League Configuration:
IBFFFL will consist of one (1) sixteen (16) team division. This division will share a single player pool throughout the Week 17 championship.
Since this is a keeper league, all players with keeper status will be kept until the owner involves that player in a transaction, either a trade or a drop.
Expected Owner Conduct:
All owners are expected to carry themselves in a professional manner that would not harm other owners or the league in general. Bragging and “trash talk” is an expected and interesting part of the game, but should be handled in adult any fashion. The commissioner will draw the line between comments made in good fun and inflammatory comments that could harm the good of the league.
Commissioners Note: I stole most of this constitution from another league and amended it to fit the IBFFFL. Fuck that, this is America, say what you want. Snowflakes can melt.
Submit a competitive lineup every week.
Owners are expected to do their best to improve their teams over the course of the season. This typically means being prepared for the draft and active with their lineups via free agency, trading, etc. The bare minimum responsibility here is submitting a competitive lineup every week of players who are not on bye or injured. The behaviors mentioned above are expected of all owners for the entire season, regardless of their place in the standings. The commish reserves the right to penalize any team if someone “crosses the line”. Not paying attention to a lineup/roster or giving up on a season isn’t fair to other owners and will cause the league as a whole to suffer.
Activity Rules:
Since this is the IBFFFL and the IBFFFL is a keeper league, all owners are expected to be active year round. Obviously less attention is necessary during the offseason as we’re not a full dynasty league.
Owners should check in to the site at least once every two (2) weeks during the off-season.Owners should check in at least once every two (2) days during the regular season.
Owners should vote in each poll on the league website.
Owners should participate in league discussion through email and/or league message board.
Owners should respond to all trade offers in a timely manner. Any trade offers that go without response for two day’s time should be reported to the commissioner.
All owners should select the option to receive an email / text notification of a trade offer.
If an owner is removed from the league for any violation of league rules or by his own choice, the commissioner will take charge of that team until a replacement owner is found and approved.
The commissioner will not perform any transactions on behalf of the abandoned team and the lineup will be entered based on FantasyPros rankings that week.
Tanking:
Tanking, in any form, will not be tolerated in this league.
Every team must submit a complete lineup of active (NO BYES) every week. If you can’t fill a complete lineup with active players, hit the trade wires or the free agent market. Part of the challenge of this league is keeping your keepers while submitting complete active lineups with shallow benches. Enjoy it.
Starting lineups should be submitted as complete and in the best interest of that team. If you have a starter on the bench and you start a reserve, expect some questions.
If an owner is accused of not submitting its best lineup, the commissioner will make a ruling.
If an owner is guilty of tanking, he will be penalized from the league immediately.
Annual Fees:
The annual fees will be due to the commissioners of the league no later than draft night, annually one (1) week before NFL season kickoff. No transaction or other league activity will be allowed until fees are paid.
Entry fee is $250
With 16 owners, our account totals $4000. After league fees, the account has $4000 for payouts. That’s because Sleeper fucking rocks.
Awards:
IBFFFL Champion = $1500
IBFFFL Runner Up = $750
IBFFFL 3rd Place = $400
IBFFFL Season Points Leader (1st 17 weeks) = $500
IBFFFL Single Week High Score (1st 17 weeks) = $50
IBFFFL Best Regular Season (1-14) Record = $50
IBFFFL Non Playoff Round Robin Bracket (Toilet Bowl) = $50
IBFFFL Weekly High Score (1st 17 weeks) = $40/week
IBFFFL Single Player Highest Score (1st 17 weeks) = $20
Total $4000
Offseason Calendar:
January – March:
Payout winners
Bingo Ball Lottery Party
July:
Keeper Declaration
August:
One week before the NFL Regular Season Opener
Draft Night
Get Crunk
Rosters:
Each owner will carry a maximum of 20 players and a minimum of 16 players on their active roster at all times.
Each team will have zero IR spots. Part of the challenge of the IBFFFL is keeping valuable keepers with big starting lineups and relatively shallow benches.
Draft:
IBFFFL uses an 20 round “snake style” draft with alternating rounds. If you pick 1st overall, you won’t pick again until the end of the 2nd round, at which point you will make the 1st pick in the 3rd round.
