Every week I'll examine the most common NFL players on the teams eliminated in Yahoo Death Leagues, trying to figure out where the puck is headed. I will also offer some FAB advice ($1,000 cap is the Yahoo default), but please remember this area is highly context-sensitive and manager-specific.
Waiver strategy in Death LeaguesIf you're new to this format, it's critical to understand that waiver strategy is significantly different in the world of Death Leagues.
You can often win a traditional fantasy league with modest help from the waiver wire, maybe a timely pickup or two. Sure, it's great if you crush the market and land the right guys — the best managers will always aim to be smart on the wire — but if your drafted team stays healthy and runs pure, some years that might be enough.
Death Leagues are back and better than ever. (Photo by Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)Immediate needs vs. playing the long game
In Death Leagues, the eventual winning manager will have assembled a MONSTER team at the end of the year, a juggernaut, a Pro Bowl-type of roster. And the way you build that beast is usually by having resources all season — not by using the majority of your FAB on a tantalizing early star. It's pivotal that you understand that the waiver wire should get stronger and stronger every week in Death leagues, because the eliminated manager is coming from a smaller and smaller league size every week.
Unless you have a draft touched by the fantasy angels, you are unlikely to win a Death League without a successful and careful waiver-wire strategy.
My Death League strategy is centered on the concept that I like my squad early in the year and I am confident I can beat at least one team per week while the field of opponents is large. Therefore, while I will dip my toes into the FAB market in the first quarter of the season, my primary goal is to keep major reserves in play for later in the year, when bye weeks hit and injuries are more prevalent — and the pool of opponents is smaller (so advancing is harder, in theory). Again, I urge you to remember: the waiver wire in Death Leagues gets stronger as the year gets deeper, a key reason to be judicious with your resources.
Not everyone will share my strategy, of course. If you want to chase major improvements and use the bulk of your FAB to load up quickly, then shoot your shot. Play the strategy you're comfortable with. Just understand that my recommendations are predicated on being careful early, and if you prefer something more aggressive, you'll have to jump the numbers up. You know your room better than an outsider does.
Understanding FAB recommendations
I will offer weekly FAB recommendations in three buckets:
Proactive: This means you highly covet this player, perhaps might even need this player. I realize these offers might not win if someone in your league is lighting money on fire, but as described above, that's often a short-sighted mistake in this format.
Reactive: This means you desire the player but the offer has to make sense for your short- or long-term strategy.
Keep Them Honest: This is an offer that is not designed to win, but might surprisingly land a player if your opponents are distracted by other talent available or unexpectedly passive that week. I often compare notes with other experienced Death League players and we're surprised at how often the Keep Them Honest offers actually win (this is also a portable strategy for regular season-long leagues; you never know when strange market behavior will come about).
One last note: understand that the FAB recommendations are with the assumption that you won't be making offers for every available player.
10 most common players on eliminated teamsWR Justin Jefferson, Vikings (22.1%)
In-game injuries are always going to be damaging to Death League players, though we can't be sure the Minnesota passing game will be reliable with QB Kyler Murray. Jefferson's MRI came back clean on his ankle, so he might be in play for Week 4. I'd like to wait for a bigger name in future weeks, but you have to consider your own roster and trust your instincts.
FAB Recommendation:
$220 proactive
$115 reactive
$55 keep them honest
RB De'Von Achane, Dolphins (21.7%)
He was looking like one of the busts of the season, tied to an offense that's got dozens of problems. Achane has an ACL tear and is done for the year, so don't forget to make modest FAB offers for Ollie Gordon II or Jaylen Wright.
WR Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers (21.1%)
Even with Xavier Legette scratched and Jalen Coker hurt in-game, McMillan failed to launch at Cleveland. It's hard to know how much of Carolina's fast start was matchup-boosted, but a bounce back against Detroit looks likely.
FAB Recommendation:
$150 proactive
$75 reactive
$20 keep them honest
RB Omarion Hampton, Chargers (16%)
The rushing lanes were hard to find in Buffalo, and Hampton was essentially ignored in the passing game. Worse yet, Keaton Mitchell was effective with a role increase, and the upcoming LAC schedule is a meat grinder. Very early in this Los Angeles season, it could be too late.
FAB Recommendation:
$125 proactive
$60 reactive
$20 keep them honest
RB Chase Brown, Bengals (15%)
His workload appears safe, though the Bengals haven't been able to unleash him as a receiver the last two weeks. Brown's good-not-elite talent level always made him more of a second-round pick, but he's still a slam-dunk starter in any traditional format.
FAB Recommendation:
$235 proactive
$150 reactive
$85 keep them honest
WR Jaylen Waddle, Broncos (14.8%)
He had his second washout game of the year, though at least Waddle managed a 2-point conversion to slightly mitigate the damage. Bo Nix doesn't look comfortable with new play caller Davis Webb, but hopefully a date with a slumping San Francisco defense will help the cause this week.
FAB Recommendation:
$160 proactive
$70 reactive
$20 keep them honest
QB Drake Maye, Patriots (14.3%)
We have to be reasonable given that he's working without top WR A.J. Brown, but Maye is also making bad decisions on a weekly basis. For the time being, he needs to be treated as a boom/bust QB2 as opposed to an every-week starter.
FAB Recommendation:
$70 proactive
$30 reactive
$5 keep them honest
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots (13.3%)
He's going to share with Rhamondre Stevenson every week, and Henderson is seeing almost zero work in the passing game. The Patriots offense needs to be handled very carefully until further notice.
FAB Recommendation:
$65 proactive
$25 reactive
$4 keep them honest
WR Nico Collins, Texans (12.6%)
Injuries have been a part of his entire NFL career, and it's basically sunk the Houston offense this season. Collins has a shot to play in Week 4, and the upcoming schedule is decent. It all comes down to health.
FAB Recommendation:
$160 proactive
$75 reactive
$25 keep them honest
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions (12.6%)
The low yardage was a fluke, and even in a bad game, Brown still had a touchdown and eight targets. Detroit remains one of the most bankable carnivals in the NFL, so pay up.
FAB Recommendation:
$350 proactive
$200 reactive
$125 keep them honest
TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills (12.3%)
Variance bit at the wrong time, though at least he maintained a healthy snap share. The upcoming schedule isn't that friendly, but we like exposure to the Josh Allen passing game.
FAB Recommendation:
$125 proactive
$55 reactive
$12 keep them honest