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Who To Pickup for Fantasy Football?
Compare up to four NFL players, and we'll give you fast advice. All free!
We'll help you decide who to pickup for fantasy football. Drill down and compare waiver wire rankings, projections, recent news and strength of schedule side-by-side. Other websites don't offer this type of tool, let alone allow you to compare more than two players at once, but at RotoBaller it's all free!
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Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Winning Your League
In fantasy football, each manager will draft a team consisting of NFL players. Typically, most rosters consist of one quarterback (QB), two running backs (RB), two wide receivers (WR), one tight end (TE), a kicker (K), a defense (DFST), and several bench spots.
While you may be thinking your team looks complete following the draft, after the opening week of the season, you may have several of your top players suffer an injury. This is where the waiver wire comes into play.
The waiver wire will allow you to address your positions of need throughout the long and enduring season. For example, last season in standard formats, fantasy managers likely picked up Bucky Irving, Tank Bigsby, and even Justin Herbert or Bo Nix early off the waiver wire, and each became a strong option throughout the season.
By using this fantasy football waiver wire tool. You can make the correct and informed decisions to position your team better to finish at the top of the standings at the end of the fantasy football season.
Understanding the Waiver Wire Process
The waiver wire consists of players who are currently non-rostered. This means that they were either not selected during your draft or your league has dropped them through the course of the season.
On most fantasy platforms, the players on the wire are ranked by their projected point total for the upcoming week or their total score throughout the season.
In addition, the majority of leagues will likely use a waiver wire priority system that will allow the teams that have the lowest record (or who last the previous week) to have “first bid” on the available players. However, some formats utilize a traditional bidding system using FAAB (free agent acquisition budget), which allows each league manager to place a bid on a given player.
The team that placed the highest bid will then reward that player. This system is typically used in more competitive settings to prevent the worst team from always getting the best players.
FAAB also incorporates strategic planning, as each team is only given a specific budget at the start of the regular season.
By understanding how your specific league’s waiver wire operates, you will be in a great position to make the ideal decision to win your fantasy football league.
Key Features of a Fantasy Waiver Wire Tool
This waiver wire tool allows you to compare numerous players at different positions to determine which one you should prioritize on the waiver wire. When you select specific players, the tool highlights which player ranks higher. This advice is quite clear to digest.
This waiver wire tool will also include their respective positional ranking, which also provides users with a different perspective on their potential long-term value. This comparison contains up-to-date rankings and projections that will take injuries and projected snap shares into account, which is a valuable guide to follow.
On this tool, the players are identified by their specific team, such as (ATL, DEN, MIA, CAR), and position (QB, RB, WR, TE).
This waiver wire tool also contains easy-to-use features that can help the user find which players they are looking to compare very quickly.
Lastly, this tool is entirely free to use and applies to all league types and formats. Using our lineup sync function, you can import your roster for easier access.
Top Waiver Wire Pickups
Knowing which players to pick up can play a significant role in pushing your team up in your league standings. Throughout the season, the waiver wire often features many emerging players, making it difficult to decide which one to add.
Last season, fantasy managers saw Jerome Ford start the season on a high note, and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine flash immense TD upside during a month-long stretch. However, by using these player rankings, fantasy managers can easily determine which player has the highest rest-of-season outlook and which player's production could be unsustainable.
Throughout the season, many depth chart changes can also shake up the wire. When Russell Wilson took over the starting job in the Steel City from Justin Fields, he was likely a highly coveted pick on many waiver wires. However, this tool would have advised you to slightly pump the brakes and avoid overspending your FAAB budget on the aging QB.
In addition, it is also crucial to take a closer look at some lesser-known players, such as potential handcuff running backs like Jordan Mason, Patrick Taylor Jr., and Trey Benson. When Mason earned a starting job, he was viewed as a must-start player in all formats. By using this tool, you will not miss out on any of the top players during the year and have your roster deep and covered at all positions.
Using the Football Waiver Wire Rankings to Your Advantage
In order to win your fantasy football league, you must pay vital attention to the waiver wire at all times. By doing this, you will always be one step ahead of your league mates and will continue to roster the most opportunistic players.
Another way to gain an edge is to monitor who your fellow league mates drop. These players then proceed and eventually hit the waiver wire. If your teammates were impatient and dropped a veteran who was having a slow start, like Aaron Rodgers, you could have secured a solid QB1 by the end of the season. Last season, Rodgers had a modest start but found his footing in the second half when Davante Adams was eventually traded to the Jets.
Fantasy managers should also pay close attention to their weekly matchups when adding players. Targeting the right kicker and/or defense can push you over the edge in a tight weekly matchup. Most of the top streaming defenses can likely be found on your waiver wire.
How to Use the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire
The first step is to identify the positions your team needs. If you are lacking at quarterback (QB), running back (RB), wide receiver (WR), and/or tight end (TE), prioritize that position at the top of your waiver claim list.
If you're falling behind in the running back depth, it is not a bad idea to prioritize an emerging rookie who may have higher upside during the season's stretch run. In 2024, several rookies like Bucky Irving and Jalen McMillan reached the highest value peaks during the fantasy football playoffs, but both were likely on your waiver wire over the first month of the season.
By keeping a close eye on who is available and, more importantly, who is dropped, you will always stay ahead of your league mates and will be able to make the necessary adjustments to push your team over the edge.
Determining How Many Players to Compare
This fantasy football waiver wire tool allows you to choose up to six players at a given time. While this may seem overwhelming at first, the tool provides clear-to-read, digestible data targeted to your league.
The players near the top are typically the popular searches.
However, while you can compare numerous players at once, it is wise only to compare QBs to other QBs and not to flex position and vice versa. Flex positions like RB, WR, and TE can carry different value than the QB position.
If your team needs a QB, it's more important to prioritize the position over the top-ranked TE on the waiver wire.
Staying Ahead of the Competition
The final component of mastering the waiver wire is staying ahead of your competitors. While the tool helps you identify the top-ranked player, understanding recent news can give you an even further advantage.
For example, if a veteran running back is viewed as the top-ranked player but has begun to receive fewer opportunities, it may be wise also to stash their backup in case the starter falls out of favor with the coaching staff.
While this may seem like a bold move, the managers who opted to stash Tank Bigsby over the heavily-favored Travis Etienne Jr. likely reaped the benefits throughout most of the 2024 campaign.
Use Our Waiver Wire Tool to Win Your Fantasy League
To win your fantasy league, you need to make strategic moves on the waiver wire to add the necessary depth and upside to your roster. While you cannot predict injuries, being active on the waiver wire can put you in the best position to succeed despite the “luck” and "hope" aspects of fantasy football. It will take some work, but this tool contains vital information to assist you.
Dedicated fantasy managers typically monitor the waiver wire in their league numerous times each week and generally are the ones who target the correct players.
With a focused approach, you'll put yourself in the best possible position to win your fantasy football league and bring home the championship.
