Fantasy football is back. Some fantasy football darlings balled out, while others left much to be desired. That's the beauty of NFL fantasy leagues; you can never predict how action will happen.
So, as we prepare for week two of the 2023 NFL season, it's high time to look at the waiver process in fantasy.
First off, injuries and suspension are a regular thing in professional sports. However, the ability to stack up backup plans for such scenarios differentiates a good from a top-notch fantasy manager. That's where waivers and trades become super handy.
Having a stellar waiver strategy can singlehandedly win you a fantasy championship, but you'll have to do it masterfully. Of course, assembling a decent roster is essential, but so is being on the lookout for the best waiver moves.
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The Waiver Wire Process
The waiver wire is a fantasy model that distributes players not part of anybody's roster. Each franchise possesses a waiver priority order, which decides the order in which they can claim free agents.
Hence, you can place a waiver claim on said player if you spot a free agent to add to your team. Once the waiver period ends, you will get the selected player if you have the highest priority among the team that has put a waiver claim on that player.
If you don't get the player, you put in a waiver claim, which means you did not possess the highest priority in waiver rankings. Better luck next time.
What time do ESPN fantasy football waivers clear?
The ESPN fantasy football waiver process is between 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. ET. Once the timespan elapses, they either clear waivers, meaning no one has claimed them, or join the free-agent pool.
Unclaimed players in the pool can now be obtained on a first-come, first-serve basis. Such a move will not affect your team's current waiver position. Kindly note that players in or out of the 24-hour frame will be placed as a Free Agent. A dropped prospect previously part of a franchise for more than 24 hours will always be placed on waivers.
What time do Yahoo fantasy football waivers clear?
As regards Yahoo fantasy football waivers, these are processed daily, sometime between 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. ET. They either clear waivers or join the free-agent pool when the time elapses. Like with the ESPN iteration, unclaimed players can now be chosen via a first-come, first-serve method. That does not affect your existing waiver position.
Regarding how long it takes to process a trade-in Yahoo fantasy, only one manager must protest a trade in a Public Prize League for the League Office to initiate the trade review process. That will be reviewed in 24 hours after the two-day league review period. Furthermore, notes left by team managers involved in the trade are typically considered.