How to Use Survive The Chop Each Week

Connect your league once

From the Dashboard, connect your Sleeper username and import your guillotine league. If you play in several leagues, use the league selector to choose the one you want to review.

Survive The Chop reads your league data. You still set your lineup and submit claims in Sleeper. If you have not finished drafting, start with Draft Coach. The routine below is for your team after the draft.

1. Start with the lineup you already have

Open My Team and check the selected league and week. Under My Roster, Optimal Starters shows your recommended lineup based on weekly projections. The Bench section shows your other options.

Use that lineup as the starting point for waivers. Where would an addition actually play? Would he replace a weak starter, move someone else into the flex, or sit behind players you already own? The full lineup matters more than a comparison between two players at the same position.

2. Check your position against the field

Open Survival Odds to see your estimated chance of avoiding the week's elimination. This adds the rest of the league to the lineup comparison: a respectable projected score may still leave you near the bottom of a strong field.

Use the estimate to assess how urgently you need an upgrade. It is an estimate for the selected week, not your chance of winning the season.

3. Compare the whole waiver plan

In FAAB Insights, open Recommendations. Review the proposed additions and drops, then use the Plan controls to include or remove players you want to compare. You can include a priced player even when his recommendation says Pass.

Read the explanation for each move. An addition might improve this week's starters, offer a stronger season option, or cover a future bye. Check the proposed drop too. A player on your bench this week can still be valuable later.

The plan comparison shows lineup points, estimated survival, your planned bid total, and the FAAB you would have left. Compare individual claims with the combined plan. Two players who each improve your current lineup may compete for the same spot if you get both.

In the survival comparison, No change means the projected score outlook is unchanged. Little change means the outlook changed, but the estimated survival difference is under half a percentage point. Neither label answers whether the player has a useful role later in the season.

4. Put a price on the improvement

Open Market Prices in FAAB Insights for broader winning-bid benchmarks. Use them as context for the auction, alongside the recommendation for your roster. What comparable players have cost and what this player is worth to your team are different questions.

Suppose a receiver would only replace a similar flex, while a running back would replace your weakest starter and move that starter into the flex. The running back may improve two slots. Compare that full gain, the proposed drops, and the money each option leaves for later weeks before choosing your bids.

Planned bids are not guaranteed winning prices. Check availability and waiver timing in Sleeper, then submit your claims there. If several claims can all succeed, review their combined cost. Our season strategy guide goes deeper on balancing an upgrade now against later opportunities.

5. Review results and the next available players

Once your league's waivers have processed, open Results in FAAB Insights for the relevant week. Review the winning bids in your league.

Return to My Team after your roster updates. Compare your new starters with the plan you wanted to build, then set the lineup in Sleeper. Revisit Recommendations too: players dropped by other successful bidders may fill a need you still have.

Use the results to learn about your league's spending, while allowing for different players, team needs, and remaining budgets next week. One aggressive auction is useful context, not a fixed price list.