WWITB Rules
I. Keeper League Rules
1. Roster size: 17 players. With the roster size increase to 17, it is expected that 1 or 2 young players will be included on each team's roster during the season to develop into keepers. We must increase roster size with a keeper format not only for the reason that injured players will not automatically be dropped due to keeper possibilities, but teams will be given an increased chance to build a franchise. There will be more emphasis on the draft and trades than on waiver wire acquisitions, which more closely emulates the real world of sports. One IR spot has been added in the case that a top draft pick gets injured but is not out for all of the season.
2. Each team can keep from 0 to 3 players. The first year, it's possible that because of poor drafting or poor team management, a team may not have any players they wish to keep.
3. Any players drafted in rounds 1 - 3 of the previous year cannot be keepers.
4. Players can be kept a maximum of 3 times. For example, you can draft a player in 2008, and then keep them for the next 3 years: 2009, 2010, 2011. In 2012, this player must go back into the draft pool of players.
5. For each player you keep, you must give up a draft pick 2 rounds higher than the player's draft position the year before.
If you keep an undrafted free agent from the previous year, you must give up your 12th round pick to keep him the next year.
Players that were drafted and then cut do not maintain their draft status if drafted after round 8. In other words, players drafted in rounds 1-8 maintain their draft status even if they were cut. So if get a player off the waiver wire that was drafted in round 8 and you decide to keep him, he will count as your 6th round pick. If you claim a player drafted in round 9 and decide to keep him, you will have to give up your 12th round pick. Thus, you must give up your 12th round pick to keep any player drafted in Rounds 9-17 and acquired via free agency.
Example 1: You draft Ray Rice in round 9 in 2009. He becomes the starter and you decide he's one of your keepers. In 2010, you must give up your 7th round draft pick (he becomes effectively your 7th round pick) to keep him. In 2011, he becomes your 5th round choice, and if you keep him for a third year, you must give up your 3rd round pick in 2012.
Example 2: You draft Devin Hester in round 5 in 2009. You decide to keep him. In 2010, he becomes your 3rd round draft pick (you give up a 3rd rounder). In 2011, because his draft status was round 3 in the previous year, he is no longer eligible for keeper status and is returned to the draft pool.
6. Any player acquired via trade maintains his draft status. Teams out of contention will continue to work hard to build for the future by attempting to acquire valuable keepers.
7. If you do not have a draft pick for the correct round to give up to keep a player, you must give up the next higher draft pick. This can happened if you trade away a draft pick during pre-season or have 2 keepers that have the same draft status from the previous year.
Example 1: You decide to keep your draft pick in round 14 from the previous year and you also want to keep a free agent. Both require that you give up your 12th round draft pick. Since you only have one 12th round selection, to keep both players, you must give up picks for rounds 11 and 12.
Example 2: You want to keep a player you drafted in the 5th round last year. You also traded away your 3rd round pick during pre-season. To keep last year's 5th round pick, you must give up your 3rd round pick this year. Since you have no 3rd round selection, to keep this player, you must give up your 2nd pick.
7. When the draft is complete, the draft position the player ends up at will determine next year's draft position status. This also applies despite trades. Players who are undrafted or dropped have no draft status.
For Example: You have 2 free agents you want to keep. Based on the rule above, you will have to give up a 12th and an 11th round pick to keep each. If the draft completes with your 2nd keeper being your 11th round draft pick, and you decide to keep that same player next year, you will have to give up a 9th round pick to keep that player the following year. Moral: Put your best keeper free agent in the 12th round slot.
II. Draft Order
Draft order will be based on final standings of previous year. So if you finish in last place you will have the first pick. If you win the league, you will have the last pick. If it has been determined that someone has been tanking to get the last place finish, we will quickly take care of that and move to where the first team out of the playoffs gets first pick.
III. TRADES
Trades will not be overturned absent fraud upon the league. We are building dynasties now. If someone makes a trade, it’s his own prerogative. Trades will not be overturned, but managers are always subject to relentless ridicule…..even from big dumb animals.
IV. FINES
New to the league this year…fines. Yes, in order to keep people paying attention and this league competitive there will be fines this year. If you play a person on a bye or who for sure is out with an injury, you will be fined $5. One your second offense, you will be fined $10. One your third offense, you will be fined $15. You get the point. To be fined for a player that was injured, this player must for sure be out. The cutoff is Wednesday to determine if a player is out. If it is determined Thursday or after that your player will not play, you will not be penalized because NFL teams like to wait till the last minute to see if a player will play.
Fines will reduce your winnings. If you do not have any winnings, your entry fee for next year will increase by that amount. I have not decided yet what I will do with fine money. I am not in a hurry to give it to the winners. I am thinking possibly giving it to third place of regular season or maybe if there is enough to buy a trophy that will be transferred to the winner each year.
V. COMMISSIONER
If the league is no longer happy with my commissioner services, a vote can be taken and if majority is reached, a new commissioner will be established. I want this league to be fun and am open to suggestions. Please email me whenever.
VI. CORY INGLE RULE
Due to my lack of organization in the first year of this league, Cory lucked out with Tom Brady. So, Cory, if you come in first or second place this year, whether regular season or playoffs, you will not be allowed to keep Tom Brady. Cory, you can try to defend yourself in your lawyer manner but there is no way to hide it. If our draft had happened two days earlier, Tom Brady would have been a top 5 pick. Thus, he would not be eligible to be kept. And since the rules state a player can be kept for three years, you would have another 2 seasons with Brady after this year. It is only fair Cory and I’m sure all would agree. And I’m not just picking on you, if someone would have beaten you to drafting Brady, I still would have implemented this rule (just under a different name).
