2019 Tampa Bay Fantasy League Rulebook
New Rules for 2019 are in RED.
1. The Basics
The object of the Tampa Bay Fantasy League (TBFL) is to assemble a team comprising of eighteen National Football League players, in order to participate in a weekly head-to-head match with a fellow league member. Each week eight of the eighteen players are activated, whereby based on active player scoring, a win, loss, or tie is determined for that week’s results. Following a regular season of thirteen weeks, six teams will enter into a playoff series to determine a league champion in the Fantasy Bowl.
2. Teams and Fees
(2a) There are twelve teams in the league, each comprised of eighteen roster positions. The league is split into three divisions (Buccaneer, Storm, and Bandit) of four teams each.
(2b) Franchise fees for the 2019 season will be $100.00 from each team owner and must be paid to the Commissioner before drafting players begins. All monies collected will go into a prize pool to pay for awards earned throughout the season:
| High Scoring Team of the Week |
$25 |
Three Division Champions |
$50 |
| Three Wildcard Playoff Qualifiers |
$25 |
Fantasy Bowl Runner Up |
$150 |
|
Fantasy Bowl XXII Champions |
$500 |
||
3. The Draft
(3a) The 2019 Draft will be held at 12:00pm EST on August 25, 2019. All owners must arrange to be present at the draft party location or provide for alternative methods of making their picks. Phone, email, and internet will all be acceptable forms of communicating picks, but time limit restraints will not change for picks made through these methods.
(3b) Draft order will be determined by the following method:
[1] The winner of the previous season Empire Cup will have the first choice of draft position for the current season.
[2] The remaining draft positions will be chosen by teams in order of their finish in the previous season.
– Choices 2-6 go to the five remaining non-playoff teams from the previous year in inverse order of their regular season standings.
– Choices 7-8 go to the two teams eliminated during the previous year’s Wild Card Playoff round in inverse order of their regular season standings
– Choices 9-10 go to the two teams eliminated during the previous year’s Divisional Championship Playoff round in inverse order of their regular season standings.
– Choice 11 goes to the previous year Fantasy Bowl runner-up and Choice 12 goes to the current League Champion.
[3] At each team’s choice, they may select any draft position that has not been previously selected. This final pick order will remain the same for every odd numbered round and reversed for every even numbered round.
(3c) Each team has the option of designating any number of players on its previous year ending roster as Franchise Players. Franchise Players are protected from being drafted by any other team, but must be drafted by the team in a position at least three rounds higher than they were taken in the previous year’s draft. Players chosen in the first three rounds of the previous draft would be ineligible to become Franchise Players. If a team wishes to designate two Franchise Players taken in the same round in the previous year, one would be three rounds up, while the second would move up to the next available draft round. A team may not designate a Franchise Player if a round is not available (ex. A team could not take two players with previous 4th round draft position as there is only one first round pick).
(3d) Players who were acquired as Free Agents but had originally been drafted by a team will retain their original draft position for designating Franchise Players. Players who were acquired, as Undrafted Free Agents will be considered as having been 10th round picks in the previous year’s draft and can not be designated as Franchise Players any lower than the 7th round of the current year.
(3e) The Commissioner will provide a list of players to each team showing the lowest position round they would have to be designated Franchise Players on the league website.
(3f) ‘The Avila Rule’ – One week before Draft Day, August 18, 2019, will be the Franchise Player Deadline. Each team is responsible for submitting to the Commissioner a list of players they would like designated as Franchise Players and the rounds into which they will be frozen picks. If no list is received from a team by this deadline, they will forfeit all Franchise Player rights for that year. No alterations to a team’s Franchise Players will be allowed after this deadline through the completion of the Draft unless directed by the Commissioner.
(3g) Each team will have two minute rounds to draft eighteen roster spots in any quantity at any position. It is each owner’s responsibility to keep track of what players have been chosen and to make sure a valid line-up can be submitted each week.
(3h) ‘The Winslow Rule’ – At the conclusion of the draft, each team will be required to submit a valid ACTIVE line-up for the first week of the season to avoid any confusion from owners forgetting to submit one by the first week’s games. If a team fails to complete this, than a roster will be assembled with the first eligible players in order of their draft acquisition.
(3i) Any undrafted players will make up the Free Agent Pool.
4. Player Eligibility
(4a) Players will only be listed at the primary position that they are openly recognized to play. Such recognition will come in the form of posted rosters. All Tight Ends (TE) will be considered Wide Receivers (WR) for the purposes of filling rosters.
(4b) The Commissioner may amend the position designation if a player’s true position changes during the course of the season. Such new designation would not affect a player’s position status on his existing TBFL team, unless waived, moved, or traded by his original TBFL owner.
5. Schedule and Standings
(5a) The TBFL is a twelve-team league. Based on a regular season schedule created by the Commissioner and provided on draft day to the team owners, each team will play thirteen games of head-to-head play to determine a win, loss, or tie based on scoring rules in Section 6 below. Each division opponent will be faced twice and one team from out of division will not be faced, based on previous season rankings.