Draft position is determined by two factors:
Finish previous season & NBA style weighted lottery
Starting Lineups:
All starting lineups have a total of 11 players and will consist of each of the following:
1 Quarterback
2 Running Back
2 Wide Receiver
1 Tight End
1 Super Flex (QB/RB/WR/TE)
2 Flex (RB/WR/TE)
1 Kicker (For some stupid ass reason)
1 D/ST (see Above)
Players are locked five minutes prior to the kickoff of their game. An owner may change the starting lineup status for a player whose game has not yet locked.
The starting lineup cannot include any players on bye week or skill position players listed as out or inactive one day prior to kickoff. All owners should choose the option to receive emails detailing the injury status for their players.
An illegal lineup will result in 0 points and a $5 fine, which will be added to the winnings of the IBFFFL champion.
Roster Limits:
QB 4
DST 2
Schedule:
The regular season will last from week 1 of the NFL season through week 14 of the NFL season.
Each team will play all teams once plus some teams again randomly selected by CBS.
The week begins with the first NFL kickoff and ends with the kickoff of the following week. Therefore, some weeks are longer than others.
Week 15 will feature the following matchups:
(1) Best record vs 2nd best team by power ranks of teams not in playoffs already, Non Division Winners (8)
(2) Next best record vs best team by power ranks of teams not in playoffs already, Non Division Winners (7)
(3) Most points, Non Division Winners vs 4th most points, Non Division Winners (6)
(4) 2nd most points, Non Division Winners vs 3rd most points, Non Division Winners (5)
Week 16 will feature the Winners from week 15 playing. No Reseeding. Winner of 1 vs 8 will play winner of 4 vs 5. Winner of 2 vs 7 will play winner of 3 vs 6.
Losers of Week 15 will be reseeded (by regular season points) and play a two week Consolation tournament for $50 AND the least amount of Bingo Balls IN THEIR TIER for next season’s draft lottery.
Week 17 will be the Championships:
Winners of Week 16 will play for the IBFFFL title.
Losers of Week 16 will play for 3rd/4th place
Winners of the Week 16 Consolation Tournament will play.
Losers of Week 16 Consolation Tournament will play for less Bingo balls.
Additionally, the non playoff teams will play a Toilet Bowl tournament that lasts 3 weeks, with the winner taking $50 AND the best odds for #1 pick next season’s draft lottery. Worst record plays best record, 2nd worst plays 2nd best, etc. Winners advance (not re-seeded) until there are only two teams left, then those winners will face off in Week 17 for the Big Turd Trophy.
Trades:
All trades are final when accepted by both owners and have been executed on the league website. Commissioners reserve the right to overturn trades but this is highly unlikely as no one has a crystal ball and the only overturned trade in 15 years was when Malcolm traded a guy on IR (non Keeper status) for Peyton Manning the season Manning threw 55 TDs. Yes Malcolm, you’re the reason we have trade approvals now. Bask in it.
The trade deadline will occur 5 minutes before kickoff of the first game of the week 11 NFL games.
Off-season trading is allowed, once each team has paid the league fees for the following year. Off-season trading can begin as early as directly after the IBFFL Championship Game. It will begin on draft night at the latest. This is the date for all league fees to be paid.
If an owner thinks a deal is unfair; he has 48 hours to bring that to the attention of the commissioner. The commissioner will then make a decision regarding the validity of the trade.
Owners are encouraged to post on the league message board in order to explain and discuss any recent trades.
During the regular season, once a player is traded to a team, his former team cannot reacquire, through trade, that same player for at least three (3) weeks.
No trading of draft picks in-season. Out of season draft pick trades are allowed, as long as both owners have already paid their League Dues for the following season. No future draft picks may be traded.
Keepers:
IBFFFL is a modified Keeper league, probably unlike any you’ve played in before.
Rounds 12-17 in our draft are Keeper rounds.
Each round has a keeper value assigned to it.
