Play action.(Fantasy Source)

Waiver priority means little in leagues in which it's first come, first served. Quickly getting fantasy updates (from the Fantasy Source) is the key. However, owners with weekly waiver drafts need to put more thought into moves.

That is where my team has fallen short this season. I have burned claims when I didn't need to. As a result, I have missed out on high-quality performers (Drew Brees and Marcus Robinson) when other owners trumped me. I also have done the opposite, passing up decent additions (Ben Roethlisberger and Jesse Chatman) because I wanted to save my waiver priority for a really hot find.

In order to avoid any more second-guessing, I have put together a plan of attack for the future:

Waiver priority 1-4: To use one of these top spots, you'll need to be sure that the player you are adding is worth it. (Note, I didn't say team; don't waste a top pick on a defense or a kicker.) Mostly, you're looking for a player at one of the key positions who could start at least every other week. Later in the year, an injury fill-in (Antowain Smith, Derrick Blaylock) also makes sense.

Waiver priority 5-6: You're stuck in no man's land--not high enough to save your priority but not low enough to use it on anyone. The people ahead of you might influence which way you go. If they have been sitting on their spots for a while, you're probably not going to move up quickly. Feel free to use a claim when you see a high-quality addition that won't last long enough to become a free agent.

The rest: Folks above will get to the top choices before you, but they'll be hesitant to put in claims on borderline players. Use claims early and often. You don't have to worry about dropping; you're at the bottom already.

M@IL BONDING