavigation();
   const isSubmitting = navigation.state === "submitting";
   const setupSections = config.profile.setupSections;
-  const inputPolicy = getSimulatorInputPolicy(config.config);
   const sourceEloAlternatives = config.profile.derivableInputs?.sourceElo ?? [];
 
   return (
diff --git a/app/services/simulations/ncaam-simulator.ts b/app/services/simulations/ncaam-simulator.ts
index 595bd79..870e74f 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/ncaam-simulator.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/ncaam-simulator.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ import type { BracketRegion } from "~/lib/bracket-templates";
 import { buildNCAA68SlotMap, matchIndexForSeedSlot, NCAA_68 } from "~/lib/bracket-templates";
 import type { Simulator, SimulationResult } from "./types";
 import { logger } from "~/lib/logger";
-import { getParticipantSimulatorInputs } from "~/models/simulator";
 
 // ─── Simulation parameters ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -499,7 +498,10 @@ export class NCAAMSimulator implements Simulator {
         .select({ id: schema.seasonParticipants.id, name: schema.seasonParticipants.name })
         .from(schema.seasonParticipants)
         .where(inArray(schema.seasonParticipants.id, participantIds)),
-      getParticipantSimulatorInputs(sportsSeasonId),
+      db
+        .select({ participantId: schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs.participantId, rating: schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs.rating })
+        .from(schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs)
+        .where(eq(schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs.sportsSeasonId, sportsSeasonId)),
     ]);
 
     if (participantRows.length < participantIds.length) {
@@ -514,7 +516,9 @@ export class NCAAMSimulator implements Simulator {
     const inputById = new Map(simulatorInputs.map((input) => [input.participantId, input]));
     const netRatingById = new Map<string, number>();
     for (const { id, name } of participantRows) {
-      netRatingById.set(id, inputById.get(id)?.rating ?? getNetRating(name));
+      const rawRating = inputById.get(id)?.rating;
+      const rating = rawRating !== null && rawRating !== undefined ? Number(rawRating) : null;
+      netRatingById.set(id, (rating !== null && Number.isFinite(rating) ? rating : null) ?? getNetRating(name));
     }
 
     // 7. Build per-round O(1) lookup maps keyed by matchNumber.
diff --git a/app/services/simulations/ncaaw-simulator.ts b/app/services/simulations/ncaaw-simulator.ts
index f665422..d1977c5 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/ncaaw-simulator.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/ncaaw-simulator.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ import type { BracketRegion } from "~/lib/bracket-templates";
 import { buildNCAA68SlotMap, matchIndexForSeedSlot, NCAA_68 } from "~/lib/bracket-templates";
 import type { Simulator, SimulationResult } from "./types";
 import { logger } from "~/lib/logger";
-import { getParticipantSimulatorInputs } from "~/models/simulator";
 
 // ─── Simulation parameters ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -462,7 +461,10 @@ export class NCAAWSimulator implements Simulator {
         .select({ id: schema.seasonParticipants.id, name: schema.seasonParticipants.name })
         .from(schema.seasonParticipants)
         .where(inArray(schema.seasonParticipants.id, participantIds)),
-      getParticipantSimulatorInputs(sportsSeasonId),
+      db
+        .select({ participantId: schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs.participantId, rating: schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs.rating })
+        .from(schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs)
+        .where(eq(schema.seasonParticipantSimulatorInputs.sportsSeasonId, sportsSeasonId)),
     ]);
 
     if (participantRows.length < participantIds.length) {
@@ -477,7 +479,9 @@ export class NCAAWSimulator implements Simulator {
     const inputById = new Map(simulatorInputs.map((input) => [input.participantId, input]));
     const barthagById = new Map<string, number>();
     for (const { id, name } of participantRows) {
-      barthagById.set(id, inputById.get(id)?.rating ?? getBarthagRating(name));
+      const rawRating = inputById.get(id)?.rating;
+      const rating = rawRating !== null && rawRating !== undefined ? Number(rawRating) : null;
+      barthagById.set(id, (rating !== null && Number.isFinite(rating) ? rating : null) ?? getBarthagRating(name));
     }
 
     // 7. Build per-round O(1) lookup maps keyed by matchNumber.