Making the Case
Staying One Step Ahead: Waiver Edition
If you play in a league with a waiver system that resets weekly inverse to the standings, you probably won’t have a shot at the top free agents unless you have one of the worst records in your league. If you want to acquire some of the more valuable free agents, you have to plan one step ahead.
Target players on IR & or who are suspended for multiple weeks.
Most people will try to claim these guys a week or two early and let them sit on the bench for a week before they return, which means that if you want to stay ahead, you should be targeting these players 3 or even 4 weeks before their return.
Another way to stay ahead is to target players who are playing well, but not playing a lot – this can often include rookies, or backup RB's who are "one injury away."
Don't be afraid to cut a low-upside but known quantity for one of these higher-upside "unknowns."