Ultimate Fantasy Football League IV Rules

• 20 players in any positional combination of QB, RB, WR, TE, PK, and Def.

4. Schedule and Divisions:   Divisional placement will be determined by a dice roll during the offseason. Divisional winners will be placed in separate divisions the following year. Each week you will play another team head to head according to the fantasy schedule (All teams will play each team in its own division twice during the regular season and each non-division team once except for one random team. They will play within their division weeks 1-3 and 11-13 of the regular season with non-division games weeks 4-10).

5. Wins and Losses:   The team with the highest score wins. Your team score will be determined by adding up your players' points and your defensive team's points using the scoring system. In case of a tie, the game ends in a tie (see scoring system). Scores are considered official, final and unchangable at kickoff of the first game of the following week (usually 1:00 Sunday, but sometimes Thursday or Saturday). This gives all owners a predefined time frame in which to search for scoring errors or for stats sources, NFL.com. After scores become official they will not change for any reason.

I recommend calculating your score and your opponents in case the software makes an error.

6. Scoring:  

6A. Scoring for offensive players (QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs) is calculated as follows:

• Each passing TD = 6 points
• Each rushing or receiving TD = 6 points
• Every 1 yards passing = 0.04 points
• Every 1 yards rushing = 0.1 points
• Every 1 yards receiving = 0.1 points
• Each pass reception = 1 point
• Each rushing or receiving 2 point conversion = 2 points
• Each passing 2 point conversion = 1 point
• + 300 yds passing = bonus 1 pt
• + 100 yds rushing = bonus 1 pt
• + 100 yds receiving = bonus 1 pt
• Each interceptions thrown = minus 0.5 points
• Each fumble lost = minus 0.5 points

6B. Scoring for place kickers is calculated as follows:

• Each Extra Point = 1 point
• Each Field Goal = 3 points
• Every 1 yards rushing = 0.1 point
• Every 1 yards receiving = 0.1 point
• Every 1 yards passing = 0.04 point
• Each pass reception = 1 point
• Each rushing or receiving TD = 6 points
• Each passing TD = 6 points
• Each rushing or receiving 2 point conversion = 2 points
• Each passing 2 point conversion = 1 point
• Each interceptions thrown = minus 0.5 points
• Each fumble lost = minus 0.5 points

Note: Scoring is carried out to two decimals. For example, if a player rushes for 78 yards, he will score 7.8 points. Negative yardage is also scored. For example, if a player rushes for a negative 14 yards, he will score -1.4 points.

6C. Scoring for defensive teams is calculated as follows:

• Each quarterback sack = 1 point
• Each fumble recovery = 2 points
• Each safety = 2 points
• Each interception = 2 points
• Each fumble or interception returned for TD = 6 points
• 0-6 total pts allowed = 5 pts
• 7-12 total pts allowed = 3 pts
• 0-225 total net yards allowed = 5 pts
• 226-275 total net yards allowed = 3 pts

Note: Sacks, safeties, fumble recoveries, and TDs resulting from fumbles on Special Teams count towards defensive scoring. However, TDs scored on any kick return, by the receiving team, will not count toward DT scoring.

7. Starting Lineups:   Starting lineups for all teams will be posted to the site one hour prior to the kickoff of the first game of the week and updated approximately one hour prior to the kickoff of the first game on Sunday. The deadline for submitting a lineup/changes to a lineup is 1:00 PM Eastern. However, if a lineup or changes to a lineup are sent after 12:00 PM Eastern, the e-mail sent to the Commish must also include your opponent's correct e-mail address which can be found by clicking on their helmet under "Weekly Matchups" (to the right of "This Weeks Spotlight" on the home page).

7A. Early Games: If there are early games on Thursday-Saturday then partial lineups are allowed. If you want to start a player playing in an early game then you must e-mail the Commish one hour prior to kickoff of the first game on the day the player is playing or e-mail the Commish and opponent NLT kickoff or you cannot use those players that week. Owners can submit a full lineup if they choose and any players that aren't involved in the Thursday or Saturday games may still be changed until the final deadline on Sunday. If a player is involved in an early game Thursday-Saturday then changes can be made up until kickoff of the first game on the day the player is playing. If an owner neglects to submit a lineup or proper portion thereof for the early games, the commissioner will assume that said owner has actively chosen to not start anyone in the early game(s). In this instance, an owner may submit as much of a lineup as possible using the remainder of his/her roster for the week in question.

