FLOF Rules

Preface
Unless otherwise noted, all references to seasons, teams, players, etc. refer to the FLOF league, not to their counterparts in the NFL. Rules written in brackets are not yet in effect, but will come into play in the future, as noted.

1. Franchises
   1. Each franchise is allocated 16 draft choices and $28 million in new cash every year.
      
   2. Each franchise can carry over up to $8 million in slush from the previous season.
   3. Franchises that change owners may, at the descression of the Rules Committee, be awarded supplimental draft picks as compensation for the poor condition of a franchise. These picks occur at the end of the draft round they are awarded for.
   4. The league will consist of no more than 12 teams. Ghost Teams will be used to fill out the league to an even number if necesary. All attempts will be made to maintain the league at 12 teams.
   5. Ghost Teams may be purchased at any time after draft day and before week 7 of the season for the full franchise fee, or a reduced price as determined by consent of the rules committee.
   6. Existing franchises that fail to respond positivly to an invitation to participate in the upcoming season will be replaced. The Commissioner will be responsible for extending invitations with the consultation of the Rules Committee. Please alert the Commissioner if you know someone who is or may be interested in joining FLOF now or at some later time.

2. Rosters
   1. Roster Size
      1. Each team may carry no more than 21 players on their roster. Practise Squad and Injured Reserve players not count against this limit.
      2. No team can have more then 4 players combined on their IR and PS at the same time.
      3. Rosters may swell during the week but must be trimed by the kick-off of the first weekend game. A roster that is too large after this time limit will be forced to cut their most recently acquired player(s) until reaching a legal size. Alternatly, teams may designate bubble players who are to be cut first under such circumstances.
   2. Injured Reserve (IR)
   1. Any player can be placed on IR any time between the FLOF Draft and the conclusion of FLOF week 12. Players who play in FLOF week 12 are ineligible for IR.
   2. Players on IR do not count against your roster size.
   3. However, players on IR cannot later be moved back to your active or starting rosters that same year.
   4. IR players can be traded (but they stay on IR).
   5. IR players can be cut (in which case they are no longer on IR and can be acquired by anyone through free agency for their active roster).
   6. After the conclusion of the FLOF Bowl, all IR players are transfered to the active roster.
   7. There is no IR during the offseason.
   8. Ghost teams will not make use of IR.
   3. Practise Squad (PS)
   1. After the draft and before the FLOF regular season begins, PS players may be moved to the active roster without a fee and a player who has never played a FLOF game for any franchise can be placed on the PS. This is the only time that a player can be placed on the PS.
   2. A player on the PS can later be moved back to your active or starting rosters that same year by paying $2. Players removed from the PS in this manner can not be put back on the PS this season and forfeit all franchising benefits for the upcoming draft.
   3. A player on the PS does not count toward roster size.
   4. PS players can be traded (but they stay on the PS).
   5. PS players can be cut (in which case they are no longer on a PS, forfeit all franchising benefits for the upcoming draft, and can be acquired by anyone through free agency for their active roster).
   6. PS players remain on the PS through the offseason and continue not to count toward roster size limits.
   7. PS players may be franchised seperatly from and in addition to the 8 players normally allowed to be franchised. A franchised PS player does not require the franchise to forfeit a draft pick. While, a franchised PS player's franchive value does count toward that franchise's total franchise spending for the year a PS player's FV value minimum is $0.
   8. Ghost teams will not make use of the PS.
   4. A complete starting roster includes 10 players: 1 Quarterback (QB), 1 Running Back (RB), 2 Wide Receivers (WR), 1 Place Kicker (K), 2 Defensive Front (DF), 2 Defensive Backs (DB), and a Flex Position that can be filled with either a 2nd RB or 3rd WR. Tight Ends are considered Wide Receivers in FLOF. Defensive Front includes Defensive Linemen and Linebackers.
   1. Changes to the starting roster must be made by the game time published on NFL's Web site of the game that player is involved in.
   2. A player named as a starter must remain on that team's roster until kickoff of the last game that week.
   5. Ghost teams will cut the lowest absolute Franchise Valued (see Franchising) players on its team if necesary at the end of the season, regardless of position.