[see schedule matrix below]
(5b) The three Division Champions and the three Wildcard teams determined by standings will then enter into a three-week playoff. The top two Division Champions will have a bye during the Wildcard round in which the remaining division champion will face the lowest ranked Wildcard opponent. The Divisional round will be reseeded based on regular season rankings and those two winners will face each other in Fantasy Bowl XXII during Week 16 of the NFL Season.
(5c) The six teams who did not qualify for the Fantasy Bowl title will enter a separate three-week playoff. The two highest records will have a bye during the first week in which the highest remaining seeded team will face the lowest remaining seeded team. The next round will be reseeded based on regular season rankings and those two winners will face each other in the Empire Cup during Week 16 of the NFL Season.
(5d) Standings for transaction order and playoff seeding are based on:
[1] Overall Record.
[2] Head-to-Head Results.
[3] Divisional Record.
[4] Total team points in the regular season.
[5] Total touchdowns between the remaining tied teams.
[6] Last Resort is a coin flip between tied teams.
6. Scoring
(6a) Each week’s head-to-head match shall be determined by the following scoring methods. Where applicable, points are scored by those players on the ACTIVE roster, as outlined in Section 7 below.
(6b) All offensive players score the same regardless of their position (i.e. QB will score rushing yards, RB will score passing or receiving yards, etc.) All players will earn 1 point for each reception.
(6c) Miscellaneous scores, such as offensive fumble recoveries by ACTIVE players (i.e. WR recovers a RB fumble into the end zone) do count for scoring.
(6d) All negative yardage earned will count against the active player (i.e. -1 yard rushing scores -.10 points).
(6e) Passing – Scored as .05 points for every yard gained. Passing touchdowns will be scored as 4 points. Passing two point conversions will be scored as 2 points. Interceptions will be scored as -1 point.
(6f) Rushing & Receiving – Scored as .10 points for every yard gained. Touchdowns will be scored as 6 points. Two point conversions will be scored as 2 points. Fumbles will be scored as -1 point.
(6g) Kicking – Field Goals up to 40 yards are scored as 3 points. An additional .10 points will be scored for every yard over 40 (i.e. a 48 yard Field Goal would score 3.80 points). Extra Points are scored as 1 point. All missed kicks are scored as -1 point.
(6h) Defense – Touchdowns scored by kick return, blocked kick, interception, or fumble return will be scored as 6 points. Sacks will be scored as 1 point. Blocked Kicks, Fumble Recoveries, Interceptions, and Safeties are scored as 2 points each. Points Allowed will be scored 15 points for a shutout -1 point for every point allowed till 0 for 15 allowed. After 30 Points Allowed, teams will start to earn negative points up to a cap of -15 at 45 or more Points Allowed.
| Touchdowns |
6 |
Sacks |
1 |
| Blocked Kicks, Fumble Recoveries, Interceptions, and Safeties |
2 |
||
| Points Allowed – Shutout to 14 | 15 – (Opposing Team Score) | ||
| Points Allowed – 15 to 30 | 0 | ||
| Points Allowed – 31 to 44 | 30 – (Opposing Team Score) | ||
| Points Allowed – 45 or More | -15 | ||
(6i) During the playoffs, the Home Team will receive a 4-point Home Field Advantage except in the Fantasy Bowl which will remain neutral.
(6j) Head-to-head matches ending in a tie will be recorded as such for the purpose of the regular season standings. During the playoffs, ties will be broken by considering:
[1] Total touchdowns scored.
[2] The scoring of the NON-ACTIVE balance of the roster.
[3] Total touchdowns scored by the NON-ACTIVE roster.
In no other instance will NON-ACTIVE scoring influence the outcome of a match.
7. Roster Maintenance
(7a) Prior to the kickoff of each NFL game, each owner is responsible for submitting their line-up on the MyFantasyLeague website or contacting the Commissioner with their line-up in one of these three formations:
| Run and Shoot | QB | RB | WR | WR | WR | WR | DT | K |
| Pro Set | QB | RB | RB | WR | WR | WR | DT | K |
| Rhino Backfield | QB | RB | RB | RB | WR | WR | DT | K |
(7b) Owners have until kickoff of each NFL game to alter their ACTIVE line-up. After an NFL game has kicked off, all players for that game are locked and can no longer be altered on the ACTIVE line-up for that week.
(7c) If by kickoff of an NFL game an owner has not selected any players for that game, but in his previous week line-up included a player that is playing in the game, then that player will remain ACTIVE for his team for the current week.
(7d) The Commissioner will provide his weekly line-up to all players by posting it on the league website.
(7e) If an incomplete line-up is submitted, the missing or unavailable position will remain active and score zero points.
(7f) A transaction consists of any team roster change. These changes can include acquisitions, waivers, and trades.
(7g) All TBFL transactions must include any roster balancing moves. The Commissioner will not adjust rosters accordingly. All non-balanced transactions will be considered invalid. In order for a transaction to be approved, all its parts must be valid. For trades all owners involved must confirm the trade to the Commissioner or the trade will be considered invalid.
