Bylaws

The purpose of these bylaws is to ensure a fair and fun dynasty league for all managers and promote the long-term viability of the league. If a rule is not explicitly stated, interpretations will consider these criteria and new rules will be voted on and subsequently documented in these bylaws. If this document disagrees with league site settings, site settings will prevail until corrected.

The league is hosted on My Fantasy League

12 teams

14 game regular season head to head schedule

3 weeks of playoffs

Standings first determined by overall winning percentage, then head-to-head, then total points scored

No divisions or conferences, teams will repeat 2 games

Three week, five-team “toilet bowl” running NFL weeks 15, 16 and 17

Each "toilet bowl" team puts $30 in the pot, the team that scores the highest points each week wins $50

9 starters: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 2 Flex (RB/WR/TE), 1 DST.

0.5 PPR scoring system

Teams will have 16 roster spots plus two IR spots

Free agent Waivers run at 6AM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

After playing in a game, players are locked until the first waiver run of the week (6 AM on Wednesday).

Trading prohibited from the kickoff of playoff games (week 15) until the end of the league year (until Franchise tags are designated)

The league is designed to run for decades with smooth manager transitions if necessary. Rules may be modified by league vote to achieve overarching goals.

The league uses fractional scoring

Offensive Scoring:

0.1 points per rushing or receiving yard (10 yards = 1 point)

0.5 points per reception

6 points per rushing or receiving touchdown

-2 point per fumble lost

0.04 points per passing yard (25 yards = 1 point)

4 points per passing touchdown

-2 points per interception thrown

-1 point per QB sack

2 points per two-point conversion (rushing, receiving or passing)

Defensive Scoring:

2 points per fumble recovery

2 points per interceptions caught

1 point per sacked QB

2 points per safety

2 points per Defensive Conversion Returns

6 points per Defensive & Special Teams TDs

Points Against DST Values:

10 points - 0-0

7 points - 1-6

4 points - 7-13

1 point - 14-20

0 points - 21-27

-1 point - 28-34

-4 points - 35-99

The season fee is $125, due by the draft each season (preferably paid electronically). Owners who fail to pay at the draft or in advance of it may forfeit their right to draft; their team will be drafted for them.

$25 of the $125 buy in goes into the Empire Pot. The first team that three-peats as champion or wins 5 championships in 10 years claims the empire pot.

If a team is going for its three-peat Empire Pot winning season, that team is not allowed to make trades, unless they abdicate the throne or are trading solely for future draft picks (picks after they would have won the Empire Pot).

If a team is going for its 5th championship within 10 years winning season, that team is not allowed to make trades, unless they abdicate the throne.

If a team wins the Empire Pot, the league will vote to completely reset and have a new startup draft next season.

It is not encouraged to tank the year(s) a team is attempting to become an Empire.

League Champion - $700 = 7 buy ins

League Runner Up - $350 = 3.5 buy ins

Third Place - $150 = 1.5 buy ins

"Toilet Bowl" winners = $50 per highest scoring week of weeks 15, 16, & 17

The league trophy is awarded at the draft to the league champion, who gets to keep it for a year, and brings it back to next year’s draft. Failure to bring the trophy to the draft results in public humiliation. Each winner has their name, team name, and the year they won inscribed on the trophy so their glory is permanent.

The draft is held in person. Draft date is scheduled months in advance but will almost always be within 1-2 weeks before the NFL Regular Season starts. All league members will be given ample notice (months) to make arrangements to be in person. For those who are unable to attend, joining virtually will be an option. If a team cannot join in person or virtual, that team owner MUST either have a designated drafter (not someone currently in the league) or email a ranking for all potential picks that team has to the Commissioner. The Commissioner will not open the email until it is that teams turn to draft. Commissioner will make every best possible choice for your team based on your rankings.

On draft day, sometime before the draft, all teams will vote on the roster in the league they feel "needs the most improvement." That team will then get an additional 2.13 draft pick; pick cannot be traded. Voting will be done privately. A team cannot vote for itself. The Commissioner and at least 1 other team will review the votes and announce the 2.13 pick owner.