3. Franchising
   1. Prior to each draft, a team can designate players that they may keep from their previous season's roster in exchange for draft picks in the upcoming season. Franchised players that are considered above average will also reduce that team's slush fund by some amount.
   1. Immediately after the NFL Super Bowl each team will receive their slush fund for the next season and a list of every current FLOF players' franchise value for the upcoming draft.
   2. One week before the draft, each team must submit a list of franchised players to the commissioner or other designated person. Those players are retained by the team for the upcoming season and are not available in the upcoming draft. All players not appearing on a FLOF franchise list are available in the upcoming draft. The commissioner will review the lists and then make them public.
   3. After franchise lists are made public but prior to the draft, a franchised player that is traded retains their status as a franchised player.
   2. No more than 10 players can be franchised by any one team. Franchising is optional - there is no minimum number of players that must be franchised. PS players who are franchised do not count toward this 10 player limit.
   3. For each player franchised, that team must lose one draft pick. Draft picks lost can be any draft pick that team controls for the upcoming draft. PS players who are franchised do not force the team to lose a draft pick.
   4. Every franchised player (including franchised PS players) also costs their team cash equal to that player's franchise value, payable at the time the player is franchised.
   1. The "average" points per game for a given position is calculated using actual FLOF game stats for that position for the last 2 seasons. This is then compared to a player's NFL stats over the same time period. A player's raw Franchise Value (FV) = PPG - APV. For DFs, DBs, and Ks this is then halved.
      FV = A Player's Franchise Value in millions of dollars rounded to the $100,000 (1/10 of a million). When the value is halved for DFs, DBs, and Ks round up at that time.
      PPG = That Player's Average Points Per Game over the last 2 NFL seasons rounded to the nearest 1/10 of a point.
      APV = (Average Position Value) The average PPG scored in FLOF over the last 2 FLOF seasons by players at this player's FLOF position rounded to the nearest 1/10 of a point.
      In calculating both PPG and APV, the point system for the upcoming season should be applied to stat totals from the period of time relevant to each. All players have a minimum FV of $0.
   5. Ghost teams will franchise players based on the following limitations / instructions in addition to the usual limits imposed on franchising:
   1. Never franchise a player with an absolute FV less then $0 (PPG - average PPG at that player's position).
   2. Never franchise a player other then QB or RB that is not projected to start the upcoming season.
   3. Franchise players in order of FVs starting with the highest first. Break ties in favor of the player with the highest absolute value.
   4. Back-up projected QBs and RBs may not be the first QB or RB franchised by a Ghost team. Only 1 back-up RB and 1 back-up QB may be franchised by a Ghost team.
   5. If the next franchised player would be second QB, RB, or K franchised or the third WR, DF, or DB franchised, then skip that player in favor of the next in order, unless the next in order has an absolute FV less then $0 or would also be affected by this limit.
   6. Never franchise more then 2 QBs, 2 RBs, or 2 Ks. Do not franchise more then 3 WRs, 3 DBs, or 3 DFs.

4. Draft
   1. There will be a single draft of 16 rounds with the draft order for each round being set based on the playoff results of the previous year.
      1. The draft order for the first half of each round will be determined by weighted lottery among the non-Playoff teams from the previous season. Virtual ping pong balls for this lottery are assign in two ways:
      • The worst record from the previous season will receive 6 balls, the second worst record will have 5, and so on. The best, non-playoff record from the previous season will get 1 ball.
      • Ping pong balls will be assigned based on power rankings. So the worst power ranking among non-playoff teams will get 6 additional balls, etc.
      • Teams will now have between 2 and 12 ping pong balls based on record and power ranking before the lottery is drawn.
      2. The order for the last half of each round will be set in inverse order of playoff results. Regular season records and the reverse of playoff qualification tie breakers should be used to break any ties.
   2. The draft will be scheduled before and as close to the first NFL game as possible.
   3. Players that have been franchised are not available for selection.
   4. Draft day rules and conventions will be agreed upon by the Rules Committee and published prior to the draft.
   5. Prior to the draft the rules committee will select an independant player ranking to be used for Ghost drafting and make the ranking public.
   6. Ghost Teams will always draft the highest rated player available given the designated rankings and their roster needs as outlined below.
   1. A Ghost team's first draft priority will be to draft an entire starting roster, then to draft one back up at every position, then to draft a second backup, etc.
   2. At any time an owner may ask the commissioner what the Ghost Team's next pick will be.

