Rules of the WMFFL

Last Updated: August 27, 2024

Section 1: Divisions and Schedules; Who Makes the Playoffs; The Playoffs
Section 2: Team Rosters; Scoring
Section 3: Draft Order; Drafting; Transactions; Protections
Section 4: Financial Situations; Changing Rules

Rules added or changed that will take effect for the 2023 season are indicated in Bold.

Better handling of players coming off IR
- Updates rules IV.C.4
Increase penalties for bad activations
- Change penalities in V.A.3
Reduce 60+ yard FG points
- Changes rule V.B.5.b.iv
Limit IR to 1 player
- Change rule IV.C.5

Divisions and Schedules
1. The WMFFL consists of twelve teams.
2. These teams are organized into three divisions of equal size.
3. Repealed
4. The regular season will last for 14 weeks.
5. Each week every team will be scheduled to play one other team.
6. Every team will play every other team at least one time.
Who Makes the Playoffs
1. Each week the score from one team is compared to the score from the team that they are playing.
  1. Based on this score each team will either win, lose or tie.
2. At the end of the season, the team in each division with the highest win-loss-tie percentage is the division champion.
3. The next highest total (from any division) will become the wildcard teams.
4. Win-loss-tie percentage is calculated by adding the number of wins plus half the number of ties and dividing by the total number of games played.
5. In the event that there is a tie for who should get into the playoffs, or for seeding within the playoffs, the following procedures will be used:
  1. Compare all teams involved in the tie with the following steps.
    1. Win-Loss-Tie percentage
    2. Head-To-Head Record
    3. Record in Division, if tied within division
    4. Combined record of all teams defeated (Strength of Victory)
    5. Total Point differential, head-to-head
    6. Total Points scored by Head Coach
    7. Longest playoff drought
  2. Once one team either betters the other teams, or falls behind the other teams, revert back to step one.
  3. All ties within a division must be broken before breaking ties across divisions. Teams always retain their position within the division.
The Playoffs
1. Once the four teams that will make the playoffs have been decided, they are seeded based on regular season record
  1. Seeding will be done based on the tie-breaker rules above.
  2. Excepting that the wild card team will lose any tie-breakers they are involved in
2. In the first week of the playoffs, the match-ups will be:
  1. Seed 1 vs. Seed 4
  2. Seed 2 vs. Seed 3
3. The following week will be the Championship.
  1. This will be between whatever two teams win in the first round of the playoffs.
4. Whoever wins the Championship Game will be the Champion.
  1. The Champion is entitled to keep the league trophy until a new champion is determined.
    1. Within 60 days of losing rights to the trophy, the trophy should be delivered to the new Champion or the commissioner.
    2. Failure to deliever the trophy will result in a $10 fine and being added to the No Trophy List for five years for every 30 days past due.
    3. Byron Williams is permanently on the No Trophy List.
  2. If the Champion is on the No Trophy List, they will not be entitled to the trophy and the league will keep it in safe keeping.
5. The two last place teams in each division with the worse records will play in week 15 for the Toilet Bowl
  1. The loser of the Toilet Bowl will have their team renamed by the League Champion
  2. The team must keep their new name until one of the following occurs
    1. The team qualifies for the playoffs
    2. The team changes owners
    3. The team loses the Toilet Bowl again and gets renamed by the Champion
Team Rosters
1. Each team's roster will consist of 25 players/units and a head coach.
  1. A player is any person currently, or previously on an NFL roster
  2. A unit is considered to be anyone on that NFL team, designated at that position, regardless of whether it is the regular starter or not.
2. The players are designated by position, as follows:
  1. Quarterbacks
  2. Running Backs (included fullbacks and halfbacks)
  3. Wide Recievers
  4. Tight Ends
  5. Kickers
  6. Offensive Line Units
  7. Defensive Line (includes defensive ends and defensive tackles)
  8. Linebackers (includes inside and outside linebackers)
  9. Defensive Backs (includes cornerbacks and safties)
  10. Head Coach
3. Any player listed by the NFL as being on injured reserve, may be played on IR by the WMFFL team
  1. The WMFFL team must explicitly designate a player as being on IR
  2. Any player on IR will not be counted towards the roster limits in rule IV.A.
  3. When the NFL removes a player from IR, they will be removed from the WMFFL IR
  4. Any player on the IR on Friday and removed from the NFL IR on Saturday or Sunday of a given week, will not count against the roster limits in IV.A for that given week unless they are activated as a starter by the WMFFL team.