When voting for this 2.13 pick, owners are encouraged to base their vote on ALL of the team's assets: roster, current draft picks, and future draft picks.

There is a draft timer of 90 seconds. However, if a team is in trade talks or for any particular reason having an issue making the pick within the 90 seconds, the commissioner will be lenient and pause the timer.

There are planned bathroom/refill breaks after each round.

During the draft teams have a HARD salary cap, just like in the regular season.

2024 Salary Cap - $40,000,000

2023 Salary Cap - $48,000,000

2022 Salary Cap - $44,000,000

2021 Salary Cap - $40,000,000

Hard Cap In-Season; Soft Cap Off-Season

IR Counts Towards Cap

10% Drop Fee (current season only)

48 Contract Years

Sign Players 1-5 Years

Cannot "Re-sign" Players (except Franchise Tag)

Players Salaries Updated Every Season Based On Spotrac AAV (average annual value)

If you notice a player's salary, contract, scoring, or any other information is incorrect, you must report it to the commissioner right away. If you are caught trying to give yourself or others an unfair advantage, appropriate punishment will be enforced. 

a) The NFL has 53 players on a roster. Our rosters have 16 players. Our players’ salaries are calculated by taking their real-life salary, dividing by 53, and multiplying by 16 to reflect that number. 

b) From the end of the season to the next draft day the league will be on a soft cap. **See bylaw e) for exception. 

c) The salary cap will be updated yearly based on how the NFL raises or lowers their cap; rounded up.

*2024 cap= mil - NFL 255.4 Mil

*2023 cap = $48 mil - NFL 224.8 Mil 

*2022 cap = $44 mil - NFL 208.2 Mil

*2021 cap = $40 mil - NFL 182.5 Mil

d) Contracts will be updated, and impending free agents are automatically dropped by the commissioner any time between end of season and draft day. All owners will be contacted before and after update. 

e) If a player in real life gets a new contract at some point AFTER our league draft, the team owner can keep the same team but cannot use waivers or make trades unless it puts you under the cap. Or, the day of or day after the player receives a new contract (after our league draft), the owner of that player may discuss with the commissioner dropping that player for no salary adjustment fee. You MUST discuss this with the commissioner the day of, or day after your player receives a new contract (or when that player is updated in our league). This only applies to the player who received the new contract AND dropping that player must put your team under the salary cap. 

f) All team salary adjustments will be cleared ~2 hours before the first game of the season. 

g) Defenses will be updated the week before our draft. The defensive rankings based on NFL.com/fantasy will be used to assign salaries to our defenses.

1-7 defenses = $3 mil.            8 - 17 defenses = $2 mil.            18-32 defenses = $1 mil

h) Commissioner will determine dates for when off season cuts are "due" to ensure everyone has a fair chance to prep for the upcoming draft. This date will typically be one week before the draft. 

i) When a player is dropped by a team and picked up by that team in the same season, the team reacquires the player for the previous amount of years contracted. This includes if the player was picked up by another owner and dropped and then picked up by the first team again. As an example, you have Saquon Barkley on a 1 year contract. You know you are first to pick up on waivers so you drop him in an attempt to resign him for more years, you cannot. You may pick him back up but will still incur the cap penalty for dropping him. Example 2; You have Saquon on a 1 year contract. You drop him and another team picks him up, signing him for 3 years. Then, later that season, that team drops him and you pick him back up; you must sign him for 1 year.

k) If you have a player who retires you will not pay the salary cap penalty to drop him. Also, if said player returns from retirement, you have the first option to pick him up on the same contract years he retired on or less. If you choose not to pick up said player, he enters free agency. Where he may be picked up or drafted by any team, including yours (following waiver/draft rules).

l) 1 Rookie Contract. On your roster you may pick 1 rookie you drafted (not picked up in free agency) and elect to keep his rookie salary for the duration of the years you signed him. Regardless if his salary increases in real life. After your initial contract years expire, his salary will be updated accordingly. If you trade him, his salary gets updated the next season accordingly. You may only elect to use your rookie contract after the draft and BEFORE the first week of games that year. You cannot decide at the end of the year (or any time after the start of the first game of the season) that you want to use your rookie contract on a player. If you use your rookie contract for someone in the 2022 draft, you will not be using it on someone in the 2023 draft. 1 per team.

