NAFL RULEBOOK

The rulebook shown below is in effect for the 2010 season. Changes for the 2011 season will be discussed and voted on prior to the 2011 draft. See the Example Lineup to see what format should be used when submitting weekly lineups.

NORTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE RULES

1. All fantasy franchise owners shall assemble at an agreed upon time and place for an annual player draft & meeting.
2. The draft order for 2002 shall be randomly determined, and the order shall be reversed for even-numbered rounds. Each franchise shall select 14 players (16 prior to 2008) from the following categories: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, placekickers and defense/ special teams. A team may have no more than 3 QB's, 5 RB's, 5 WR's, 3 TE's, 3 PK's or 3 D/S's at any point during the season.
3. During the season each franchise owner will submit a starting lineup to the league commissioner prior to the kickoff of the NFL game for that week. Owners choose one QB, 1 RB, 2 WR's, 1 TE, 1 Flex player that can be a RB, WR or TE, 1 PK and 1 D/S. If no lineup is submitted, the most recent lineup is used. Players for Week 1 are started in draft order if no lineup is submitted for the first week. See rule #18 for information on alternates.
4. Fantasy teams score points when their starters score in NFL games. Each touchdown scored is worth six points, touchdown passes are worth four points, field goals are worth three points, and extra points are worth one point. A score on a two-point conversion is worth two points and a two-point conversion pass is worth one point.
5. The defense/special teams "player", unlike the position players, is an entire NFL defense and special teams. It scores six points whenever any player on that team returns a kickoff, punt, interception or opponent's fumble or blocked kick for a touchdown. The D/S also scores two points for each safety, and one point for every two turnover recoveries, sacks or combination of the two. There is also three points for a shutout by the defensive team and one point for holding the opponent to less than seven points. Points scored by a defensive player on an offensive play from scrimmage do not count towards points for the D/S (Deion Sanders rule).
6. Franchise owners may place any player on the injured-reserve list provided that he is also on the NFL's injured reserve list or inactive list, or if he is listed as `doubtful' or `out' on the NFL's weekly injury report (as listed in USA Today). Once a player has been activated by the their NFL team, or no longer appears on the NFL's weekly injury report, they must leave the franchise's injured-reserve list.
7. If a player is not on fantasy team, he is considered to be a `free-agent', available to any team. Franchise owners may obtain rights to any free-agent on a first-come, first-serve basis after Tuesday at 9:00PM (Arizona time) by notifying the commissioner. If two or more owners request the same player prior to the Tuesday deadline, the team with the worst record, or lower draft position for the first week of the season, gets priority. Additionally, each team is limited to one contested player prior to the deadline, unless the other requesting teams have also received a player. This allows all teams to have a fair shot at unsigned players. Please note that for each player `signed', a player must released or placed on the injured-reserve list (subject to the conditions in rule #6). All franchise owners will be informed as soon as feasibly possible of any such move.
8. Released players are put on the waiver wire with the same conditions as outlined in rule #7.
9. If two or more owners wish to trade players and/or draft picks, they may do so by contacting the league commissioner. Any trade may be reviewed by the commissioner and vetoed by the commissioner or with a two-thirds majority vote by league owners. Two-thirds will be considered as 10 out of 15 votes (or 9 out of 14) for all actions that require a vote. The commissioner's veto can be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote by league owners. The teams involved must end up with roster of 16 players at the end of the transaction. This can be done by releasing players, putting a player on injured-reserve or signing a player.
10. There are no trades or transactions permitted after 9:00PM (Arizona Time) on the Wednesday prior to week 10 of the regular season, except for the following condition: A player may be signed to replace another player legitimately placed on injured-reserve. The player placed on injured-reserve will remain there for the remainder of the season, including playoffs. Starting with the 2008 season, the trades are allowed immediately following the league championship game through the transaction deadline; the trading window would then reopen again after the championship game.
11. The schedule and division alignment will be prepared by the commissioner. After a 12-week regular season schedule, the division champions and two wild cards (the two teams with the next best records regardless of divisions) will advance to the playoffs. In the first round, the top wild card will host the second wild card team. The winner of the wild card games then travels to face the top division winner and the second best division winner will host the third division winner. The winner of each divisional playoff will then advance to a neutral site to play in the championship game, the American Bowl. In the first two rounds of the playoffs the home team will receive an additional three points for home field advantage.