5. Trades
   1. Franchises may engage in any mutually agreed trade involving players, cash, and/or draft picks.
   2. Expansion teams may make trades per normal FLOF rules the year prior to their entering the league. While following all other rules below.
   3. Expansion draft picks can not be traded.
   4. Franchise rights may not be traded. However, players that have been franchised can be traded and retain their status.
   5. Cash can only be traded during the year for which it will be spent. Future cash may never be part of a trade.
   6. Some trade conditions may be made contingent on performance or any other agreed factor.
   7. All trades are official only after they have been communicated to the commissioner and only if both parties agree to the conditions of the trade. If a dispute arises regarding any trade, the commissioner will adjudicate the dispute. (See adjudication)
   8. It is prohibited to make a trade with the understanding that any player involved in the trade will be traded back at a later time.
   9. Trading is prohibited beginning the midnight prior to the first NFL week 16 game (the first NFL game that affects the playoff round of FLOF games). Trading may resume immediately after the FLOF Bowl is concluded.
   10. Ghost teams will only trade when the deal will improve their projected starting roster's points per game production. Ghost teams will not involve cash in any trade, will not trade before the fourth week of the season, will not trade draft picks, and will not trade franchised players prior to the draft they were franchised for.

6. Free Agency
   1. Terms and definitions:
   1. Any player not currently on a FLOF roster is considered a free agent.
   2. Free agents can be acquired through a weekly auction process.
   3. The first bid for any free agent during a week is the initial bid.
   4. A counter bid is any bid submitted to a current auction after the initial bid.
   5. The current bid is the highest bid in that auction at that time.
   6. The value of a bid is the price of that free agent at that time.
   7. The value of all current bids is always known.
   8. The max-bid designates the maximum amount that you are willing to let the value of your bid rise to. Any time that a counter bid is made, the value of your bid may automatically increase up to but not above your max-bid. Max-bids are always secret.
   9. The max-bid for any current bid can be edited at any time during an auction.
   10. No max-bid can be greater than a team's slush fund less the sum of the value of that team's max-bids above the value of an original bid.
   11. A competative auction is any auction that has received a counter bid. Otherwise, that auction is considered non-competative.
   2. Initial bids:
   1. All initial free agent bids must be submitted by noon on Thursday.
   2. All initial bids become public as soon as they are made. If more than one initial bid is received for the same player, the first bid is considered the initial bid. Other initial bids for that player are deleted from the system as soon as possible.
   3. If a player is playing Thursday, initial bids are due for him by Wednesday noon.
   4. If there are ever players playing in Wednesday games, the deadline for initial bids on that player will be Tuesday at noon.
   5. The value of an initial bid must be $1 or $1.1
   6. The max-bid for an initial bid may not be greater then that team's current slush fund.
   7. No single team may make more then 5 total initial bids per week.
   8. Each team's initial bids are further restricted to no more then 2 or 3 in any given position as follows. No more then 2: QBs, RBs, Ks. No more then 3: WRs, DFs, DBs. For example: A team may make initial bids on 2 QBs, 1 RB, and 2 Ks the same week but may not make initial bids on 3 QBs in the same week.
   9. The previous two bidding limits affect only initial bids. There is no limit to the number of free agent auctions that a team participates in during the same week.
   3. At noon on Thursday, auctions for all players that received initial bids begin.
   4. Counter bids are accepted after noon on Thursday.
   5. When there are players playing in Thursday games, counter bids will be accepted until Thursday at noon for affected players only.
   6. When there are players playing in Wednesday games, counter bids will be accepted begining Tuesday at noon and ending Wednesday at noon for affected players only.
   7. Bid Resolution:
   1. For purposes of bid resolution, all bids are considered to have a max-bid equal to the bid's value unless it was otherwise set by the bidder.
   2. If the counter bid is greater then the current max-bid, then the counter bid becomes the new current bid at a value equal to the counter bid.
   3. If the current max-bid is equal to the counter max-bid, then the current bid remains the current bid at the value of its max-bid.
   4. Otherwise, the bid with the highest max-bid value becomes the new current bid at a value $0.1 million more then the lower max-bid value.
   8. Auction ends:
   1. All auctions end Friday at noon except auctions involving players with games prior to Friday.
   2. A team that wins a non-competitive auction may voluntarily withdraw their bid for that player after the auction ends.
   3. Free agents can be acquired and added to a roster any time after their auction ends and before kick-off of the game their team is involved in this week.
   4. If a free agent's team played Thursday or was on bye this week, the deadline to acquire that player this week is noon Sunday.
   5. Players involved in non-competitive auctions that are not acquired by their deadline are considered to have had their bid withdrawn and can not be acquired the next week by any team.
   6. Free agents who are won in competitive auctions must be acquired.
   9. Ghost Teams will not engage in free agency except as required to fill out their game roster.
      1. Bid on two players for each hole being filled.
      2. Bid on best Points Per Game players this season (still playing).
      3. Set a max-bid of twice minimum or minimum + current season's Franchise Value (see Franchising) whichever is higher for the best PPG player bid on. Set max-bid on second player to the minimum.
      4. If max-bid is topped on first player, reset max-bid for next player in the same way.
   10. Expansion franchises may not participate in free agency the year prior to entering the league.
   11. Free Agency concludes for the season at the begining of the FLOF Bowl