Franchise Tags work in our league just like they do in the NFL; with a few tweaks for fantasy purposes.

NFL Rules (same for our league):

A team may only tag 1 player per season.

A tagged player will be paid the average of the top 5 at his position. If he currently makes more than the top 5 average, then he is paid 20% more than his current pay.

A player can be tagged 3 times, each time increasing 20%.

Fantasy Tweaks:

If a franchise tagged player is traded, he may be re-signed for a maximum of 3 additional years (after the current season).

The player's salary stays as is until the end of the tagged season. Next season his salary will reflect what he is paid on Spotrac AAV.

For example, Michael Thomas is Franchise Tagged in our league. He gets traded to you. You continue to pay the FT salary this season while he is tagged. Then, in the off season, you may resign him for 3 years and his salary gets updated based upon his Spotrac AAV.

The NFL determines their franchise tagged players by mid March. 1 to 2 weeks after they allow trading to begin. The NFL draft is typically at the end of April. We will not be allowed to make trades from the end of the season until after all franchise tags are determined. The due date for tags will be determined by the Commissioner.

Waiver times written below are based on Eastern Time Zone.

Players are locked from the start of their game until the following Wednesday at noon. Waivers will be run Thursday at noon, Friday at noon, Saturday at noon, and then Sunday at noon. After Sunday at noon, players are first come first serve until the Monday night games.

Waiver Structure:

1. Overall Winning Percentage

2. Total Points Scored

Weeks 15, 16, & 17

7 Team Playoffs

1st Seed Bye

7th seed is determined by points for instead of record

The 5 teams that don't make the playoffs each put in an additional $30 = $150. Those 5 teams compete against each other for high score for weeks 15, 16, and 17. The high score winner each week gets $50.

All trades happen immediately after both teams have agreed to the terms of the deal. There will be no league "veto" option and the commissioner will not veto any trades unless there is suspicion of collusion.

In the event an owner suspects two teams of collusion they will bring it to the attention of the commissioner. The commissioner will then investigate these claims.

Trade deadline is before the kickoff of any games in week 15.

Conditional terms are allowed for trades.

For example: Lets say you happen to have two 2nd round picks and you trade me one for a player. We agree it can be the worse of the two picks. So we make the trade in the season, but once the draft order is set we find out the other pick is worse than the one you sent. So we correct it.

Example 2: Trading a player and eating all or part of his salary cap (can only be for that season).

You cannot re-sign a traded player or change his contract years. The only exception is trading for a Franchise Tagged player (see Franchise Tag).

Not Allowed:

"Renting" - Trading a player for a specific amount of time just to trade him back later

"Two-Part" - A trade is made but one or more players is withheld from being traded for a week or more.

No trading for things outside of the league (cash, favors, a trade here for a trade in another league, etc).

Starting Lineups:

Total Starters: 9 (QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, Flex, Flex, TE, Def)

QBs:1

RBs:2-4

WRs:2-4

TEs:1-3

Defs:1

Lineup Submission Deadline: Players Are Locked At Kickoff Of Their Game

Are Partial Lineups Allowed? NO

Hide starting lineups from all owners until: Never hide starters.

Should owners be allowed to submit players on bye as starters? Yes

Roster Position Limits:

QB: 1-3

RB: 1-6

WR: 1-6

TE: 1-4

Def: 1-3

During the off season, teams may have 0 of any position.

Rules changes are voted on by all members of the league. Rules changes are never adopted midseason except in emergency situations. For rules changes adopted in the offseason, a 7/12 majority is required. All rules changes adopted in the offseason apply to the upcoming season and all seasons going forward unless otherwise specified.

In the case of clarifications to existing rule changes or other situations that may arise where there is no default option, a simple majority vote will be conducted. In the event of a 6-6 tie, the commissioner shall break the tie.