  5. No team may have more the 26 players combined between the IR and active roster.
4. A player can only be placed in the position that his NFL team lists him as.
  1. If a player is listed at more than one position, then the WMFFL team choses which of those positions he will hold.
  2. This decision must be made when the player is initially picked up.
    1. It may be modified before each season.
  3. If a player is listed at more than one position, and one of those positions is a unit, then the player may not be drafted as part of the unit.
Scoring
1. Each week, every team must turn in an activation roster to the commissioner, or a duly appointed representative
  1. Any player listed as active 5 minutes prior to kickoff of their team's NFL game will be considered an active player for that week.
    1. The activation status of a player may not be changed after that deadline.
    2. A player's activation status will not change from the previous week, unless explicitly done so by the owner.
  2. An active roster includes 1 HC, 1 QB, 1 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 OL, 2 DL, 2 LB, 2 DB and 1 additional player at either RB, WR or TE.
  3. Submitting incomplete lineups can result in penalties and fines
    1. Activating players on NFL bye weeks will result in a $1 fine and a 5 point penalty per violation
    2. Activating players not on an NFL team will result in a $5 fine and a 10 point penalty per violation
    3. Activating the incorrect number of players will result in a $5 fine and a 10 point penalty per violation
    4. Activating a player on IR will result in a $5 fine and a 10 point penalty per violation
  4. If a team's HC is on a bye for a given week the team may name an acting HC for that week only. The team will score points for the acting HC as if they were the regular HC.
    1. The acting HC can not appear on any other team's roster or have been named an acting HC for another team in the same week.
    2. The acting HC must be named prior to activations being due for the given week.
    3. The acting HC will not be added to the team's roster and will be removed from the team once the week is over.
  5. No player may be activated for a team in the postseason if that player appeared on another teams' roster after the point activations were due for the final week of the regular season
  6. Player's scores will be considered official at 8am eastern time on the Tuesday morning immediately following the NFL games.
    1. If the NFL makes an official scoring change following that time, the league will not update the scores unless any owner provides notification to the Commissioner of the scoring change prior to the following Saturday at noon eastern time.
    2. If the scoring change affects week 14 scores or the playoffs, the notification of change must be provided no later than one hour prior to the start of the first NFL game of the following week.
2. Activated players will recieve points based on their position and performance in a particular week.
  1. All Players
    1. 2 pt conversions
      1. 2 pts
    2. Special Teams TD
      1. 12 pts
  2. Quarterbacks
    1. Touchdowns
      1. Pass, Recieve or Rush = 6 pts
    2. Yards
      1. 200 Combined Yards (pass, recieve and rush) = 1 pt
      2. Every additional 25 yards = 1 pt
    3. Turnovers
      1. Interception = -2 pts
      2. Fumbles Lost = -2 pts
  3. Runningbacks and Wide Recievers
    1. Touchdowns
      1. Pass, Recieve or Rush = 6 pts
    2. Yards
      1. 70 Combined Yards (pass, recieve and rush) = 1 pt
      2. Every additional 10 yards = 1 pt
    3. Receptions
      1. 5 receptions = 1 pt
      2. Every additional reception = 1 pt
    4. Turnovers
      1. Fumbles Lost = -2 pts
  4. Tight Ends
    1. Touchdowns
      1. Pass, Recieve or Rush = 6 pts
    2. Yards
      1. 70 Combined Yards (pass, recieve and rush) = 1 pt
      2. Every additional 10 yards = 1 pt
    3. Receptions
      1. Every 2 receptions, up to 8 = 1 pt
      2. Every reception, 8 through 12 = 1 pt
      3. Every reception after 12 = 2 pts
    4. Turnovers
      1. Fumbles Lost = -2 pts
  5. Kickers
    1. Extra points
      1. Made = 1 pt
      2. Missed = -1 pt
    2. Field Goal
      1. Made 0-39 yards = 3 pts
      2. Made 40-49 yards = 4 pts
      3. Made 50-59 yards = 5 pts
      4. Made 60+ yards = 7 pts
      5. Missed 0-30 yards = -1 pt
  6. Offensive Line
    1. Team rushing yards
      1. 100 yards = 1 pt
      2. Every additional 10 yards = 1 pt
    2. Sacks allowed
      1. 0 sacks = 5 pts
      2. 1 sack = 2 pts
      3. 2 sacks = 1 pt
      4. 5 sacks = -1 pt
      5. 6 sacks = -2 pts
      6. 7 sacks = -5 pts
      7. Every additional sack = -5 pts
    3. Team rushing Touchdowns
      1. Each one = 1 pt
  7. Defensive Line, Linebackers and Defensive Backs
    1. Tackles
      1. Each one = 1 pt
    2. Sacks
      1. First two = 2 pts/each
      2. Every additional = 3 pts
      3. 1/2 sacks = 1 pt
    3. Turnovers
      1. Interception = 4 pts
      2. Forced Fumble = 3 pts
      3. Fumble Recovery= 2 pts
      4. Return yardage = 1 pt/20 yards
    4. Scoring
      1. Touchdowns = 9 pts
      2. Safety = 6 pts
    5. Pass Defense
      1. Each one = 1 pt
  8. Head Coaches
    1. Result
      1. Win = 3 pts
      2. Tie = 1 pt
    2. Winning Margin
      1. Every 10 pts = 1 pt
    3. Team Penalties
      1. 3 or fewer penalties = 3 pts
      2. between 4 and 6 penalties = 2 pts
      3. 7 or 8 penalties = 1 pt
      4. 11 or 12 penalties = -1 pt
      5. 13 or 14 penalties = -2 pts
      6. 15 or more penalties = -3 pts
3. A team's final score is the cumulation of their offensive player's scores minus the cumulation of their opponents defensive player's scores.
