The waiver wire in NFL fantasy football is a system designed to manage the acquisition of free agents or players not currently on a team. Waiver claims help ensure equal opportunity and fair play for every team to acquire the best available talent throughout the season.
The waiver wire is critical to season-long fantasy football success. Weekly waivers can be a saving grace when staring down a brutal injury, a slew of Week 12 bye weeks or when regret sets in as soon as your draft ends.
Let’s see how the waiver wire works across fantasy football leagues and how you can master it.
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How Does the Waiver Wire Work?
At the beginning of each week, typically on Tuesday, players who are not on team rosters become free agents and are placed on the waiver wire. Every team has a waiver priority ranking that determines the order in which they can claim players.
The process works like this:
- Early in the week (typically Tuesday) you submit a waiver claim for a player that you want on your team.
- After about 24 hours, claims are processed in the waiver order.
- The team with the highest waiver priority that submitted a claim gets that player.
- Once successful, that team’s waiver priority drops to the bottom of the list.
- They must then wait until their turn comes again to make another priority claim.
Priority Ranking Waivers vs. FAAB Waivers
There are two main waiver systems used in fantasy football: priority ranking waivers and free agent acquisition budget (FAAB). Both are designed to create a fair playing field when acquiring free agents, but each comes with their own unique strategies.
Priority Ranking Waivers
This traditional ranking system, also known as rolling waivers or continuous waivers, determines the order in which teams can claim players. When multiple teams place waiver claims on the same player, the team with the highest waiver priority gets them. After a successful claim, their priority drops to the bottom of the list.
This system ensures three key things:
- It’s simple: The ranking system is straightforward and doesn’t require managing a budget or strategizing bids. You just need to focus on your waiver priority and know when to use it.
- Equal priority: The waiver order constantly changes as successful claims push teams to the bottom of the list. This ensures every team gets chances to acquire top free agents throughout the season.
- Strategic timing: This system rarely rewards impulsive decisions. When you have high waiver priority, you use it wisely on players you think will genuinely improve your team even if it’s just for one week.
Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) Waivers
In the FAAB waivers system, each team receives a virtual budget at the beginning of the season, most often about $200. This budget is used to bid on unclaimed players throughout the season.
When you want to add a player, you submit a bid stating how much you’re willing to spend to get them. Whoever has the highest bid gets the player and has that amount deducted from their budget.
Here’s what sets FAAB apart:
- Blind Bidding: All bids are secret until the waiver period ends. This prevents other teams from seeing how much you’re willing to spend on a player.
- Strategy and Budget Management: FAAB waivers require careful planning and budget management to ensure you allocate your resources wisely throughout the season. Overspending early can leave you with a smaller budget later, while being too conservative might mean missing out on valuable players that could have meaningfully changed your roster.
- No Priority Reset: Your position in the waiver system doesn’t reset after a successful claim. You simply have a smaller free agent budget to work with moving forward.
Key Strategies for the Waiver Wire
Monitor Player Performance and Opportunity
Stay informed about player injuries and depth chart movements. A backup running back becomes immediately valuable when the starter gets injured, for instance, and unclaimed players can quickly turn into fantasy football legends.
Timing Your Claims Strategically
In priority systems, don’t waste high waiver priority on unclaimed players you could potentially get as free agents after waivers clear. Save your top priority for genuine difference-makers or players multiple teams are likely targeting.
Budget Management in FAAB Leagues
Allocate your FAAB budget across the season strategically. Consider spending more early in the season if there is a clear sense a player might break out, but always reserve some budget for mid-season emergencies or playoff pushes.
Research Matchups and Schedules
Look beyond just current performance. A player with favorable upcoming matchups or a soft playoff schedule might be worth prioritizing over someone with better recent stats but tougher opposition ahead.
Consider Your Team’s Needs
Target players who fill specific gaps in your roster rather than just chasing the highest-scoring available player. A consistent flex option might be more valuable than a boom-or-bust player if you need reliability.
Streaming the Waiver Wire
Sometimes the best pick up is a one-week hero to get you through your tight end’s bye week, which you can then drop again to pick up a new backfill. In a game where every matchup matters, finding every advantage is crucial.
Common Waiver Wire Mistakes to Avoid
Chasing Last Week’s Points: Don’t get caught up in recency bias. Look at underlying metrics like targets per week which tend to mean more opportunity and sustainability rather than just one big game.
Ignoring Bye Weeks: Consider upcoming bye weeks when making claims. A player might not help you if they’re unavailable during crucial weeks.
Overlooking Defense and Kickers: While skill position players get most attention, streaming defenses and kickers based on their matchups can provide valuable weekly advantages.
Making Emotional Decisions: Avoid panic moves after one bad week from your starters. The waiver wire should supplement your team, not constantly replace it.
Maximizing Your Waiver Wire Success
The waiver wire can make or break your fantasy football season. Whether you’re using priority rankings or FAAB, success comes down to preparation, patience, and strategic thinking.
Stay active, do your research, and remember that sometimes the best waiver wire move is the one you don’t make. Oh, and check your league settings to make sure you know what waivers system your league uses.
By understanding these systems and strategies, you’ll be better positioned to navigate the waiver wire effectively and build a championship-caliber team throughout the season.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the waiver wire in fantasy football?
The waiver wire is a place where undrafted or un-rostered players can be claimed by managers to add to their bench or starting line up each week.
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