Fantasy Football FAAB Guide: Managing Budget, When to Spend

Auction drafts are harder than standard snake drafts in fantasy sports. With the standard draft, you simply wait for your turn to come around and choose from the players on the board; we have all watched the NFL Draft and know how it works. In an auction, though, you have the chance at every player in a way you wouldn't if you were stuck with the 10th pick.

FAAB auction bidding is even more difficult because instead of just spreading your money over the players in the draft, you must budget for the entire season. Spend your whole wad on a guy in Week 2, and you can't add anyone else on the waiver wire when you inevitably get another injury. Save all your money for a rainy day, and you might get to the end of the season without having anyone to spend it on, essentially wasting it while watching other teams add good players.

Let's go through some of the basics of FAAB waiver bidding and a few strategies for how to use your money. Some of this will just be the basics for those who are taking part for the first time in Week 2, but then we will dive a little deeper for those who have played before or want to start off with a better plan in mind.

Use the FantasySP waiver wire tool to keep up with the players who are being added the most heading into each week.

What is FAAB?

I won't spend a lot of time here; you can learn all the basics at this link. Essentially, every owner gets the same budget (often $100 for the year) to use when claiming free agents from the waiver wire. There is no waiver order in this case: the owner who bids the most adds that player and loses the corresponding money from their pool.

In most cases, that FAAB money doesn't have any other purpose, so spending it all is the best practice. If you're in a dynasty league that might carry over unused dollars to next year's auction draft, then it is fine to have a few dollars left over. Don't wait to add a player who can help just for possible future use, though. Make moves that will help you win this season.

(One note: free agents are often available for free after the waiver period ends, so don't waste any dollars on someone you can just pick up on Wednesday morning.)

When to Use Your Money

If you're a fan of the show Survivor, you are familiar with the auction they have most seasons. After about 20 days, each contestant is given an amount of money to bid on items that range from food to advantages in the game to “mystery boxes” of sorts. When the items are gone, the auction is over, and those left with money often have no use for it (it's usually not real money, though there have been exceptions).

FAAB follows the same guidelines, though at least you know when the auction will end. The same pitfalls exist: Spend big on the first item, and you might miss out on the major prize later. Wait too long, and you might miss out altogether and be left with useless paper (digital or otherwise).

I wish there was an easy answer, but it really falls into randomness as to when you should use your budget. If you drafted a tight end you expected to star, but he got hurt in Week 1, it would be worth splurging on the guy who had a breakout game and is available. If you just see a running back who might have a path to work later in the season, though, don't blow 10% of your budget just so he can sit on your bench on the off chance you need him.

My best rule is always to spend all of your money. If you're left with just a few dollars at the end, that's fine. I don't want to walk away from the season with $25 in my pocket, though, especially if I get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs and can only look back at the pieces I could have added.

With that in mind, I will tell you to be cautiously aggressive. Don't just go spend every time you get a slow week from your receivers. Instead, identify players at positions of need or guys with big ceilings who are worth adding and use your money when it is relevant. That might mean spending some weeks and not other weeks but don't wait for that big splash until it's too late.

Strategy for Bidding

I generally operate under three different bidding structures: conservative bids, need bids, and desperation bids. The way I go about every player changes based on the needs of my roster.

• Conservative bids: This is for a guy I would expect to maybe use some weeks but would otherwise see more as a bench player. It's more about building depth than finding stars at the conservative level. These bids usually don't go above a dollar or two depending on the player and position.
• Need bids: This level is for players who fill a position I'm weak at and who I would expect to be in the lineup at least half the time. The more I'd expect out of the guy in question, the more I would bid; player performance varies the spending more at this stage than any other.
• Desperation bids: This level is just like it sounds. You are desperate for someone, anyone, to come in and make a weekly impact at a position, and you're willing to overpay to secure that player. This often happens when you suffer an injury to your star quarterback, for instance, and need a fast replacement later in the season. There's no time to waste in desperation mode; open your wallet and pay up for the player in question.

The amount you would spend at each of these levels varies depending on the player and position. Think back to when Kurt Warner burst onto the scene with the Rams in 1999: Warner wouldn't have been on many fantasy rosters to start the season, but when he threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, he would have been worth spending big on. If owners were still skeptical, his value would have risen further each week when he had at least 275 yards and three touchdowns in each of the first four games.

Daniel Jones had a big Week 1 this season, but we've seen him as a below-average player, so his FAAB value is low. If he keeps it up for a few more games, though, he will be a hot commodity amongst the QB bidders.

One other little trick I picked up last year: most owners will bid to numbers ending in 0 or 5, like $5, $10, $15, etc. Make your standard bid one dollar more, like $6, $11, $16, and so on. Call it the Price is Right technique. This will get you more players that your league-mates might want and only costs you an extra dollar.

FAAB Final Notes

There is no magic pill, equation, or solution in FAAB bidding. Every season (and every week) is different, and the guy you are waiting for to spend your money on might never come. The best strategy is to monitor your team and spend when you need to. It's OK to save money for the first month, especially if things are going well, but it's important to start using your budget as the season progresses and injuries start affecting your lineup or giving other guys more opportunities.

I write a suggested FAAB bids article every week here at FantasySP and give recommended ranges for some of the hottest waiver wire names. Check back each week to find some of the biggest free agents and ideas on how much it's worth bidding on each guy.

In the end, it comes down to your team, though. Sometimes, you need to grab a guy no matter what the cost, and you'll spend more than suggested. Other times, you'll be strong at a position, so it won't be worth wasting money on a player you'll never use. Every owner must make their own call, but you can take in as much information as possible before making those decisions (and inevitably learn along the way).