  1. A negative score will be reset to 0
  2. The team with the most points wins that game for the week
    1. If both teams have the same number of points, it is a tie game
    2. If the score of both teams equals 0, the team who scored the most combined points will recieve a 1 point bonus and win the game 1-0.
  3. If a tie occurs during the playoffs, the following procedures will be applied in order until the tie no longer exists
    1. Each of the offensive players on a team's roster that were not selected to be on the active roster will be added to their score and each of the defensive players that were not selected for the active roster will be subtracted from the opponent's score.
      1. Negative scores will be reset to 0
    2. Each team's head coach score will be doubled
    3. The better seeded team will receive a 1 point home field bonus
Draft Order
1. The league will meet at least once a year.
2. This meeting will take place on the Saturday two weeks prior to the weekend that starts the NFL season
  1. This date could be changed to a weekend day after the start of NFL training camp, but before the regular season.
3. The meeting will consist of a discussion on new rules, followed by the players' draft.
4. The draft will be broken into four quarters.
  1. Each quarter will consist of four rounds.
  2. Repealed
  3. The order is determined at least one week before the draft.
    1. Playoff teams will draft in the last four draft positions.
      1. The League Champion will draft last.
      2. The remaining playoff teams will pick in reverse order of regular season record.
    2. The first two picks will be awared to the Toilet Bowl participants.
      1. The winner of the Toilet Bowl will get the first pick.
      2. The loser of the Toilet Bowl will get the second pick.
    3. Remaining positions will be filled by non-playoff teams in reverse order of record.
    4. Teams that were inelgible for the playoffs the previous season due to rule XI.A.1.d will have a pick four spots later than they otherwise would be entitled to.
5. The exact date of the draft will be selected to maximize the number of people able to attend.
  1. No later than June 1st each team may submit to the commissioner a list of no more than four dates, meeting the criteria laid out in rule VI.B, in which they will be unable to attend the draft.
  2. The commissioner shall within four days of the recipt of the lists determine and announce the draft date.
    1. The date in which the least number of teams said that they would be unable to attend shall be selected as draft day.
    2. In the event that two or more days are tied the following precidence shall be followed.
      1. The weekend two weeks prior to the weekend that starts the NFL draft will have top priority.
      2. Among other weekends, the closer to the start of the NFL season will receive higher priority.
      3. Saturdays will have priority over Sundays.
  3. The owner missing the draft may specify a method for determining their draft picks.
    1. Failure to specify a picking method will result in the league picking the teams players based on the points scored the previous year.
    2. When the league picks players for a team, it will select starters at every position before selecting backups at any position.
