Weekly Fantasy Checklist

The 5 Non-Negotiable Weekly Tasks

Fantasy football is won by consistency. Do these 5 things EVERY week and you'll beat 70% of your league.

Miss even one, and you risk losing a matchup you should've won.

This checklist takes 20-30 minutes total per week. That's it.

Task #1: Check Injury Reports (Friday-Sunday)

When: Friday afternoon, Saturday evening, Sunday morning

Injuries are the #1 reason people lose fantasy matchups they should've won.

What to Do:

Where to Check:

What to Look For:

Pro Tip:

If your 1 PM player is Questionable, consider starting a 4 PM player instead. Gives you 3 more hours to get info.

Task #2: Submit Waiver Claims (Tuesday Night)

When: Tuesday 6-11 PM (before waivers process at midnight)

The waiver wire wins championships. Missing this weekly task is inexcusable.

What to Do:

1. Check who's available at each position

2. Prioritize injured starter replacements

3. Target breakout players from Sunday's games

4. Submit 2-3 claims (in priority order)

5. Drop your worst bench players

Who to Target:

✅ Backup RBs whose starter got injured

✅ Players who had 15+ touches or 8+ targets

✅ Defenses with good matchups next week

✅ Streaming QB if yours is on bye or injured

Who NOT to Waste Claims On:

❌ Players with one lucky TD

❌ Your 4th QB

❌ Handcuffs for players you don't own (unless elite backup)

Pro Tip:

Submit claims early Tuesday (like 7 PM). Don't wait until 11:59 PM and forget!

Task #3: Set Your Lineup (Sunday Morning)

When: Sunday 11:30 AM ET (30 minutes before noon games)

Seems obvious, but you'd be shocked how many people forget.

What to Do:

1. Open your fantasy app

2. Check your starting lineup

3. Verify no one is on bye

4. Verify no one is injured/out

5. Make any last-minute swaps

6. Hit "Save Lineup"

Double-Check These:

☐ All starting slots filled (no empty spots)

☐ No players on bye week

☐ No players listed as "Out"

☐ Flex spot has your highest-projected bench player

☐ Thursday night players are locked in correctly

Common Mistakes:

❌ Leaving a player in who's on bye

❌ Starting a "Questionable" player in the early game

❌ Forgetting to move a player from bench to starting lineup

Pro Tip:

Set a recurring phone alarm for Sunday 11:30 AM: "SET YOUR FANTASY LINEUP NOW!"

Task #4: Stream Defense/Kicker (Tuesday-Wednesday)

When: Tuesday night (waiver claims) or Wednesday morning (free agents)

Holding the same defense/kicker all season is leaving points on the table.

What to Do:

For Defense:

1. Look at next week's schedule

2. Find the worst offense (32nd ranked, backup QB, etc.)

3. Claim the defense playing AGAINST that team

4. Drop your current defense (don't hold 2)

For Kicker:

1. Check weather forecasts

2. Find games in domes or good weather

3. Claim kicker on good offense in that game

4. Drop your current kicker

Where to Find Streaming Advice:

Pro Tip:

Prioritize defense over kicker. Defense can swing 20 points. Kickers are 90% random.

Task #5: Review Next Week's Matchups (Wednesday)

When: Wednesday afternoon (5-10 minutes)

Being proactive wins leagues. Reactive managers always lose.

What to Do:

1. Check next week's opponent

2. Identify which of your players have byes next week

3. Plan ahead for streaming options

4. Check your players' upcoming schedules (next 3 weeks)

Questions to Ask:

Pro Tip:

If your QB/TE is on bye next week, grab their replacement THIS week on waivers before everyone else does.

Bonus Tasks (Optional but Helpful)

Monday Morning: Review Your Loss/Win

Wednesday Afternoon: Check Trade Opportunities

Thursday Evening: Thursday Night Football Decisions

Saturday Night: Final Injury Check

The Full Weekly Timeline

Tuesday Night (15 min):

☐ Submit waiver claims

☐ Drop bench dead weight

Wednesday Morning (5 min):

☐ Check if you won your claims

☐ Grab free agents if needed

☐ Review next week's matchups and byes

Friday Afternoon (2 min):

☐ Check first injury report

Saturday Evening (3 min):

☐ Check updated injury report

Sunday Morning (10 min):

☐ Check final injury report

☐ Set your lineup

☐ Double-check everything

Sunday-Monday (0 min):

☐ Watch games and enjoy (nothing to do)

Total Time: 35 minutes per week

That's it! Follow this checklist and you'll never miss anything important.

What Happens If You Skip These Tasks?

Skip Task #1 (Injury Reports):

You start a player who's Out. You get 0 points. You lose by 5 points.

Skip Task #2 (Waiver Claims):

Your opponent grabs the hot waiver pickup. He scores 25 points against you. You lose.

Skip Task #3 (Set Lineup):

Your WR1 sits on your bench. Your bench WR starts. WR1 scores 30, bench scores 5. You lose.

Skip Task #4 (Streaming DST):

Your defense faces the Chiefs. -3 points. Streaming option would've gotten 12. You lose by 10.

Skip Task #5 (Plan Ahead):

Your QB is on bye next week. You forget to stream a replacement. Wednesday morning, all good QBs are gone.

The Pattern:

Every skipped task = a lost matchup. Don't skip tasks.