7. Season Schedule and Playoffs
   1. Each week in the regular season will match teams against each other in head-to-head competition, with wins, losses, and ties recorded to determine season standings.
   2. The regular season will be 14 games long from NFL week 1 to NFL week 14. Intradivision opponents play twice, interdivision opponents play once.
   3. Six teams will qualify for the playoffs: 3 division winners who will be seeded 1-3 and 3 wild cards from any division who will be seeded 4-6.
      1. Any of the top 3 teams by power ranking from the regular season who are not division winners make the playoffs as wild cards. Any remaining wild card slots are filled by the remaining top teams by win-loss record. All wild card teams are seeded based on their win-loss record.
      2. Tie breakers for playoff qualification and seedings starting in 2006 are as follows in order of use:
      1. head-to-head record between tied team(s)
      2. record against intradivison opponents (not for wild cards)
      3. record against other playoff team(s)
      4. total wins
      5. overall power ranking
      6. coin flip
      3. Whenever records are compared, rankings are determined by games above or below .500 not by winning percentage.
   4. Playoffs will also start during NFL week 15 and will pit the 3rd seed hosting the 6th seed and the 4th seed hosting the 5th seed.
   5. Second Round games will feature the 1st seed hosting the lowest seeded team to advance from the previous round and the 2nd seeded team hosting the highest seeded team to advance from the previous round. The second round will occur during NFL week 16.
   6. The FLOF Bowl will be played at a neutral site over the course of two weeks; during NFL wild card and divisional playoff games.
      1. Although the FLOF Bowl occurs over two weeks, individual players can only accumulate stats for 1 of those two weeks. Any player started the first week of the FLOF Bowl accumulates stats for that week but not for the second week. Roster slots can be kept open for the first week and then filled the second week. Players who did not play in week 1 due to a bye or who were not started until week 2, accumulate stats for that week.
      2. There will be no free agency or trades during the FLOF Bowl.
   7. Playoff Tie-Breakers, in order:
      Apply the following tie-breakers, in order, to determine the winner. The winner is given 1 point more then the loser for official scoring.
   1. Eliminate rounding of all scores.
   2. Instead of subtracting defensive points from your opponent's offensive points, add defensive points to your own offensive points. Retain non-rounded stats from 1) for this calculation.
   3. Add to each team's starting roster all bench players that acquired stats during this game. Retain non-rounded stats from 1) and positive defensive stats from 2) for this calculation.
   4. Home team wins.
   8. FLOF Bowl Tie-Breakers, in order:
   1. Add stats from the next week of NFL playoffs to the stats already acquired by the original starters of the FLOF Bowl and then recalculate final scores. (Once a FLOF Bowl begins, rosters may not be changed.)
   2. If still tied after the Super Bowl, apply the following tie-breakers, in order, to determine the winner. The winner is given 1 point more then the loser for official scoring.
   1. Eliminate rounding of all scores.
   2. Instead of subtracting defensive points from your opponent's offensive points, add defensive points to your own offensive points. Retain non-rounded stats from i) for this calculation.
   3. Add to each team's starting roster all bench players that acquired stats during any NFL game applicable to the FLOF Bowl. Players who played in the Wild Card round are scored in that game, are not in the Divisional Round, but scored for any rounds thereafter. Retain non-rounded stats from i) and positive defensive stats from ii) for this calculation.
   4. Prior to the Super Bowl, each owner is to guess the total score of the Super Bowl. A member of the rules committee not participating in the FLOF Bowl should collect these guesses. If the guesses have an even difference (there is the possibility of a tie) make the team that qualified for the playoffs with the lesser record change their guess by 1 point up or down.