Every week after all NFL games are played and all fantasy scores are calculated, the Elias Sports Bureau reviews all NFL games for the purposes of locating and calculating any necessary corrections to the official team and player statistics compiled during each game. These corrections will be applied to league scores when they are released by Elias and the NFL, which is usually on Thursday morning. Managers should be aware that the outcome of a game that was tied or won by a small margin may change after the Elias Sports Bureau’s scoring corrections are applied. My Fantasy League will apply the official scoring corrections without exception, and managers may not appeal the changed scoring, the changed outcome of a game, or request that the official scoring corrections be disregarded.

In the event of a team being abandoned or an owner being removed in the offseason the commissioner will be responsible for finding a suitable replacement. In the event the commissioner cannot find a replacement they will request nominations from the rest of the league for possible replacement owners. If there are more nominees than teams available the owner selected will be made at the discretion of the commissioner.

In the event a team is abandoned during the season the responsibility to find a new owner will be on the commissioner who will apply any and all methods to find a replacement. Including but not limited to nominations from the rest of the league, fantasy football forums, or previous owners. In the event an owner cannot be found for an abandoned team during the season, the commissioner will take control of said team. The commissioner will set the abandoned teams line up with whatever players have the highest projected points for each week and approve trades for that team. All trades and starters selected by the commissioner will be reviewed and approved by at least one other owner of the league.

This league is an Empire league - see "Empire League General Rules" section.

Managers are also required to adhere to the following responsibilities on behalf of their teams. A manager who fails to adhere to one or more of these responsibilities will be warned by the Commissioner, and repeated failures may be grounds for removal from the league.

Managers are responsible for ensuring their team has current lineups

Managers are responsible for having working understanding of the scoring rules, playoff setup, and other league settings

Managers are responsible for knowing and following the rules and schedule listed in these bylaws

Managers are responsible for responding to emails or private messages from the Commissioner and other managers in a timely manner

Managers are responsible for taking part in league votes and debates

Managers are responsible for regularly accessing MyFantasyLeague

Managers are responsible for responding to trade offers in a timely manner

Managers are responsible for making a reasonable effort to attend league functions and scheduled events, whether they occur in the regular season or offseason

Managers are responsible for notifying a Commissioner if they will be away for an excessive period of time so arrangements can be made to set lineups and/or manage the team during that manager’s absence

Managers are responsible for conducting themselves in a mature and respectful manner. Trash talking is of course allowed and even welcomed. However, personal attacks and general douchebaggery are not allowed

Anti-Competitive Conduct:

Anti-competitive conduct is defined as managers or teams engaging in conduct that prevents, reduces or otherwise negatively affects the natural competition and well-being of the league. 

The following anticompetitive actions are strictly prohibited. Violations of these rules will be reviewed by the Commissioner and the Commissioner may give a manager or managers a warning. Repeated warnings or particularly egregious offenses may result in removal from the league.

Tanking: 

While rebuilding by trading away established players for younger players and/or picks is a viable and accepted strategy, managers are expected to use their best efforts to set their best available lineup every week of competition, even if they are well out of playoff contention. Failing to submit their best available starting lineup either intentionally or through indifference is not acceptable. It is understood that managers may play hunches on who to start and won’t always start the player who scores the most points.

However, a manager who knowingly and purposefully benches star players or obvious starting players in favor of players who are marginal, clearly injured, benched, suspended, or on their bye weeks shall be given a warning a first offense. A second offense may result in that manager’s removal from the league.

Anti-Competitive Trades:

Managers may not make trades that result in worsening their own team in order to stock another team playing a third team they want or need to lose. Managers may not make trades if they do not intend to return to the league for the next season. If a manager does not intend to return to the league, they should announce their retirement publicly and play out the season using their best efforts; the incoming replacement manager should be permitted to inherit an intact team and make their own trades and roster decisions. The Commissioner may retroactively void a trade if there is clear and convincing evidence that the trade was prohibited on anti-competitive grounds that were not apparent at the time of the trade.

Collusion:

Collusion is defined as two or more managers making arrangements and/or acting in concert to influence the results of league activities such as game outcomes, draft standing, or player availability. Any unsportsmanlike conduct coordinated between two or more managers is considered to be collusion, as is teams trading to consolidate better players on one team, trading players or picks for assets outside the league such as cash, and/or agreeing to share payouts by acting in concert. Trading a player with the condition that he be traded back would be considered collusion (“player sharing”), and is prohibited. Managers engaging in collusion are subject to warnings and/or immediate removal from the league.

