Salary cap/contract league - claim Fournette off waivers??

[M-Dub]

Team 3 in sig. $450 salary cap. 60 contract year cap. 20-player rosters.

Fournette was just dropped, due to our deadline to drop players on multiyear contracts prior to kickoff of week 8. He’s on an $83, two-year deal. Only a handful of teams, including mine, have the cap space to pick him up on his current deal. If he clears waivers, he’ll revert to UFA status on a $1 salary and get scooped up by the fastest button masher.

I had planned on this being a rebuild year, but my team has overachieved a bit, thanks mostly to the emergence of Justin Herbert. I’m currently 6-8 and in 10th place based on total points, but thanks to some serious parity in this league, I’m both one game out of the playoffs (five teams get in, fifth place team is 7-7 currently) and one game out of last place (two teams at the bottom of the standings are 5-9). So basically, this season could still go any which way for me.

Basically, I’m wondering if it’s worth committing to him at his current salary/contract. I’m pretty weak at RB, but Lenny’s future seems pretty clouded after this season. Who knows where he’ll end up or what role he’ll have? If I cut him next season, I’ll still be on the hook for 40% of his salary for that year, so about a $33 cap hit.

I was planning on going into the offseason with the most cap space in the league and making a big splash in free agency. A player on an expiring contract becomes an RFA, meaning his owner has the right to match the winning bid on him in our FA auction. Any players that were claimed off the waiver wire will become UFAs, meaning their owners don’t have matching rights. Notable RFA RBs this offseason include Henry, Jacobs, Gurley, Gordon, Edmonds, Conner and Henderson. Notable UFA RBs are basically just JRob and Gaskin. I’m guessing Henry and Jacobs will go for $100+.

Would you guys roll the dice on Lenny for the rest of this year and next on his current deal, or should I just let him clear waivers and try to pick him up as soon as he becomes a UFA?

[Gator Sens]

With Jacobs becoming a FA in your league, I would just hold the cap space. Fournette is not in the same category as Jacobs in my opinion. Hard to say how much Fournette helps you down the stretch anyway with the week to week usage of the RB's in Tampa. Hold off for me.

[TheBelgian]

I absolutely LOVE salary/contract league because of the many layers and decision making behind a simple move. If you thought this year was going to be a rebuild year, but you overachieved, what makes you think you will be in serious competition next year? Do the teams at the top also have a lot of players on 1 year deals? It doesn’t sound like acquiring Fournette is in your current plans.
Current Plans:
Have the most cap space in off-season.
Make big splash in free-agency.

Sounds like you need to pass on Lenny.

[M-Dub]

Stayed up until 3am and claimed him as soon as his salary reverted to $1. Can’t protect him beyond this year, but that still seemed like the more logical route to go. Thanks for the advice!

[never_punts]

Stayed up until 3am and claimed him as soon as his salary reverted to $1. Can’t protect him beyond this year, but that still seemed like the more logical route to go. Thanks for the advice!

This was the right move. nice work. interesting league!