Round 12 = This year + next year
Round 13 = This year + next two years
Round 14 = This year + next three years
Round 15 = This year + next four years
Round 16 = This year + next five years
Round 17 = This year + next six years
Rounds 18-20 don’t have any keeper status assigned to them and generally people take a second K or D/ST in this round, unless drunk, then they take the guy they should have taken in Round 17 for 7 years control.
You may only have one player in each Keeper round on draft night.
Any owner trading FOR a keeper forfeits the right to draft the corresponding keeper slot the following draft. No further restrictions apply.
Subsequently, since it would be impossible to forfeit the same keeper slot twice, no trades that would give an owner multiple keepers in the same slot will be approved.
If an owner wants to drop their existing keeper in that slot to facilitate a trade and give up their right to draft that slot the following year, the trade can then be approved.
Keepers keep their status if they are traded, but not if they are dropped.
Dropped keepers will enter the general draft pool again next year and the owner who dropped the keeper will draft in that round. Owners who elect to keep their players will be skipped in the corresponding rounds.
You can drop all your keepers and redraft all six positions if you chose.
Each kept keeper is moved into the round higher than you selected him in subsequent drafts.
Example: You draft La’Darius-Shaq Rogers in the 12th round this year. You manage to not drop him all season and elect to keep him for the next draft. He will now be your 11th round pick and not have any remaining keeper value after draft night.
Keepers and draft picks are a tradeable asset, for the current year only.
If you trade for a draft pick and the trade leaves you with more than 20 draft picks (including kept keepers), you have to declare what round you aren’t drafting BEFORE the draft starts.
If you trade for a draft pick during the draft, and the above situation applies, you have to declare Immediately what round(s) you will be skipping.
Trading of Keepers:
Any owner trading FOR a keeper forfeits the right to draft the corresponding keeper slot the following draft. No further restrictions apply.
Subsequently, since it would be impossible to forfeit the same keeper slot twice, no trades that would give an owner multiple keepers in the same slot will be approved.
If an owner wants to drop their existing keeper in that slot to facilitate a trade and give up their right to draft that slot the following year, the trade can then be approved.
SuperFlex Rule Change:
Starting in 2018, IBFFFL will be a SuperFlex league. This means we will be adding one (1) starting SuperFlex spot that can be filled by any QB/RB/WR/TE. We will be adding one (1) additional bench spot as well, bringing total rosters to twenty (20).
Because the SuperFlex format favors QBs over other positions, we will be changing scoring for RB/WR/TE to bring QB scoring into alignment. This will include changes to the points per reception for each position, as well as potentially bonuses.
Additionally, we will be instituting penalties for keeping QB keepers after the 2017 season. Please be aware of this as it could affect your 2017 keeper decision making process.
If you have a keeper QB (in 2018) who finished 1-6 (our league scoring), you have to give up your 4th pick to keep him in whatever round he is assigned.
If you have a keeper QB (in 2018) who finished 7-12 (our league scoring), you have to give up your 5th pick to keep him in whatever round he is assigned.
If you have a keeper QB (in 2018) who finished 13-18 (our league scoring), you have to give up your 6th pick to keep him in whatever round he is assigned.
If you have a keeper QB (in 2018) who finished 19-24 (our league scoring), you have to give up your 7th pick to keep him in whatever round he is assigned.
If you have a keeper QB (in 2018) who finished 25-30 (our league scoring), you have to give up your 8th pick to keep him in whatever round he is assigned.
QBs who finished 31st or lower do not incur a pick penalty.
Ranks are for total points, not per game.
Example: I keep Tyrod Taylor in 2018. He finishes 11th again in QB scoring. I would give up my 5th round pick for the privilege of keeping Tyrod as my +2 keeper in the 13th round for 2018.
NOTE FOR 2022: Since all the original QBs that were on rosters after the 2017 season will be gone after the 2022 draft, this will be the last draft with QB keeper picks attached to them. 2023 and beyond, this section will be deleted.
Waivers:
Waivers will be decided using a Free Agent Auction Bidding (FAAB).
Each owner will be given $200.00 of fantasy money to bid on players through the waiver wire system.
Each owner will receive their $200 when their league dues have been paid for the upcoming season.
