The weekly "Trust the Gut" column returns with its Week 23 FAAB strategy guide, aimed at managers competing in 15‑team and 12‑team standard 5×5 roto leagues. This edition zeroes in on the most promising free‑agent hitters and pitchers who could shift the balance of power in your roster.
Key Updates for Week 23
The piece provides sortable FAAB tables that list preliminary player rankings alongside bid ranges. These tables are refreshed each Friday evening, then fine‑tuned throughout the weekend as new performances emerge and injury news ripples through the league.
A Sunday update will be posted by 8 p.m. ET, offering the finalized rankings and a direct link at the bottom of the column for readers who need the most current information before locking their lineups.
To give context to the week’s recommendations, the article references a Preseason FAAB Primer that outlines overarching tactics and strategic principles for the 2026 season, helping managers align short‑term bids with long‑term planning.
Maximizing Your Bidding Power
The central recommendation is to prioritize both high‑upside hitters and reliable pitchers who are expected to clear waivers or become available on the free‑agent market. By consulting the bid ranges, managers can gauge how much of their FAAB budget should be allocated to each position group, ensuring they retain flexibility for unexpected breakout candidates.
Because the market shifts rapidly, the guide stresses the importance of staying agile — monitoring injury reports, platoon updates and recent performance trends — to adjust bids on the fly and capture value before the weekend’s final waiver claims are processed.