7B. Failure to Submit Lineup: If a valid lineup is not turned in prior to the deadline or you do not include your opponent's e-mail address for lineups sent after 12:00 PM Eastern, then the entire lineup from the previous week will be used or two weeks prior if the run -n- shoot or wish bone was used the previous week. For weeks with early games, if a valid lineup is not turned in prior to the Sunday deadline, then the lineup from the previous week will be used or two weeks prior if the run -n- shoot or wish bone was used the previous week. However, if this default lineup contains players who played in early games, they will be removed from the lineup. No substitutions and no exceptions! If an owner fails to submit a starting lineup for week 1, starters will be selected based on total points scored last season. The highest scoring players (curently on an NFL roster)on the posted league's top players report will be used. The Commish may also find a replacement owner. If an owner fails to submit a starting lineup for three weeks in a row (unless Commissioner is notified beforehand), the team and entry fee will be forfeited. Late lineups are not allowed.

7C. Lineup Formations: You have a choice between three different styles of offense...Pro Set, Wish Bone, & Run -n- Shoot:

NOTE: It is important that you check the NFL schedule before turning in your lineup to avoid starting a player on a team which has a bye that week.

8. Transactions:   Transactions consist of Free Agent Signings and Trades. They are instrumental to the success of your team. It is very important that you remain active and up to date on all information regarding your players. Note: Only owners who have paid their entry fees are allowed to make transactions, unless they have taken over a team within seven days of the transaction.

8A. Free Agency:   Free agency signings will be conducted every week concluding November 30. All free agent transactions during the season will be sent via e-mail to the Commissioner. The Commissioner will send his free agency requests to an Asst. Commish. Any player not currently on an UFFL IV roster, but either already signed to an NFL contract or eligible to be signed to an NFL contract may be picked up during the UFFL IV Free Agency process except for those on IR for the season. Once that player is dropped, there is a waiting period of one week before he can picked be picked up by another team, including yours.

Preseason Free Agency: Free agency will begin two weeks prior to the start of the NFL season. Owners have two free agent transactions during the preseason, one each week. Preseason free agency will be conducted via e-mail Mon-Fri. If you discover there is a player that wasn't drafted and you want him on your team, you can pick up that player by dropping an existing player from your roster. The position of the player dropped need not be the same as the player added. The order of the first free agency period will be according to the final regular season standings from the previous year, with the team with the wrost record picking first, etc. The second free agency order will be reverse order of the first one. All free agency transactions will be processed Friday evening at 6:00 PM Eastern.

Season Free Agency: During the season owners may make up to two free agent transactions per week. Free agency moves must be sent via e-mail between Tuesday (12:01 AM EST) and Friday (6:00 PM EST). For the first free agency move the team with the worst record, with lowest total points used as the second criteria in case two teams have the same record, will get #1 priority and so on. The priority for the second free agency move will be opposite of the first free agency move. In other words, 12-1 then 1-12. It is recommended that you send in more than one transaction especially if you have low priority. Players from teams involved in any Thursday night games cannot be picked up during free agency that week. Team rosters, transactions page, and the free agent list will be updated after free agents are processed.

8B. Trades:   The trade deadline is the Friday after week 10. In addition, any teams that are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs will not be allowed to trade during the season. Trading during the offseason is allowed but any trades made by an owner who misses the entry fee deadline and doesn't receive an approved extension for the upcoming season will become void as well as any other trades affected by this trade.
    Trades are made on a one-to-one basis, i.e., equal # of players are involved in the trade. During the offseason, owners may trade draft picks and/or players but again the trade must be on a one-to-one basis, i.e., Randy Moss and #2.4 for Javon Walker and #1.7. Trades must be sent to the Commish via e-mail by both owners before 11:59 am EST on Friday to be official for that week. Trades made over the weekend will not be official until after the MNF game. All trades will then be forwarded to a three owner trade committee comprised of UFFL IV owners (previous years' division winners) and two alternates (appointed by Commish), in case committee member(s) are involved in the trade. The committee members will e-mail the Commish within 48 hours on whether the trade should stand or be vetoed and their reason behind their decision. The results will be e-mailed to the league. Trades are official once they are e-mailed to the league. Any committee member may be replaced by the Commish for failing to vote. The Asst. Commish will break any ties in case of a 1-1 vote. The Commish also reserves the right to immediately veto any trade deemed lopsided and against the competitiveness of the league while the Asst. Commish has the authority to veto any trades made by the Commish, within 48 hours and under the same guidelines.
    The fairness of all trades will be judged solely on the impact of the trade for the franchises directly involved. A trade should be deemed fair, in the view of the judging person(s), when both franchises, within reasonable judgement, have maintained or improved their respective franchise's competitive status for EITHER the current season OR the following season.
   Once a player is traded from a UFFL IV Franchise, that franchise cannot reacquire that player via trade until 6 regular season NFL weeks have passed. The only way a UFFL IV franchise can reacquire a player before the 6 regular season weeks have passed is through the preseason draft. Example: Ill Tempered Sea Bass trades LaDainian Tomlinson during week 2 of the 2005 season. The Sea Bass cannot reacquire Tomlinson via trade any earlier than week 9 as only then will have six full weeks passed (Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8) since Tomlinson was traded from their roster. Also, player(s) who are traded before the keeper deadline cannot be traded back to the same team after the keeper deadline to bypass the "three year keeper rule".