During the NFL regular season, bids can be placed on free agents following the conclusion of the Monday Night Football game (1:00 AM EST on Tuesday) until Wednesday, ~3:00 a.m. PST. This time depends on Sleeper and isn’t always the same so don’t come bitching to me if you tried to put in a FAAB @ 2:59 and got approved for denial. Plan ahead.
FAAB waivers will run nightly every week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. They’ll actually run at 3:00am the following morning of the listed nights to stop allowing night owls to play the ‘no bid, grab all the FCFS while the 5am crew is sleeping’ game. Unless you want to stay up until 3:00am. Then you earned it. Also, fuck you.
All waiver bids are final once they go through. Excuses like “my goat ate my phone” or “I got fat fingers ayyyyyyyy twss” aren’t going to get your money back so don’t bother. Bid what you want and double check your bids.
Dropped players will remain on waivers for one (1) day before being available to be bid on. This day does NOT include any of part of the day the player was originally dropped.
Waivers will run through the playoffs for all teams, including those not advancing to the playoffs.
Waivers and free agency will be closed during the draft. Owners who have selected Keepers by the Keeper Declaration deadline will NOT be allowed to drop those players and pick a new player in that slot on Draft night.
If a player is dropped accidentally, that owner has one hour to contact the commissioner in order to reverse the transaction. Commissioner will use best judgment to resolve this situation.
Waivers open the Saturday following our draft, 4 days before the 1st NFL game.
FAAB dollars are a tradeable asset, for the current year only.
Commissioner:
Our goal is to have a fair, balanced league consisting of highly active and competitive owners.
The commissioner will act in the best interest of the league at all times.
The commissioner accepts the following responsibilities:
Interpret and enforce rules.
Settle all disputes between owners.
Preside over draft and perform waiver activity.
Removing the commissioner is a serious situation and should be considered a last resort.
Should the need arise for the commissioner to be removed; a majority vote (13 votes) would be required.
Rule Changes:
Rule changes can be proposed at any time, by anyone.
Rule changes will only be instituted at commissioner discretion and ONLY DURING the offseason. Rule changes that will impact Keepers for the following season will be announced but not enacted until the next season. Example: The roster change to Superflex was discussed before 2017 draft, will NOT take effect until after 2018 draft. That allows every team two (2) drafts to prepare for changes.
Rule change discussions will be discussed beginning the Saturday after the IBFFFL championship.
Miscellaneous:
Each owner may only control one team in the league.
2020/2021/2022 Covid Specific Rule Changes
1) Reserve/Covid-19 Roster Positions – Adding two (2) Reserve/Covid-19 slots per team. These slots are only for Reserve/Covid-19 related designations and absences. Any utilization of them for players not on the Reserve/Covid-19 list will results in a Zero Score for the week the infraction occured. If a player is designated to Reserve/Covid-19 list, they are eligible for these slots on your roster. Owners assume the responsibility of moving Reserve/Covid-19 players back to active roster as soon as their designation changes.
2) Shortened Season Complications – The potential exists due to Covid that the season won’t be completed in a manner that allows the league to finish the season and determine a League Champion via the existing rule structure. In that eventuality, the following rules will be implemented.
*** If the NFL plays less than 50% of scheduled games, the 2021 IBFFFL season will be voided and everything will push forward to 2022. ***
Everything includes:
Entry Fees
Draft Position
Keeper Status
No payouts will occur.
With the 16 game season, that means we have to hit 8 or 9 games per NFL team to advance to the next step. Note: Not all teams would have to reach 8 or 9 games if the 257 games played limit was reached. 256 is 50% of the games in a 16 game season.
*** If the NFL plays more than 50% of scheduled games but is unable to finish the season in a manner that allows our playoffs to proceed per existing rules, the season will count with the following adjustments for payouts. ***
Most Points Scored, Year: $250
Most Points Scored, Single Game: $50
The rest of the money will be distributed by what CBS calls Break Down but is actually All Play record. All Play is your record if you played every team every week and is the best indicator of team strength.
1st $400
2nd $300
3rd $250
4th $200
5th $125
6th $125
7th $125
8th $125
9th $75
10th $75
11th $75
12th $75
No weekly points will be awarded in this case as we have no idea how many weeks there might be to allocate payouts for.