Episode 6 - The FAAB Four
Stop wasting FAAB! Jeff introduces the FAAB Four: four fundamental questions that turn chaotic blind bidding into a repeatable, strategic process.
Most dynasty managers approach waivers with the wrong two questions: “How much should I bid?” and “Should I spend early or save for later?”
In this episode of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock reframes those questions entirely, unveiling the FAAB Four Fundamentals that guide every smart bid:
1️⃣ What problem am I trying to solve?
2️⃣ What kind of player is this?
3️⃣ When do I expect value from this player?
4️⃣ What am I giving up if I win this bid?
Drawing on the Five Kinds of Players classification and the Startability Ladder, Jeff shows how to use roster context, timing, and opportunity cost to make every dollar count. He explains why chasing “flavor-of-the-week” dart throws just rearranges your patio furniture — lots of motion, no real improvement — and how to align your spending with your strategic direction (North, South, East, West).
Whether you’re a rebuilder hoarding upside or a contender filling short-term gaps, this episode gives you a repeatable method to answer the only two questions that actually matter: When to spend and how much to spend.
Key Takeaways / Highlights
“Stop asking how much and when — start with why.”
The FAAB Four framework: Problem → Player Type → Timeline → Opportunity Cost.
Avoid the “rearranging patio furniture” trap of cycling dart throws.
Allocate FAAB based on team direction:
• North: 60% Next Man Up / 30% Developing / 10% Dart Throw
• West: 80% Next Man Up / 20% Dart Throw
• South: 40% Next Man Up / 40% Developing / 20% Dart Throw
• East: 50% Next Man Up / 20% Developing / 30% Dart Throw“Spend when a player who fills a real need becomes available — not when the calendar says so.”
If FAAB is tradable, treat it as an asset — and spend it with purpose.
Chapter Timestamps
00:00 – The wrong questions about FAAB
03:49 – The FAAB Four explained
04:43 – What problem am I trying to solve?
06:08 – What kind of player is this?
09:38 – Rearranging the patio furniture (traps of dart-throw cycling)
10:36 – Time horizons (Now, ROS, Dynasty, Trade)
13:19 – Opportunity cost
17:09 – Applying the Compass Directions to FAAB budgets
18:19 – When to spend 100% on one player
19:38 – Allocating FAAB by direction
23:54 – When to spend (the real answer)
Related Links / Mentions
Watch this episode on YouTube
Listen to thiss episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Ep. 1: Where Are You Going?