8C. Injured Reserve (IR):   There is no Injured Reserve.

9. Playoffs:   The playoffs occur weeks 14-16. Six teams (3 division winners and 3 wild card teams) qualify for the playoffs. The playoff seeding and matchups are outlined below in 9A.

The Wild Card Game will be played during week 14 and is a head to head matchup between the 3 wildcard teams. During the wildcard game the #4 seeded team will receive 10 points, the #5 seeded team will receive 5 points, and the #6 seeded team will receive 0 points. The team that scores the most points is the wildcard winner and advances to the Semifinals.

The Semifinals will be played during week 15. For each game during the semifinals, the higher seeded team will have home field advantage and receive an additional seven points. The winners will advance to the Championship Game while the losers will play in the Consolation Game.

The Championship Game will be played during week 16. The Consolation Game will be played during week 16. There is no home field advantage for the Championship Game and the Consolation Game during week 16.

9A. Playoff Seeding: The seeding for all playoff games is based on record first and total points scored in case of a tie. After division winners are determined, seeding for playoff teams will be as follows:

Week 14 seeding:

#1 seed is division winner with best record (receives bye)
#2 seed is division winner with 2nd best record (receives bye)
#3 seed is division winner with 3rd best record (receives bye)
#4 seed is wildcard team with the best record
#5 seed is wildcard team with the 2nd best record
#6 seed is wildcard team with the 3rd best record

Note: The Regular Season Champion is not necessarily the #1 seed.

After the wildcard game, the #1 seed will play the winner of the wildcard game and the #2 seed will play the #3 seed.

9B. Draft Slot Tournament:The six teams not qualifying for the UFFL IV Playoffs will be entered into the UFFL IV Draft Slot Tournament. Seeding for this tournament will be based on best regular season record and will use the same tie-breaking procedure used to determine UFFL IV Playoff seeding. The team with the best record will be awarded the top seed. The next best, the second seed and so on, through the six seeds. The Draft Slot Tournament will start during week 14 and conducted as follow:

Week 14:
Quarterfinal 1 - Seed #3 vs. Seed #6
Quarterfinal 2 - Seed #4 vs. Seed #5

Week 15:
Semifinal 1 - Seed #1 vs. lowest seed remaining that won in week 14.
Semifinal 2 - Seed #2 vs. highest seed remaining that won in week 14.

Week 16:
Loser Quarterfinal 1 vs. Loser Quarterfinal 2 (Winner - 5th place; Loser - 6th place)
Loser Semifinal 1 vs. Loser Semifinal 2 (Winner - 3rd place; Loser - 4th place)
Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2 (Winner - 1st place; Loser - 2nd place)

9C. The Ultimate Championship:The winners from the four UFFL leagues will play in the Ultimate Championship during week 17. The starting lineup requirement is the same as UFFL II and UFFL III. The scoring system is the same as the UFFL scoring system. The winner (team with the most points) will be declared "The Ultimate Fantasy Football League Champion" and receive the Greystone Trophy (shown below) from Affordable Sports as well as an invite to the 2006 League of Champions.

10. Tiebreaker Rules:   During the regular season, no tie-breaker method will be used to determine winners in the event of a tie. In the event a team ends a game in a tie, the tie game will reflect as one-half of a win and one-half of a loss. During the playoffs, in the event of a tie, the winner will be the team whose offensive starters (QB, RB, WR, WR, Flex 1, Flex 2 and TE) scored the most touchdowns (thrown + caught + run = total). In the event this does not settle the tie, the fantasy team who started the highest fantasy scoring player/DT involved in that game will win. Should a tie exist after this tie-breaker, the 2nd highest fantasy scoring player/DT will be used and so on until the tie is broken and a winner is declared. In the event that after all 10 possible tiebreakers have been used and a tie still exists, the home team will be awarded the win.

Ties involving Division Titles will be broken in the following manner:

1. Comparison of head to head records (using NFL tiebreaker rules regarding head-to-head records).
2. Best division record.
3. Total points scored.

