I. Draft
 

The RFFL will consist of a 16-round draft, with the order determined by drawing NFL team helmets out of a hat with multiple team owners present. The order is a snake format, with the order going in reverse for the even numbered rounds. For example, the first pick in the first round with have the last pick in second round and first in the third round, and so on.

 

The draft will be held prior to Week 1. Owners will make their picks live in person on the draft board or on the online draft room. Teams are permitted to trade draft picks but must maintain 16 picks throughout the draft. No team is permitted to deal future draft picks in any other year than the current draft. Each team will have 90 seconds to make a pick. If the allotted time expires on a team, the next team can make their selection and the original drafting team can pick at any time after their time is up. Time will be kept by the Commissioner via the app Sleeper.

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           II. Season

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The RFFL will have 10 teams in two divisions of five teams each. Teams play a 14-game schedule through 14 NFL weeks. Teams will play head-to-head matchups each week, playing teams in their division two times throughout the year, every other team once and play one non-divisional opponent twice that is randomly determined. Tiebreakers for end of season standings will be:

1. Overall record

2. Head-to-head matchups

3. Total season points

4. Divisional Record

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​           III. Rosters

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Each team will be required to set a weekly starting lineup consisting of one (1) team quarterback, two (2) running backs, two (2) wide receivers, two (2) flex positions that can be either a running back, wide receiver or tight end, one (1) tight end and one (1) team defense. These nine starting positions combined with seven (7) bench slots form the sixteen (16) player team. Owners must have the minimum players at each position required to complete a starting lineup, but may fill out their bench as best they see fit. Each team will have two (2) Injured Reserve/Inactive spot for player who’s either injured, suspended, on the COVID-19 list or holding out throughout the season. Said player must be considered out for at least one week to be placed on IR and must be immediately activated or released once they are back to action.

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         IV. Scoring

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RFFL player scoring is as follows:

 

Passing

• 25 yards = 1 point

• TD = 4 points

• -1 point for interceptions and fumbles

 

 

Rushing and Receiving

• 10 yards = 1 point (yards are totaled between rushing and receiving yds)

• TD = 6 points

• -1 point for interceptions and fumbles

• Kickoff or punt return TD = 6 points

 

All two-point conversions are 2 points.

 

Defense

• Sack = 1 point

• INT = 2 points

• Fumble Recovery (while on defense) = 2 points

• TD = 6 points

• Safety = 2 points

• Shutout or 0 points allowed on defense = 10 points

• 2-10 defensive points allowed = 5 points

• TD after blocked FG or punt = 6 points

 

Note: Special teams kick/punt return touchdowns are not included into the defense stats.

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​           V. Free Agents

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Available free agents will be on waivers for Tuesday of each week, where each team will have a chance to put in waiver requests using their FAAB. Each team will have $150 to spend as they see fit on waivers. The winning bids will be assigned to their respective teams at midnight on Wednesday and then all free agents are first come/first serve for the remainder of the week. Teams will be permitted to sign free agents up until kickoff at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Free agent players that play an early game (Thursday/Saturday) must be picked up before kickoff of their game that week. Free agents are locked from Sunday at 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. Tuesday when teams are permitted to put in a waiver request.

 

           VI. Trades

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Teams are allowed to trade players throughout the season. Teams will be permitted to trade up until the start of Week 14 on Thursday, December 9, 2021. No trades will be allowed from the start of Week 14 through the entire playoffs. FAAB money is permitted to be traded along with players. Teams may not trade any other compensation such as future draft picks, money or wrestling action figures.

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           VII. Playoffs

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Once the regular season concludes, the RFFL playoffs will begin. The playoffs will take place in Week 15, 16 and 17.

 

Rosters will be locked at the beginning of Week 14 for the remainder of the playoffs. Teams will only be permitted to make a transaction during the playoffs due to an injury if a player is officially out. If a team drops an injured player, it must pick up a player in the same position (QB for a QB).

 

Five (5) teams will qualify for the postseason tournament. Teams will be seeded according to their place in the standings determined by the tiebreakers in Section II. Each division winner will receive a first-round bye. The next two best teams determined by the standings and tiebreaker process will receive a playoff berth as seed No. 3 and 4. The third seed will receive a first-round bye as well. Out of the remaining non-playoff teams, whichever team scores the most points in Week 14 will earn a playoff berth as the No. 5 seed. In the first round of the playoffs in Week 15, the No. 4 seed will play the No. 5 seed. The first-round winner will advance to the semifinals to play the No. 1 seed while the No. 2 seed faces the No. 3 seed. The semifinal winners will advance to the RFFL Bowl for the league championship in Week 17.

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           VIII. Tiebreakers

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In the playoffs, if two teams are tied at the end of the week, the top scorer on each team’s bench will act as the tiebreaker. If the teams’ top scorers have the same amount of points, the entire bench will be added up to break the tie. Highest bench total will advance. If the teams are still deadlocked after both tiebreakers, the higher seed will advance.

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           IX. Franchise Fee and The Ray

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Each RFFL franchise must pay $50 to the league commissioner prior to the start of the draft. All $500 ($50 x 10 teams) will form the reward money to pay out at the conclusion of the playoffs. The winning payouts are as follows:

 

            Division Champion: $50

            Power Poll winner (most team points): $50

            Runner up (RFFL Bowl loser): $100

            League Champion: $250

 

The NFL season must complete eight weeks for the season to be considered official. If the NFL season is stopped and cancelled prior to Week 8, no champion or money will be awarded for the 2023 season. In this scenario, money will carry over to next season. If the NFL season is stopped and cancelled after Week 8, the team leading in the standings per section II will be awarded the RFFL championship. The RFFL Champion will also be awarded The Ray at the following year’s draft and will hold it for one full year until the next draft.

 

           X. RFFL Front Office

 

Should any situation arise during the season that is not addressed in this rulebook, a decision will be discussed and executed by Commissioner Ryan Alexander and Vice-Commissioner Jared Bridges.

 

Revised as of 2.3.2023