(7h) All TBFL transactions must be reported after 06:00:00 a.m. EST Tuesday of the current week and by 09:00:00 p.m. EST Friday of that week in order to be effective for that week. Transaction requests received after this deadline will not be accepted until 06:00:00 a.m. EST Tuesday of the following week.
(7i) Once a valid transaction has been submitted it may not be withdrawn.
8. Trades
(8a) From the completion of the draft until the transaction deadline of Week #8, TBFL teams are free to make trades, so long as the rosters of all involved owners contain at least eighteen players at completion of the transaction. No other trades will be allowed for the rest of the season through the playing of the Fantasy Bowl.
(8b) Teams are allowed to trade any Players from their year end roster or any Draft Picks for the upcoming draft in the off-season.
(8c) The Commissioner has the power to void any trade if such trade is deemed by the Commissioner to be improper and/or not in the best interest of the TBFL. Once a trade has been approved and posted it is irrevocable.
9. Waivers
(9a) Any team may waive any player from their roster and claim a replacement player from the Free Agent Pool with regard to time and transaction limits. Such a waiver once posted is irrevocable.
(9b) All waivers are effective as of the kickoff of the last NFL game of that week following the posting of the current standings and transactions notice. Hence, a waived player cannot be acquired until the following week.
(9c) Any waived player becomes part of the Free Agent Pool.
10. Free Agents
(10a) Unlimited Free Agent acquisitions will be allowed from the conclusion of the draft until kickoff of the first NFL game in Week #1. Each player will then be allowed to make two Free Agent acquisitions per week throughout the rest of the season.
(10b) From 09:00:00 p.m. EST Friday of each week until 09:00:00 p.m. EST Wednesday of the next week all rosters are frozen. Each team has the option of submitting a request during this time to waive only one player from their roster and acquire only one player from the Free Agent Pool. If you forget to list a player to drop from the roster, the request will be ignored. After the deadline, if a player is requested by only one team, then the move is made without review. If the player is requested by more than one team, the team lowest in the standings (See 5d) will be awarded the player.
(10c) At 09:00:01 p.m. EST Wednesday of the current week, rosters become open, transactions will be completed, and Free Agents become available on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE basis until the transaction deadline is reached (See 7h). Once an acquisition has been posted it is irrevocable.
(10d) Transaction rules and limits (Section 7) must be strictly adhered to or the player will be added back into the Free Agent Pool.
(10e) Teams are prohibited from acquiring (although waiving is permitted) a #1, #2, or #3 draft selection after the expiration of the Week #8 transaction deadline through the playing of the Fantasy Bowl.
(10f) Teams are prohibited from acquiring any player that is currently suspended, or not currently on the roster of any NFL team.
(10g) Free Agent acquisitions may be activated immediately for ACTIVE roster use.
11. Disclaimer
All TBFL happenings are subject to the Commissioner’s approval and may be revoked if deemed to be improper and/or not in the best interest of the TBFL. The Commissioner has final say! Please remember that even though things can get a little competitive at times, this league exists for FUN.
Tampa Bay Fantasy League – Schedule Matrix
The three divisions are given labels based on the total number of wins by all teams in the division. The division with the most wins the previous year regular season is Division A, the next most wins is Division B, and the least most wins Division C. Positions within the divisions are assigned by where the teams finished in the previous year regular season. The team with the highest standing in each division is Team 1, while the team with the lowest standing is Team 4.
Each team in the division will be faced twice. Team 1 in each division will play Team 4 in Weeks 3 and 11, Team 3 in Weeks 6 and 12, and Team 2 in Weeks 9 and 13. There is one team in the league each year that a team will not play out of their division.
Teams that will not play each other:
A1-C4 B1-A4 C1-B4 A2-C3 B2-A3 C2-B3
Complete Regular Season Schedule:
Week 01 – A1-B1 A2-B2 A4-C1 A3-C2 B3-C3 B4-C4
Week 02 – C2-A1 C1-A2 C3-B1 C4-B2 A3-B4 A4-B3
Week 03 – A1-A4 A2-A3 B1-B4 B2-B3 C1-C4 C2-C3
Week 04 – A1-B2 A2-B1 C1-A3 C2-A4 B3-C4 B4-C3
Week 05 – A1-B4 A2-B3 B1-C1 B2-C2 C4-A3 C3-A4
Week 06 – A3-A1 A4-A2 B3-B1 B4-B2 C3-C1 C4-C2
Week 07 – C1-A1 C2-A2 B1-C4 B2-C3 A3-B3 A4-B4
Week 08 – B3-A1 B4-A2 B1-C2 B2-C1 C3-A3 C4-A4
Week 09 – A1-A2 A3-A4 B1-B2 B3-B4 C1-C2 C3-C4
Week 10 – C3-A1 C4-A2 A3-B1 A4-B2 B3-C1 B4-C2
Week 11 – A4-A1 A3-A2 B4-B1 B3-B2 C4-C1 C3-C2
Week 12 – A1-A3 A2-A4 B1-B3 B2-B4 C1-C3 C2-C4
Week 13 – A2-A1 A4-A3 B2-B1 B4-B3 C2-C1 C4-C3