The fantasy baseball draft is an important part of building a winner, but the job isn't finished once you select your initial team. The waiver wire is a critical part of finding hidden talent that helps all season, shoring up weaker spots on your roster, and grabbing certain players to help in categories that can push your team from a loss to a win.
It means paying attention to player trends, being on top of fantasy baseball news, and knowing the pulse of your team each day. It's not an exact science, but the most active fantasy baseball managers are typically the most successful because they cut loose players who aren't helping and pick up waiver wire gems that improve their team at little cost.
Understanding the Role of the Waiver Wire in Fantasy Baseball
The waiver wire is the pool of players who were not selected during the initial fantasy baseball draft or who have been cut by another team. The depth of a league's waiver wire is dependent on how big active rosters are, but most leagues have a large pool of players that can contribute at some level. It allows fantasy baseball managers to add talent to their team, whether that's to pick up a hot player or one returning from injury, or to hunt certain MLB player stats that help fill weaknesses on their current roster.
Many leagues have a waiver wire order, which begins with the reverse draft order and then puts teams at
The fantasy baseball draft is an important part of building a winner, but the job isn't finished once you select your initial team. The waiver wire is a critical part of finding hidden talent that helps all season, shoring up weaker spots on your roster, and grabbing certain players to help in categories that can push your team from a loss to a win.
It means paying attention to player trends, being on top of fantasy baseball news, and knowing the pulse of your team each day. It's not an exact science, but the most active fantasy baseball managers are typically the most successful because they cut loose players who aren't helping and pick up waiver wire gems that improve their team at little cost.
Understanding the Role of the Waiver Wire in Fantasy Baseball
The waiver wire is the pool of players who were not selected during the initial fantasy baseball draft or who have been cut by another team. The depth of a league's waiver wire is dependent on how big active rosters are, but most leagues have a large pool of players that can contribute at some level. It allows fantasy baseball managers to add talent to their team, whether that's to pick up a hot player or one returning from injury, or to hunt certain MLB player stats that help fill weaknesses on their current roster.
Many leagues have a waiver wire order, which begins with the reverse draft order and then puts teams at the bottom of the list once they use waivers to add a player. Other leagues use FAAB (free agent acquisition budget), where managers bid on waiver-wire players. No matter the system or the depth, staying active on the waiver wire is critical to success when done within reason.
"You shouldn't drop players you used high picks on early in the season just because they're struggling," said RotoWire baseball expert James Anderson. "Similarly, you shouldn't rush and grab any free agent who is off to a good start in a small sample. However, if you pick your spots, the waiver wire can be a great place to find reinforcements throughout the season."
Identifying Short Term vs. Long-Term Waiver Targets
Waiver wire targets come in all shapes and sizes. Short-term impact players can be acquired for a few reasons, whether it's because they are pitchers with two-start weeks, they have a favorable schedule in great hitter's ballparks or they are replacing an injured player in the lineup. It's important to check RotoWire's daily MLB projections to see if someone is due for a big game or week and still on the wire.
Long-term waiver wire targets are also important. These can be injured players who were dropped by teams that can't afford to hang on to players putting up no stats. Managers should check fantasy baseball dynasty rankings to see where these targets fall to get in early before their value skyrockets.
Timing Waiver Claims and Free Agent Add/Drops
The most important waiver wire adds happen early in the season. Once MLB games start counting for real, it's easy to see players who are on a trajectory toward exceeding expectations. Bullpen situations become clearer, and players who had question marks in spring training will prove valuable.
A good rule of thumb for adding players off the waiver wire is to only do so if you believe another team will be interested. Oftentimes, it makes sense until a player clears waivers to then pick them up as free agents, which then maintains your spot on waiver wire priority. It's important to go a day early rather than a day late on waiver wire targets, especially in competitive leagues. Most times a waiver wire addition won't hurt you even if they don't pan out, but it can sting if another team grabs a competitive player before you do.
Use good judgement on whether a player is going to be a true difference-maker or just give you a nice short-term boost before deciding to use a waiver claim on him.
"In leagues where you lose your waiver priority each time you make a claim, you'll need to be more judicious about which players you actually use the claim on, particularly if you can add the player later for free if they pass waivers," Anderson said. "The vast majority of free agents aren't worth burning your claim position on. This goes for any short-term add and most long-term adds."
Using Advanced Stats and Trends to Spot Breakouts Early
Not all relevant fantasy baseball players are selected in drafts, so there's always going to be some talent in the pool once your league begins. This is where it's crucial to use tools and resources from the fantasy baseball draft kit to identify sleepers and targets throughout the season.
RotoWire's experts are constantly churning out content with analysis on the hottest names in most waiver wire pools. Staying on top of these articles and trends can help you grab a player before the rest of your league does.
"In fantasy baseball, while it is a marathon and not a sprint, you can't be patient when it comes to adding breakout players," Anderson said. "It's a zero sum game, so if you miss the breakout player, someone else in your league will get them. Don't just rely on surface stats to find your breakout players, as small samples can make any player look better than they are."
Building Roster Advantages Through Waiver Management
In head-to-head leagues, managers will want to use the waiver wire for adding specific categories that can help them win weeks in close categories. Managers should also be looking for players who can help over the course of the season, but being strategic toward the weekend will pay off.
In Rotisserie leagues, it's important to know the strengths and weaknesses of your team and try to balance out the latter through the waiver wire. You'll be able to see your projected stats with RotoWire's fantasy baseball draft assistant on draft day, which you can then use to help you find the types of players you may want to target early in the season to fill statistical holes.
"If you can plan for this in advance, then you can really capitalize," Anderson said. "For example, you may decide that you'll rely on waivers to find your second and/or third closer, or maybe you'll use waivers to consistently churn your last outfield spot to make sure you're using players with the platoon advantage that are also facing a bad pitcher. This way you're using waivers as a coordinated tool, instead of just blindly looking for breakouts who you might not be able to fit into your lineup anyway."
You just need to subscribe to RotoWire to be prepared. RotoWire's list of tools and resources are always being updated, so you'll know who and what to look for when it comes to attacking the waiver wire to grab the next difference-maker for your fantasy baseball team before the rest of your league does.