12. The following is the tie-breaking scheme used should two or more teams have identical records at the end of the season:
    1. Record against other teams in the tie
    2. Divisional record (if the teams are in the same division)
    3. Total points scored during the season
    4. Total points scored against other teams in the tie
    5. Coin Toss
13. During the regular season, each team designates a tiebreak player (QB, RB, WR, TE or PK) that is added to the final score in the event that the starting players produce a tie score. If there is still a tie the tie will stand during the regular season, and count as half a win and half a loss in the standings. For playoff games, owners submit `sudden death' orders of their eight non-starters, and should the teams tie, the overtime players are compared, in order, one at a time until the tie is broken. The next tie-breaker is total offensive yardage of the six field players, then the total distance of all scores. If the tie still exists in the first or second round, the home team advances. In the championship game the tie will be broken by a coin toss as a last resort.
14. The league commissioner shall prepare a weekly report and distribute it to the franchise owners either in hard copy form or on the league website. (http://www.about2.com/nafl)
15. For purposes of statistical consistency, the NFL.com web site will be the final source of all scores.
16. The league shall nominate a vice-commissioner to act the commissioner's place should the commissioner be unable to perform his/her duties.
17. Franchises shall be located in a US or Canadian city or state (province) and have a plausible nickname. Team names can be disallowed by a two-thirds vote of franchise owners.
18. Injured player alternates: at each position, including the flex position there will be one alternate whose points will be used in the event that a starter at that position does not suit up and play. Once a starter sees playing time, however, his points are used for that week's game. With the flex position, the same alternate can be used at multiple positions, but will only be counted once in the event the starter does not play.
19. These rules may be revised or amended only during the off-season (defined as the period after the final playoff game is played, until the first pick is made in the following year's draft). A two-thirds majority approval (9 out of 14 teams) is required to make any changes.
20. In addition to the basic scoring system, bonus points are awarded to players for the following:
    • >299 passing yards - 2 points + 1 point for each add'l 25 yards
    • >99 combined rushing and receiving yards - 2 points + 1 point for each add'l 25 yards
    • 2 points for reaching at least six (6) receptions in a single game, with 2 add'l points for every four receptions beyond the first six. For example, 10 receptions is worth four (4) bonus points, 14 receptions is worth six (6) bonus points. This bonus is open to all players, regardless of position.
    • 1 add'l point for field goals over 50 yards
21. Following the 2001 season, each franchise shall be allowed, but not required, to keep two players from their final roster from the previous season.
    1. One of the players must be a rookie, and if the team does not have a rookie on the final roster, the second spot will be forfeited.
    2. Players eligible to be protected include those on the active roster, as well as those players on injured reserve or season-ending injured reserve.
    3. Protected players can be traded for other protected players and/or draft picks with both teams contacting the league commissioner. Any trade may be reviewed by the commissioner and vetoed by the commissioner or with a two-thirds majority vote by league owners. Two-thirds will be considered as 10 out of 15 votes (or 9 out of 14) for all actions that require a vote. The commissioner's veto can be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote by league owners.
    4. Any trades that include a team that withdraws from the league will be handled on a case by case basis.
    5. Starting with the players protected for the 2006 season, no team can retain a player for more than three consecutive seasons, including the player's rookie season. If a player is released to the draft pool and selected through the draft, added as a free agent or acquired through a trade, the counter for three consecutive seasons will restart and will include the current season.
22. Following the 2002 season, the draft order shall be determined in reverse order of finish, with the following exceptions:
    1. The winner of the Dog Bowl will earn the first overall pick. This game will be played between the two teams with the worst regular season records during the same weekend as the championship game, with the second-worst team holding a three-point home field advantage.
    2. The league champion will hold the last spot in the draft order, while the runner-up will hold the second to last spot.
    3. The draft order will continue to be reversed for even-numbered rounds.