Waivers / Strategy guide

The two-week waiver test

Give every pickup a job before you give them a roster spot.

Start with a job

Write down what this pickup is for: a starter this week, a bye-week replacement, or a bench stash with a plausible path to more work. That job determines how much uncertainty you can tolerate.

Look for repeatable work

Before chasing a big box score, look for the snaps, routes, targets or carries that made it possible. If the case depends on an injury ahead of the player, plan for both outcomes: the starter misses time or returns.

Set an exit point

Pick the next decision date before making the claim. If the player still has no usable role after two weeks, compare the roster spot with the best available alternative. Keep the player only if the case still holds.