Updated October 31, 2026
NFL waivers decide which team, if any, gets a player after he is released. Other clubs get a short window to claim him before he becomes a free agent. Who goes through waivers, who gets first claim, and what the claiming team takes on are all set by league rules. This explainer covers the NFL system, the 2026 dates that matter, and how fantasy football waivers differ.
What does it mean when an NFL player is waived?
When a team releases a player who is subject to waivers, every other club can put in a claim. If one or more clubs claim him, he goes to the club with the highest waiver priority. If nobody claims him, he clears waivers and becomes a free agent who can sign anywhere (NFL Football Operations, contract language).
For regular-season releases, the claiming period is 24 hours, as reported by the Associated Press and the National Football Post.
Who goes through waivers
Players with fewer than four credited seasons
According to NFL Football Operations, players with fewer than four credited seasons are subject to waivers at all times. Every time one of them is released, the claiming process runs.
Vested veterans
Players with four or more credited seasons, often called vested veterans, are treated differently for most of the year. From the day after the Super Bowl through the trade deadline, they are not subject to waivers. A vested veteran released in that window becomes a free agent right away and can choose his next team.
That changes after the trade deadline. The NFL's 2026-27 calendar says that beginning November 11, 2026, "players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons are subject to the waiver system for the remainder of the regular season and postseason" (NFL.com, 2026-27 important dates). The 2026 trade deadline is 4:00 p.m. New York time on November 10. Our trade deadline explainer covers that cutoff in detail.
How NFL waiver priority works
When more than one club claims the same player, the club with the highest priority is awarded him. The National Football Post describes the order this way: from the day after the Super Bowl through the third week of the regular season, priority follows the order of that year's draft. After Week 3, it follows the current season's standings, worst record first. NFP reports that the switch took effect on September 29 in 2026.
In practice, that means the teams with the worst records have the first chance at players released during most of the season.
What the claiming team takes on
A team that claims a player takes over his existing contract as written, including the salary and remaining years (National Football Post). The player does not choose his new team. Because the claiming club inherits the contract, the money left on a deal is part of the decision to claim. For background on how NFL contracts are built, see Why NFL Contracts Are Not Guaranteed.
Key 2026 waiver dates
| Date (2026) | What happens |
|---|---|
| August 31, 1:00 p.m. ET | Claiming period ends for players released at the cut to 53 |
| September 29 | Waiver priority switches from draft order to current standings (as reported by NFP) |
| November 10, 4:00 p.m. ET | All trading ends for 2026 |
| November 11 | Players with four or more pension-credited seasons become subject to waivers for the rest of the season |
Sources: NFL.com 2026-27 important dates; National Football Post for the priority switch date.
Fantasy football waivers are a different system
Fantasy leagues borrow the name, but the rules come from your league platform and commissioner, not the NFL. Sleeper's support pages describe the three common types (Sleeper, waiver types):
Rolling waivers
Teams are ranked in an order. When a team makes a successful claim, it drops to the bottom and everyone below it moves up.
Reverse standings
Priority resets each week based on the standings, with the lowest-placed team first. This works much like the NFL's in-season order.
FAAB
FAAB stands for free agent acquisition budget. Each team gets a season-long budget, $100 by default on Sleeper, and places blind bids on players. The highest bid wins, and ties are broken by waiver priority (Sleeper, how FAAB bidding works).
Processing times and tiebreakers vary by platform, so check your league settings. For more on the roster side of fantasy, see our post on fantasy football strategy.
Frequently asked questions
How long are NFL waivers?
The regular-season claiming period is 24 hours, per AP and National Football Post reporting. Special deadlines apply at roster cutdown, such as 1:00 p.m. ET on August 31, 2026.
Who gets first claim on a waived NFL player?
The claiming club with the highest waiver priority. Early in the season that follows draft order. After Week 3 it follows the current standings, worst record first.
Do veterans go through waivers?
Players with four or more credited seasons skip waivers from the day after the Super Bowl through the trade deadline. In 2026, they are subject to waivers starting November 11.
Sources: NFL Football Operations, contract language; NFL.com, 2026-27 National Football League important dates; Associated Press, NFL roster and waiver terms; National Football Post, practice squad and waiver rules (Oct. 23, 2026); Sleeper Support, waiver types; Sleeper Support, FAAB bidding.
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