Fantasy Football: Benefits to using FAAB waiver system

What is the FAAB waiver system and why use it in fantasy football leagues?

There are plenty of ways to spice up any fantasy football league. As opposed to having a snake draft, you could go the auction route, or even play dynasty. But one thing that could make things interesting in your league is adopting the FAAB waiver system. What is it and why should your league consider using it? What are the benefits to going with this waiver system?

The Fantasy Footballers give a brief explanation of what the FAAB waiver system is and why it provides a new level of strategy towards picking up players. First off, FAAB stands for Free Agent Acquisition Budget. This means you have an allotment of money to spend on players who are on waivers. Think of this as an auction style draft, but with free agents.

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In most leagues, you’re probably accustomed to having the team with the worst record in the league have the first dibs at picking up a player in fantasy. Once you claim someone, you go to the bottom of the waiver wire, as other players in your league climb up closer to top priority. But with the FAAB waiver system, the free agent in question on the waiver wire goes to the highest bidder.

The FAAB waiver system adds so many extra wrinkles to fantasy football.

For most people new to the FAAB waiver system, they can be a little timid when it comes to paying the big bucks for a guy on the wire. Keep in mind that players will have more value on the waiver wire earlier in the season because those particular players will have more opportunities to start games for you during the fantasy season. Their value only decreases as the season goes on.

So don’t be afraid to spend big early on a guy in the first few weeks of the fantasy season. If you’re going to be crushed if you don’t end up with a certain player, make sure you’re willing to pay a premium for him. If you’re indifferent about getting a guy, then don’t be as hard on yourself if you’re not down with paying the big bucks for a free agent. Let someone else pick him up instead.

Lastly, make sure you haven’t exhausted all of your budget by the time the fantasy playoffs come around. While most FAAB waiver system leagues will allow you to bid with no dollar amount attached, because it would be so cruel otherwise, those last few weeks are the most critical. You don’t want to see the player you need to win your league go to someone else and beat you.