Ties involving Regular Season Championship and Wild Card Teams will be broken in the following manner:

1. Comparison of head to head records (using NFL tiebreaker rules regarding head-to-head records).
2. Total points scored.
3. Best division record.

Note: The Regular Season Champion must be a division winner.

Ties involving COC Teams will be broken in the following manner:

1. Total points scored.

11. Keeper Rules:   Owners will keep at least two players and a maximum of four players from their previous year's roster. Each player kept beyond the manadatory two will cost an owner a draft pick (1st and/or 2nd round). If an owner keeps three players he will forfeit a 1st round draft pick. If an owner keeps all four players, he will forfeit a 1st round and a 2nd round draft pick. The deadline for announcing your keeper players is Monday, August 13, 2007 at 11:59 PM Eastern. Until that date, you are free to trade any of the 20 players that were on your roster last year for another team's players. After August 10, the other remaining players on your roster will be considered released and you will no longer be able to trade them. You may, however, still trade any of your keeper players. The keepers will be posted NLT Tuesday evening, August 14, 2007. If an owner misses the keeper deadline, his top three "eligible" scoring players at each of the QB, RB, WR, TE positions will be automatically kept.  The top players report (thru week 16) will be used to determine these players. Not more than one player at any position will be kept and the player must be on an NFL roster at the time of the deadline.

The longest period of time an NFL player may be withheld from the UFFL IV draft is five consecutive times. Additionally, no one team can withhold any one player more than three times. Any player currently on a UFFL IV roster when this rule is adopted shall have their years counted backward to establish their length of service. Any NFL player with four or more years of service shall only be credited with three years of service as this rule is grandfathered in.

Owners can only keep a maximum of two players per position, i.e., two RBs, two WRs, etc. The only exception to this rule is your "free" college draft player.

Owners wishing to keep the player they selected during the previous College Player Draft will do so by forfeiting their final pick in the draft. Owners must announce their decision regarding their College Player Draft selection at the same time keepers are submitted, otherwise the player selected in the College Player Draft will be released.

12. Rule Changes:

1. Rule changes proposed by owners during the offseason. There will be two periods of rule proposal submission/voting, one immediately following the season and one prior to the drafts as directed by the Commish and outlined in the league calendar. Proposal(s) will be forwarded to the league and each owner will have 72 hours to vote. Note: "abstaining votes" do not count as either a "yes" or "no" vote. Proposals will require a minimum of 5 affirmative votes to pass, but also must reflect at least a 50% + 1 margin of those casting votes to pass. This proposal means that there is no specific quorum, but a vote with only 5 people voting can only pass if the vote is 5-0.

Number of people voting -- outcomes:

1 - proposal is defeated
2 - proposal is defeated
3 - proposal is defeated
4 - proposal is defeated
5 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 5-0
6 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 6-0 or 5-1
7 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 7-0, 6-1 or 5-2
8 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 8-0, 7-1, 6-2 or 5-3
9 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 9-0, 8-1, 7-2 or 6-3
10 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 10-0, 9-1, 8-2, 7-3, or 6-4
11 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 11-0, 10-1, 9-2, 8-3, 7-4, 6-5
12 - proposal is adopted if the vote is 12-0, 11-1, 10-2, 9-3, 8-4, 7-5

Any changes to the rules go into effect next year (immediately following the conclusion of an NFL season), i.e., if a rule change is passed in July 2006, it will not go into effect until after the 2007 Super Bowl. Proposals that take away from the uniqueness that makes UFFL, UFFL, i.e., changing the rules formation or homefield advantage, may be considered "unreasonable". Proposals cannot be submitted on a rule for at least two years after a previous proposal has been voted on the same rule.

The Commissioner does not have the authority to change league rules, with the lone exceptions of (1) making changes to address league web site or software programming issues or (2) setting the league draft date. Any proposals submitted by the Commissioner are subject to the same voting criteria as any other owner.

During the season, the Commish will handle any rules interpretation matters. The EC can review any Commish decision if 3/4 of the owner requests it.

12A.Rule Re-Evaluation:  From time to time, a situation may arise in which the rules, as written, may lend themselves to harming the position of a team in a way for which they were not meant to do when written. If such a situation arises, the league Commissioner has the right to re-evaluate the league rules to determine whether the situation at hand is such that the intent of the rules when they were written can not be upheld because the literal interpretation would lend itself to the contrary. If so, the Commissioner can forego the rules, as written, in favor of the rule's intent.
   If the commissioner comes to such a decision, he must inform the other league owners by email; explaining the situation, the decision to forego the rule in question, and the reasoning for making such a decision. League owners who believe that the situation in question does not warrant a reevaluation of the league rules must inform the commissioner within 24 hours. If three (3) league owners independently send a message to the Commissioner stating that they do not believe the rule should be forgone, the Commissioner's decision will be overruled. If not, the Commissioner's decision will be final.

