SFFL 2005
League Rules: Part 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Notes

• Chapters aren't consecutive because I based the layout on this fantasy baseball constitution.
• All times are Central Time.

I. WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS

1.1. The WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS runs every Thursday at 6:00 PM. In other words, the deadline for submitting trades, waiver claims, and free agent bids is Thursday at 6:00 PM.

1.2. Exception: If there is a NFL game on Thursday, the WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS will be moved to Wednesday for that week only.

1.3. Exception: Thanksgiving week, the WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS will be moved to Tuesday for that week only.

II. DRAFT

2.1. Each team must acquire 10 players (which includes their "keepers") at a total cost not to exceed $300 (not real money). A team need not spend the maximum.

2.2. Each player is auctioned off to the league. The highest bidder obtains the player and their bid becomes the player's salary.

2.3. The minimum bid is $1.

2.4. Bids must be in minimum increments of $1. In other words, no $5.50 or $6.45 bids. Only $5, $6, $7, etc.

IX. TRADES

9.0. The trade deadline is week 12 of the NFL regular season.

SCHEDULE DETAIL

9.1. From the completion of the draft until the first day of the season, owners are free to make trades of any kind without limit and without roster requirements.

9.2. From the first day of the season until the trade deadline, owners are free to make trades of any kind without limit, so long as the active rosters of all teams involved reflect the required position distribution upon completion of the transaction. This would include subsequent pickups, drops, etc.

9.3. No trades may take place from the trade deadline until the end of the fantasy playoffs.

9.4. From the day after the fantasy playoffs end until two weeks before the draft, owners are free to make trades of any kind without limit and without position requirements.

9.5. No trades may take place from two weeks before the draft until the completion of the draft.

9.6. There are no limits to the number of trades a team may make.

9.7. Only players may be traded.

REQUEST FOR COMMENT & APPROVAL

9.8. After a trade is accepted by the owners involved, it must be communicated to the Commissioner by the start of the WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS.

9.8.5. The rest of the league will be notified of the trade after the WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS is complete.

9.9. When the league is notified of the trade, a Request For Comment (RFC) period begins. During the RFC period, owners may submit their comments regarding the trade to the Commissioner (publicly or privately). The Commissioner will approve or veto the trade based on the RFC's and his own judgment.

9.10. Once the RFC period has begun, the owners involved cannot withdraw the trade.

9.11. If the trade involves the Commissioner's team, the Co-Commissioner will make the final judgment. If the Commissioner and Co-Commissioner are both involved in the trade, another owner, agreed upon by the league, will make the final judgment.

9.12. If a trade is vetoed by the Commissioner, it will be undone.

9.13. During the season, trades are subject to at least a 24-hour RFC period.

9.14. In the off-season, the RFC period is 7 days.

X. WAIVERS

10.1. A player released by a team goes on waivers.

10.1.5. A player on the NFL injured reserve (IR) or physically unable to perform (PUP) list may not be claimed off waivers.

10.2. The waivers process will be run during the WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS.

10.3. The team highest on the waivers list gets their first choice of the players on waivers. When they get a player, they are moved to the bottom of the list and the process is repeated.

10.4.1. Preseason: The waivers list starts out in reverse order of the previous year's final standings.

10.4.2. Regular season: The list is reordered each week based on the standings. The team with the worst overall record is at the top of the list. If two or more teams have the same overall record, the following tie-breakers will be used:

1. Breakdown record
2. Total points scored
3. Coin flip or team names drawn from a hat

10.4.3. Playoffs: The waivers list is in reverse order of playoff seeding (12-11... 2-1) and is not reordered each week.

10.5. When a player is claimed off waivers, his salary remains the same.

10.6. After the waiver period has passed, if the player has not been claimed, he becomes a free agent.

10.7. The team who waived the player cannot claim the player off waivers unless no one else does. In other words, for that player only, the team who waived him is at the bottom of the waiver list.

XI. FREE AGENTS

11.1. Any player who (1) is not owned by another team, (2) is not currently on waivers, and (3) is not on the NFL injured reserve (IR) or physically unable to perform (PUP) list may be acquired as a free agent.

11.2. No free agents may be acquired from the day after the fantasy playoffs end to the completion of the draft.

11.3. Free agents may be picked up from the conclusion of the draft to the last day of the fantasy playoffs.

11.4. Free agents are bid on. The bids are blind; no one, including the Commissioner, knows who bid what amount until the deadline. The deadline for submitting bids is the start of the WEEKLY TRANSACTIONS PROCESS.

11.5. The highest bidder acquires the free agent. His bid becomes the player's new salary.

11.6. If there is a tie for highest bid, the team with the worst overall record wins. If they have the same overall record, the following tie-breakers will be used:

1. Breakdown record
2. Total points scored
3. Coin flip or team names drawn from a hat

11.6.5. If there is a tie for highest bid and no regular season records have been established, the team with the worst overall finish the prior year wins.

11.7. The minimum bid is $1.

11.8. Bids must be in minimum increments of $1. In other words, no $5.50 or $6.45 bids. Only $5, $6, $7, etc.

11.9. The waivers list is for waivers only. If you sign a free agent (because you are the highest bidder), you do not move to the bottom of the waivers list.

11.10. Each team can acquire free agents at a total cost not to exceed $40 per season (not real money). This is your Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB). In other words, you have $40 to spend on free agents for the year. Once you've spent your $40, you may no longer bid on free agents.

11.11. Players you claim off waivers do not count against your FAAB.

11.12. Players you trade away and players you get via trades do not effect your FAAB.

XIII. OTHER LEAGUES

13.1. Only players on a NFL roster may be added to a fantasy roster (via the draft, waivers, free agency -- whatever).

Note: The intent is to prevent teams from adding NCAA or NFL Europe players at the end of the season. The rule will be applied at the commissioner's discretion.

13.2. If a player on a fantasy roster is dropped by his NFL team or otherwise isn't on a NFL roster anymore, the player can remain on the fantasy roster. He does not have to be dropped.

XIV. ROSTER PROTECTION AND CONTRACTS

14.1. From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players.

14.2. The names of the players being retained must be reported to the Commissioner one week before the draft.

14.3. After two seasons (a season is defined as any part of a NFL season) of a player being owned by any team without having been released to the free agent or draft pool, the player must be released.

14.4. If a player is released, he is made available to all teams in the draft.

14.9. Trades and waiver claims do not affect the contract status of a player.

14.10. Once a player has been released to the free agent or draft pool, his contract status is cleared. In other words, the team that acquires a player via free agency or the draft does not inherit that player's previous contract.

14.11. Players added via waivers or free agency after the trade deadline cannot be kept for next year. In other words, they have a one year contract good only for the current year.

XVII. TEAM OWNERSHIP CHANGES

17.1. If more than one owner leaves the league and more than one owner is brought in to take their place, a random drawing will determine which new owner will inherit which available team. Unless a team is inherited by a new owner directly from the team's old owner.

XVIII. REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

18.1. There are 12 regular season games.

18.1.5. There are 3 divisions, 4 teams in each division, for a total of 12 teams.

18.2. Each team plays every division opponent twice and every non-division opponent once. In other words, each team plays 6 division and 8 non-division games.

18.3. There is no home field advantage.