Waivers typically go through during specific processing windows depending on the league or system:
- In many fantasy football leagues, waivers process daily between about 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Eastern Time. Claims are reviewed during this time, and players are awarded to the team with the highest waiver priority. After waivers clear, unclaimed players become free agents available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- For example, if a player is dropped at 8 p.m. ET on a Thursday, and the waiver period is set to 1 day, the waiver claim will be processed on or about 4 a.m. ET Saturday, at the next schedule waiver run at least 24 hours later.
- In the NFL itself, waiver deadlines and processing vary by time of season and roster changes. After the cutdown to 53 players, waiver claims must be submitted by deadlines such as 12:00 p.m. Eastern on certain days and are processed at that time. Non-vested players (those with less than four years of service) go through waivers, allowing other teams to claim them, while vested players become free agents immediately unless after the NFL trade deadline when all players go through waivers.
- Waiver rules and processing days can vary between fantasy platforms (e.g., ESPN, Yahoo, Sleeper) or leagues, with some processing waivers once or multiple times per week, often after games or on specific days like Tuesday or Wednesday.
In summary, waivers generally process during early morning hours (typically between 3-5 a.m. ET in fantasy sports contexts) or at specified deadlines in professional leagues like the NFL, and the exact timing depends on the league or system's rules in place.