8. Scoring
   1. Teams score points through offensive production as measured in yardage, TDs, and FGs minus INTs thrown, and Fumbles. Teams reduce their opponent's scores through interceptions, tackles, sacks, pass defenses, and forced and recovered fumbles. Every player on a team's starting roster may contribute yardage to any of the three offensive categories. Yards gained only accrue for offensive plays, not defensive returns or special teams returns. Tackles and any yardage gained during special teams play, after the change of posession, do not count for FLOF scoring. However, touchdowns and fumbles lost, caused or recovered during special teams play do count toward FLOF scoring.
   2. No team may finish a game with a negative score.
   3. Offensive Points (points that count toward your score)
      1. Every passing touchdown is worth 5 points.
      2. Every Interception thrown reduces your score by 2 pts.
      3. Every sack taken by an offensive player reduces your score by 1 pt.
      4. Every rushing, receiving, defensive, or special teams TD scored at any time by any player on the game roster is worth 6 pts.
      5. Every fumble reduces your score by 1 point. [Note: we used to score only fumbles lost at -3. Now we are scoring fumbles, whether lost or not, at -1.]
      6. The first 126 yards rushing are worth 1 point for every 14 yards. Every 7 yards above 98 are worth an additional pt.
      7. The first 168 yards receiving are worth 1 point for every 14 yards. Every 7 yards above 168 are worth an additional pt.
      8. The first 240 yards passing are worth 1 point for every 30 yards. Every 15 yards above 240 are worth an additional pt.
      9. The first 210 yards returning kicks and punts are worth 1 point for every 30 yards. Every 15 yards above 210 are worth an additional pt.
      10. Every FG is worth 3 pts or 4 pts if kicked from 45 yards or more.
      11. Every Missed FG is worth -1 pt if from less then 40 yards.
      12. Every PAT is worth 1 pt.
      13. Every 2-Point Conversion rushed, received, or thrown is worth 2 pts.
      14. Home team gets 3 offensive points.
   4. Defensive Points (Points that count against your opponent's score)
      1. Every Interception made reduces your opponent's score by 4 pts.
      2. Every Sack reduces your opponent's score by 4 pts. A half sack is worth 2 pts.
      3. The first 25 combined tackles (solo plus assists) reduces your opponent's score by 1 pt for every tackle. Every tackle above 25 reduce your opponent's score by 2 pts per tackle.
      4. Every pass defense reduces your opponent's score by 3 pts.
      5. Every forced or recovered fumble reduces your opponent's score by 4 pts.
   5. Negative Yardage: Any amount of negative yardage will generate negative points at the same rate they would score positive points. Ie. -1 to -13 rushing yards will generate -1 pt.
   6. Defensive players can acquire offensive stats and offensive players can acquire defensive stats during the course of a game, except as outlined above. Note that offensive players should get credit for tackles.
   7. Scoring information will be collected by a FLOF representative from official NFL box scores if possible. This information can be supplimented by information from other reputable, published box scores and statistical reports. However, information taken from newspaper stories or other textual sources will not be used.
   8. Scores are not final until midnight the following Sunday.
   9. While the commissioner or other FLOF representative will attempt to accurately score all games and correct any inacuracies, it is the sole responsibility of a team's owner to confirm their score every week. Any scoring corrections should be reported to the commissioner.

9. Administration and Adjudication
   1. All disputes regarding FLOF will be adjudicated by the commissioner. The commissioner should make every effort to consult with the affected parties and/or rules committee as necessary.
   1. If, in the judgement of any member of the rules committee, a member of the rules committee would be directly affected by a decision that is being challenged, that member should recuse themselves and be replaced for the upcoming deliberation by another member of FLOF. Replacements should be asked for in order of their seniority and every owner should have a chance to be a replacement once before someone is asked to be a replacement a second time. Rookie owners are exempted from this process.
   2. Adjudication may be appealed with the support of one member of the rules committee.
   3. Appealed adjudications may be either negotiated by the commissioner to the satisfaction of the commissioner and all affected parties or put to the league for a vote.
   4. When appealed decisions are voted on by the league as a whole, each franchise receives 1 vote. If possible the decision should be made by majority vote, not by plurality. The commissioner and each appealing party may put forward one option to be voted on. The commissioner and all affected parties must agree on a time limit for voting. Priority should be made to resolve disputes prior to the next set of FLOF games.
   5. Any decision that is appealed must be resolved or clarified by a league rule during the off-season by the unanimous consent of the rules committee.
   2. The commissioner shall be responsible for all administrative functions. The commissioner may appoint an acting commissioner from the rules committee as needed, with the consent of the appointed party and consultation with the rules committee.
   3. The rules committee must approve all league rules before each season by unanimous consent. The rules committee should contain no fewer than two members in addition to the commissioner and no more than half the league. The commissioner is a member of the rules committee.
   4. Rules Committee Members: Darin, John, Jason, James Frazier, Tim
   5. Commissioner: Doug