League Rules

Average Finishing Position (AFP)

The Average Finishing Position (AFP) is a ranking system that evaluates teams based on their overall performance throughout the season. It considers not only their final standings but also their performance across various metrics, including points scored and playoff results.

Integrity Infractions

Point deductions are applied to teams that commit integrity infractions:

Lineup Lapse. Mayors must field a complete lineup each week. Penalties: first offense -25, second -50, third and beyond -100.

Point Dodging. Inserting a "smurf" player to avoid a lineup lapse. Penalties: first offense -75, second -150, third and beyond -300.

Playoffs

6 Teams make the playoffs: the 2 teams with the best record from each conference, followed by the 4 best records regardless of conference. If 2 teams have the same record at the end of the season, the tiebreaker goes to the team with the highest points for.

Note. The site does not model conferences. The 6-team field is taken as the top 6 AFP across the whole division, with the top 2 earning a first-round bye. Points for breaks ties.

Playoff Tiebreakers

1. Bench Points Scored. The team with the higher bench points advances.
2. Total Point Differential in All Matchups. If bench points are also tied, the point differential in matchups between the tied teams is used.

Promotion & Relegation

Promotion

• Second Division playoff champion auto-promotes to Elite.
• The team with the highest AFP in the Second Division (excluding the playoff champion) also promotes to Elite.
• Third Division playoff champion auto-promotes to Second.
• The two highest AFP teams remaining in the Third Division also promote to Second.

Relegation

• 9th and 10th place in the Elite Division by AFP relegate to Second.
• 8th, 9th, and 10th place in the Second Division by AFP relegate to Third.
• 8th, 9th, and 10th place in the Third Division by AFP are replaced by expansion teams.

Note. The pasted rule text says "the two highest AFP teams remaining in the Third Division," which is three promotions in total (champion plus two). The site's enrich.py currently records Second as promoting 2 and Third as promoting 3, which lines up with the rule. Both readings are consistent, but the rule phrasing is the source of truth.

Relocation

Each team must have an associated location, mascot, and logo. Once a location is selected, it can only be changed at the beginning of the following season for a $10 relocation fee. The fee is subject to change annually.

Seeding Tiebreakers

1. Points For
2. Conference Record
3. Point Differential in matchups between the tied teams

Note. Tiebreaker 2 is "Conference Record," but the site does not currently model conferences. The bracket code uses points for as the single tiebreak for seeding.

Selling Your Team

If you wish to sell the ownership of your team, you must first find a potential buyer. Once identified, the prospective buyer must be presented to the league for approval through a vote. Membership in the league is a privilege, and not all candidates will be accepted. You remain responsible for your team until the ownership transfer is officially completed.

Trade Collusion

All trades are reviewed by the Governors. Penalties:

First Offense. 600-point penalty to each team involved.

Second Offense. Immediate removal from the league without a refund.

Trades found guilty of collusion are reversed or denied. A first offense remains on the record for three seasons before being expunged.

Note. No integrity infraction or collusion deduction is modelled anywhere in the data. If any have ever been applied in a real season, the archive does not reflect them.

Waiver Wire

The waiver wire order is determined by the reverse order of the draft at the beginning of the season. Throughout the season, the waiver order is adjusted weekly based on the reverse standings.

Roster Shapes

Roster shapes, 2023 onward:

• Elite: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, IDP, DL, LB, DB, K, D/ST (bench 8)
• Second: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, IDP, IDP, K, D/ST (bench 6)
• Third: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, K, D/ST (bench 5)

2022 used different shapes: Elite used what is now Second, and Second carried a single IDP flex rather than two. Third was unchanged.

Scoring

Passing TD 5 points. Passing yards /25. Interception -1. Rushing and receiving yards /10. Rushing and receiving TD 6. Reception 1. Fumble lost -2. Two point conversion 2.

Field goals 0.1 per yard, FG missed -1, XP made 1, XP missed -1.

IDP: tackle 1, TFL 2, sack 4, INT 6, forced fumble 4, fumble recovery 3.5, defensive TD 7, safety 4, pass defended 2, 2+ sack bonus 2, 3+ PD bonus 2.

D/ST: fumble recovery 2, INT 2, defensive TD 6, blocked kick 2, sack 1, safety 2, plus points allowed and yards allowed bands.

Note. The BCC is the two-week combined championship total. It is excluded from single-game records because it is not a single-week game. Those totals have their own category in the Record Book.