12B.Rulebook Gaps:  In the event that a situation should arise in which no effective solution can be found due to amibiguities in the league rules, the league Commissioner has the right to use his own discretion to resolve the issue. That decision must then be followed consistently for any situation of significant similarity for the remainder of the season.

13. Governance:  

13A. Commissioners' Duties: The Commissioner is responsible for recording starting lineups, overseeing transactions, approving trades, and for maintenance of the league reports at the web site. All of the reports will be downloaded using software from First Place Sports on Tuesday. These reports include weekly results, league standings, transactions, weekly top players, season league leaders, team rosters and other relevant information. I will also forward all trade challenges and possible collusion to the Executive Committee. The Commissioner has vetoing power but will only use such power in extreme cases, i.e. life threatening. A fair and impartial decision is guaranteed. As Commissioner, I do not make any profit running the leagues. The only compensation is a waived entry fee.

13B. Assistant Commissioners' Duties: The Assistant Commissioner (AC) will be nominated and elected during the offseason. He will serve one year unless re-elected. The powers of the AC include assuming the duties of the Commissioner if need be, serving on the Executive Committee, making recommendations on improving the league to include rule changes that do not require a vote, and giving advice to the Commissioner if league issues arise and a decision is required. AC duties may include updating team pages, entering weekly scores into the International Rankings database, and receiving free agency moves/starting lineups from the Commissioner. The UFFL IV AC for the 2007 season is Rob Obstgarten.

13C. Executive Committee:  The Executive Committee (EC) has the authority to handle trade challenges and disciplinary issues. The UFFL EC consists of the five Assistant Commissioners. The 2007 members are Mike Obstgarten (UFFL), Thorsten Muelhausen (UFFL II), Andy Conrad (UFFL III), Rob Obstgarten (UFFL IV), and Tony Hudnell (UFFL V). If an AC has a conflict of interest (determined by the Commish) in the particular issue being voted on, he will not participate in the vote. Their decision will be e-mailed to the league within 72 hours and is final. The Commish can remove any AC from the EC for failure to vote or conduct detrimental to the league.

13D. League Disputes: Any disputes will be sent directly to the Commissioner who will then either make a decision which will be final or forward said complaint to the league for a democratic vote. The overall good of the league as a whole will be greater then the benefit to any sum of its constituents.

14. Expected Owner Conduct:  

Owners will be expected to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disparage the league, Commisssioner, league officers, nor its owners in any way, shape, or form.

1. While bragging is always a part of some owner's personality and is to be expected, insults, personal attacks, and inflammatory or taunting acts will not be tolerated. The Commissioner will have total authority in drawing the line between trash talking and the above mentioned acts. This will be strictly enforced.

2. Any correspondence attacking the Commissioner to other owners or to public message boards violates the Owner Code of Conduct.

3. Removing an Owner. If an owner is considered by the Commissioner to be conducting himself in a manner not in the Best Interest of the League or DETRIMENTAL to the league, the owner may be removed. If an owner feels it is necessay to attack the league or any of its' owners in any form, then it is in their best interest to find a different league. A refund of the entry fee will be determined by the league and any refund will affect the prize money.

4. Whining: NO WHINING, BICKERING, CRYING, BELLY ACHING, ETC, ALLOWED! The Commish will be the sole determinor of any owner guilty of violating the "Whining Clause". Punishment ranges from forfeiture of future auction money to forfeiture of free agency privileges. The Commish reserves the right to issue one warning. My advice is to do a whine check before clicking send in e-mails and IMs. The league was created to have fun. Let's keep it that way.

15. Entry Fee:  

Since UFFL IV is a keeper league, I expect owners to remain with the league for many years. To deter owners from leaving after one year, each owner will pay an intitial franchise fee of $10. Franchise fees are not refundable if an owner leaves the league after their first year. If an owner decides to leave the league after their 2nd year, he will be refunded the $10. New owners will pay the franchise fee their first year. Owners in UFFL who join UFFL IV will not have to pay the additional franchise fee and vice versa.
The entry fee for the 2007 season is $60.00 and due by July 29, 2007. And the total entry fee for new owners is $70.00. Any forfeited fees will go towards the cost of maintaining the league and an increase in prize money. Again, franchise fees are not refundable. However, there may be rare cases that will go to the Executive Committee for review.

Mail checks to:

MAJ David Torreano
263d AAMDC
3111 Mall Rd.
Anderson, SC 29625

16. Prize Money:  

Ultimate Championship Trophy