Waiver Wire Priority Calculator
Determine how aggressively to bid on a waiver wire player by weighing his projected upside against your current starter, injury risk, and playoff urgency. Ideal for fantasy managers deciding how much FAAB to spend each week.
About this calculator
This calculator produces a waiver priority score that tells you how valuable a waiver claim is relative to your roster situation. The core formula is: Score = max(0, (playerProjection − currentStarter) × injuryRisk × playoffMultiplier × (waiverBudget / 100) × 10). The projection gap (playerProjection − currentStarter) measures raw point upside. That gap is multiplied by an injury risk factor — a number above 1 amplifies value when the incumbent starter is hurt or questionable. A playoff multiplier (2× for must-win, 1.5× for bubble, 1× otherwise) rewards urgency. Finally, the budget ratio (waiverBudget / 100, capped at 1) scales the score down when your FAAB is nearly exhausted, preventing overbidding late in the season.
How to use
Suppose a waiver receiver projects for 22 pts vs. your starter's 14 pts (gap = 8). Your injury risk factor is 1.2 (starter is listed as questionable). You're in a must-win playoff week (multiplier = 2). You have $60 FAAB remaining (ratio = 0.60). Score = max(0, 8 × 1.2 × 2 × 0.60 × 10) = max(0, 115.2) = 115.2. A score above 100 signals a high-priority claim worth a significant FAAB bid. Scores below 50 suggest a low-priority add you can win cheaply or skip.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set the injury risk factor when calculating waiver priority?
The injury risk factor is a multiplier you assign based on your starter's health status. A value of 1.0 means your starter is healthy and the waiver target's upside is taken at face value. Use values above 1.0 — such as 1.3 to 1.5 — when your starter is listed as questionable, doubtful, or out, because the urgency to replace them is higher. Keeping a consistent scale (e.g., 1.0 = healthy, 1.2 = questionable, 1.5 = out) makes your scores comparable week over week.
When should I use the must-win playoff multiplier in the waiver priority calculator?
Select 'must-win' when a loss would mathematically eliminate you from the playoffs or when you are already in the playoff bracket and cannot afford to drop a game. The 2× multiplier doubles the priority score to reflect that winning this specific week matters more than preserving long-term roster flexibility. If you are comfortably in or safely out of playoff contention, use the neutral multiplier so the score stays grounded in raw point value rather than desperation.
What does a low waiver priority score mean for my fantasy team?
A score near zero means the waiver target offers little or no improvement over your current starter after accounting for risk, urgency, and budget. This typically happens when the projection gap is small, the injury risk factor is near 1.0, or your remaining FAAB is very low. In these cases, it is usually better to save your budget for a higher-impact add later in the season rather than spending on a marginal upgrade now.