      1. A backup at every position will be picked before a second backup at any position
  4. Failure of a team to specify a picking method will also result in a $10 fine being assessed against that team.
Drafting
1. During the main draft, in each round, every team drafts based on the selection order.
2. Each team will have a draft clock that runs during their picks
  1. Each team's clock will start at 2 minutes
  2. When a team goes on the clock for each pick, 30 seconds will be added to their clock.
  3. If a team's clock reached 0:00 their pick will be auto selected
  4. At no time may a team's clock be larger than 5 minutes
3. Remaining roster positions may be filled, after the draft, through standard transaction method.
Repealed
Transactions
1. Once the draft is over the rosters are set.
2. If a team wishes to drop a player, they may do so at no cost.
3. If a roster position is open, teams can add a player to their team by spending a transaction point.
  1. Each team will recieve a number of transaction points equal to thier unused protection points.
  2. After the completion of the draft every team will receive an additional 15 transaction points.
  3. Once a team is out of transaction points, they may purchase more at the cost of $1.
  4. No team that has failed to pay their entry fee may purchase extra transactions
4. Trades are allowed and anything maybe traded, subject to the roster restrictions.
5. Between the time activations are due for a given week and 1:00pm Eastern Time on the following Tuesday players may only be picked up via the waiver wire.
  1. All teams should list any players they would like to select off of waivers and order them in the priority they would like to receive them.
  2. At 1:00pm Eastern Time on Tuesday the waiver requests will be resolved.
  3. Once waiver requests are resolved, players may be picked up freely.
  4. Any team that has a number of players exceeding the total allowable roster limit, at the time activations are due for a given week, will be required to drop all players picked up that week.
6. No pickups are allowed after the Championship Game until the draft.
7. Players may be cut from a team at any time.
8. Head coaches are exempt from the above stated rules, but must adhere to the following.
  1. Head Coaches are automatically retained at the end of the season.
  2. If a team so chooses, a coach can be fired in between seasons.
  3. If a team wishes to fire their head coach during the season, they may do so if that coach is not the current head coach of an NFL team or if all of the following are true:
    1. The NFL team that the coach represents must have a losing record.
    2. The WMFFL team that has the coach must also have a losing record.
    3. If these conditions are not met, a coach cannot be fired.
    4. The firing of a coach does not use a transaction point.
Protections
1. Between seasons each team will be awarded 55 protection points to spend on protections or transactions
2. Protection lists must be turned into the commissioner at least one week prior to the draft day.
3. Repealed
4. All non protected players are cleared from the roster after the deadline and are eligible to be drafted.
5. In order to protect a player a team must spend a number of protection points equal to the position cost plus the modifier for that player.
  1. Position Costs
    1. QB
      1. 10 pts
    2. RB
      1. 15 pts
    3. WR
      1. 13 pts
    4. TE
      1. 4 pts
    5. K
      1. 1 pt
    6. OL
      1. 1 pt
    7. DL
      1. 3 pts
    8. LB
      1. 5 pts
    9. DB
      1. 4 pts
  2. Modifiers are based on position and number of previous years protected
    1. QB, RB, WR and TE
      1. +1 per year
    2. K, OL, DL, LB and DB
      1. +1 for every 2 years, rounded up
  3. If a player is left unprotected his modifier will be reduced to 0.
  4. Unused protection are converted to transaction points immediatly following the draft
  5. If more than 16 players are protected in the same year at the same position then the cost of that position in rule X.E.1 will be increased by 1, to take effect the following season
Financial Situations
1. At the beginning of the season each team will pay the league an entrance fee of $75.
  1. Failure to pay the entry fee by the date of the draft will result in a series of fines.
  2. Teams that have not been given the option to fully receive the previous year's winnings will not be charged a fine as a result of failing to pay the entry fee.
2. The entrance fees, plus any fees that were accumulated throughout the season, are added to a pot.
3. The pot is divided into three parts.
  1. The first part is for league finances.
    1. This is money that the league uses for photocopies, software, mail, etc.
    2. The amount that goes to league finances is either the expected expenditures plus 10% or 25% of the total pot, whichever is less.
    3. The remaining money is returned to teams in the form of winning payments.
  2. One third of the remaining money goes to weekly winnings.
    1. The weekly winnings are divided by the total number of regular season games (currently 70).
    2. This is the amount that each team will receive for each regular season win, ties count as half a win.
  3. Two-thirds goes to end of the year winnings.
    1. 50% goes to the League Champion
    2. 25% goes to the runner-up
    3. 5% goes to each of the Semi-Final Losers
    4. 5% goes to each Division Champion
Changing Rules
1. If a rule change is to be requested the following procedure will be used.
  1. The rule change is mentioned to the Commissioner.
  2. Once the commissioner has been informed the rule is placed on the Rules Ballot and voted on by the league.
2. If 50% plus one of voting owners approve the proposal then it will become a rule.
3. A rule change may be requested at any point in the year.
4. No rule can take effect mid-season, unless the rule passes league vote with 100% approval and no absentions.
5. A rule will be removed from the ballot if 50% of voting owners reject it