Waiver System Guide
A comprehensive guide to understanding and using the waiver system for adding and dropping players in your fantasy football league.
Overview
What is the Waiver System?
The waiver system is a fair and organized way for teams to add players to their roster when multiple teams want the same player. Instead of a "first come, first served" approach, waivers ensure that all teams have an equal opportunity to claim players based on predetermined rules and priorities.
Fair Access
All teams get equal opportunity to claim players
Scheduled Processing
Claims are processed at set times to prevent chaos
Priority System
Clear rules determine who gets priority
Waiver Types
Continuous Waivers
Players are always on waivers. When a player is dropped, they immediately go to waivers and must be claimed through the waiver system before they can be added to any team.
Important Note
This is the most restrictive waiver type and prevents immediate pickups of dropped players.
Daily Waivers
Waivers are processed once per day at a specified time. All claims submitted before the processing time are evaluated together, and the highest priority claim wins.
Advantages
- Predictable processing schedule
- Time to research and strategize
- Fair evaluation of all claims
Best For
- Serious fantasy players
- Leagues with active managers
- Strategic gameplay
Weekly Waivers
Waivers are processed once per week, typically on Tuesday or Wednesday. This gives teams time to evaluate their roster needs and make strategic decisions.
Typical Schedule
Sunday: Games played, players locked
Monday: Players remain locked
Tuesday: Waivers process (often morning ET)
Wednesday: Free agent period begins
Gameday Waivers
Players are locked at the start of their game and remain locked until the next waiver processing period. This prevents last-minute roster changes during games.
Lock Timing
Players are locked when their game starts and unlock after the next waiver processing period.
Lock Types
Automatic Locks
The system automatically locks players based on the waiver type and schedule. No manual intervention required.
When Players Are Locked
- When their game starts (Gameday Waivers)
- When dropped by a team (Continuous Waivers)
- During processing periods (Daily/Weekly Waivers)
Manual Locks
Commissioners can manually lock specific players for various reasons such as injury, suspension, or league-specific rules.
Common Reasons
- Player injury
- Suspension
- Trade rumors
- League investigation
Commissioner Tools
- Lock individual players
- Set lock duration
- Add lock reasons
- Unlock players early
Processing and Priority
How Claims Are Processed
Processing Order
- All pending claims are collected
- Claims are grouped by player
- For each player, claims are sorted by priority
- Highest priority claim wins
- Winning team's priority moves to the end
- Remaining claims are rejected
Tiebreakers
Primary: Waiver priority (lower number = higher priority)
Secondary: Bid amount (higher bid wins in FAAB leagues)
Final: Claim submission time (earlier claim wins)
Priority System
Standard Priority
Priority 1 = Highest priority
Priority 12 = Lowest priority (in 12-team league)
After successful claim, priority moves to end
Priority resets weekly or based on standings
Auction Priority
Bid amount is primary factor
Higher bid wins regardless of priority
Ties broken by waiver priority
Minimum and maximum bid limits apply
For Users: How to Use Waivers
Submitting a Waiver Claim
Step-by-Step Process
- Navigate to your team's "My Team" page
- Click on the "Waivers" tab
- Browse available players or search for specific players
- Click "Claim Player" on your desired player
- Select claim type (Add Only or Add/Drop)
- If dropping a player, select who to drop
- Enter bid amount (if applicable)
- Add optional notes
- Submit your claim
Claim Types
Add Only: Add a player without dropping anyone (if roster space available)
Add/Drop: Add a player and drop an existing player from your roster
Managing Your Claims
Viewing Claims
- See all your pending claims
- Check claim status and priority
- View processing schedule
- Monitor claim history
Canceling Claims
- Cancel claims before processing
- No penalty for canceling
- Priority is not affected
- Can resubmit if needed
Strategy Tips
For Standard Leagues
- Save high priority for valuable players
- Use lower priority for speculative adds
- Monitor other teams' needs
- Plan your claims strategically
For Auction Leagues
- Budget your waiver budget wisely
- Don't overbid on speculative players
- Save money for late-season needs
- Consider your remaining budget
For Commissioners: Managing Waivers
Setting Up Waiver Rules
Configuration Options
- Waiver type (Continuous, Daily, Weekly, Gameday)
- Processing time and timezone
- Processing days of the week
- Bid amounts (min/max for auction leagues)
- Tiebreaker preferences
- Claim limits per team/player
Access Path
League Settings → Commissioner Tools → Waiver Settings
Managing Player Locks
Manual Locks
- Lock players for injuries
- Lock players for suspensions
- Set custom lock durations
- Add lock reasons and notes
Lock Management
- View all active locks
- Unlock players early if needed
- Monitor lock history
- Bulk unlock operations
Processing Claims
Automatic Processing
Claims are automatically processed according to your league's schedule. The system handles all tiebreakers and priority updates.
Manual Processing
Commissioners can manually process claims outside of the normal schedule for special circumstances or league events.
Processing Reports
- View processing results
- See which claims were approved/rejected
- Monitor priority changes
- Export processing history
Priority Management
Resetting Priorities
- Reset based on standings
- Reverse current priority order
- Custom priority assignment
- Weekly or manual resets
Priority Monitoring
- View current priority order
- Track priority changes
- Monitor priority usage
- Export priority reports
Frequently Asked Questions
When are waivers processed?
Waivers are processed according to your league's settings. This could be daily, weekly, or continuously depending on your waiver type. Check your league settings for the specific schedule.
Can I cancel a waiver claim?
Yes, you can cancel any pending waiver claim before it's processed. Once processed, claims cannot be canceled.
How does priority work?
Priority is determined by your league's settings. In standard leagues, lower numbers have higher priority. After a successful claim, your priority typically moves to the end of the line.
What happens if multiple teams claim the same player?
The team with the highest priority (lowest number) wins the claim. In auction leagues, the highest bid wins regardless of priority.
Can I make multiple claims for the same player?
No, you can only have one pending claim per player. You can cancel and resubmit if you want to change your claim details.
What if I don't have roster space for an add-only claim?
Add-only claims will be rejected if you don't have available roster space. You'll need to use an add/drop claim instead.