Dumping: A manager who mass cuts obviously valuable players from his or her team without reason (“rage dropping”) will be warned, and players will be re-added to the original team. If a manager continues to dump players after a warning, the manager shall be removed from the league. It is understood that teams can and will drop “borderline” players from their rosters, but dropping obvious fantasy starters or large amounts of average players out of anger, in an attempt to increase draft position, to make players available to others by way of collusion, or sabotage the integrity of the league shall not be tolerated.  Don’t be that dude.

Indifference:

A manager who fails to submit a starting lineup or fails to replace inactive players who are injured, benched, suspended or on their bye week may be subject to warning. A manager who fails to set a starting lineup due to indifference multiple times in the same season may be subject to removal from the league.

Commissioner Responsibilities

The league shall be governed by a Commissioner. The Commissioner will act in good faith and at all times in the best interest of the league to maintain a fun, fair, and competitive environment.

The Commissioner will have the final authority over all actions, activities, votes, rule changes, and any other thing necessary to effectively run a good league while respecting the rights of its managers. In the rare instance that a situation arises which is not covered by the bylaws, the Commissioner reserves the right to rule on the issue in the best interest of the league. This includes times when a rule is not explicitly stated (such as a tiebreaker) but must be ruled on to move league business forward. Commissioner rulings are final, binding, and cannot be appealed. The intent of this clause is not to grant arbitrary, unchecked Roger Goodell-like power, but rather to empower and require the Commissioner via these bylaws to take fair and necessary executive action for the good of the league.

The role of the Commissioner is to:

Maintain league logistics

Help set lineups and perform team/roster moves for managers if requested (in scenarios where a manager is not able to do so themselves)

Ensure that the league calendar is updated and followed

Facilitate the yearly draft

Ensure that the league website and team pages are maintained

Issue warning for manager misconduct, rules violations, or actions against the league and if necessary, remove problem managers from the league

Void trades if (and only if) rules are clearly violated (trade backs, collusion, etc.)

Control abandoned or otherwise orphaned franchises and seek new managership

Ensuring league dues are collected and facilitate payouts

Ownership/General Rules

1. No owner may have a stake in more than one team in the league.

2. If an owner leaves the league at any point in time, they give up their claim to any and all money contributed to the Emperor Fund (i.e. if someone quits in year 5, they do NOT get $500 back).

3. If an owner dies or is otherwise incapacitated, his/her team may be bequeathed in accordance with their last will and testament, or if incapacitated, member’s power of attorney.

4. Each league member must designate an heir.

4.1. The heir may not be a member of the league.

4.2. No person may be the designated heir to more than one team in the league.

5. If you vacate your franchise, at no point can you return as an owner or co-owner of a different franchise in the league without unanimous voting approval.

6. Co-owners

6.1. Are allowed

6.2. For end-of-season payouts, it is assumed each co-owner will be allocated an even percentage of the team’s payout.

6.2.1. For example, if a team with two co-owners wins $1,000, each co-owner will be allocated $500.

7. The Abdication Rule: The reigning champion may opt to abdicate his claim to the Empire Pot in the current season, at which point he can once again make trades to improve his roster in the current season.

7.1. A decision to abdicate must be made publicly, in writing via email - prior to making any trades that will affect the upcoming season.

7.2. You can still win the league in the current year (and win yearly prize pool money). If that were to happen, however, you would have to win again (your fourth title in a row or 6th in 10 years) in the following season before you'd win the Empire Pot.

8. If an Empire is crowned, the league votes to have a new start up draft (reset the league).

In any discrepancy, commissioner decides outcome. If necessary, League voting will take place.

In the event any owner cannot change his lineup, said owner must text or email commissioner so it is IN WRITING that a lineup change was wanted before game time. Commissioner can change a lineup after game start provided IN WRITING PROOF was sent. 

If you notice a player's salary, contract, scoring, or any other information is incorrect, you must report it to the commissioner right away. If you are caught trying to give yourself or others an unfair advantage, appropriate punishment will be enforced.