Proposed
and Instituted Rule Changes
Proposed Rule Changes
The following ideas could go into effect for the 2024 season
(or beyond):
1. Reduction in the maximum number of quarterbacks on an
active roster from three to two.
2. Reduction in the maximum number of players on injured
reserve from four players per team to three players.
3. Giving negative point values to placekickers for missed
extra points (based on quantity) and/or missed field goals
(based on quantity, distance or both).
4. Mandating that every UFFL franchise carry at least one
rookie - either as a taxi squad member or as a player on the
active roster.
5. Moving from a priority list waiver system to a system using
blind bidding - but on a one-year trial basis instead of as a
permanent move.
Instituted
Rule Changes
The following ideas
were implemented for the 2010 season:
1. The number of franchise players will increase from two to
three per team.
2. With regards to roster maximums, franchises will now be
allowed to keep up to six running backs on their team instead
of five.
3. Running backs will get one point for every 10 points
rushing, instead of every 20 points rushing. (Wide receivers
will continue to get one point for every 20 points receiving,
because they also get one point for every reception.)
4. An "add/drop deadline" has been created (Week 16), to
prevent owners from gutting or massively overhauling their
rosters heading into the offseason. This effectively puts a
freeze on all player movement until the draft, with the
exception of trades being proposed and executed between March
and August. The trade deadline will continue to fall at the
end of Week 13.
5. The flex position in the starting lineup can be used for
any running back, wide receiver or tight end. Prior to this
year, only running backs and wide receivers could be used as
flex players.
6. UFFL Pro Bowl rule
change: Effective with the 2010 Pro Bowl (to be held
in January 2011), head coaches will have the opportunity to
select players who do not appear on the ballot from an
"emergency players list," at the discretion of the
commissioner. The emergency players listed for each division
will consist of two quarterbacks, two running backs, two wide
receivers, two extra tight ends and one placekicker. The list
will feature the highest-scoring players at their respective
positions who were not included on the original Pro Bowl
ballot. This list should only be consulted if all of the
players on the ballot at one or more positions are injured,
inactive or are expected to play a limited number of snaps.
The following idea
was implemented for the 2012 season:
1. Players will remain on waivers for 24 hours instead
of 48 hours.
The following idea was implemented for
the 2015 season:
1. Points will be credited to team defenses for
conversion returns (due to the new NFL rule regarding the
allowance of returns on two-point conversions and extra
points). This adjustment was automatically instituted by
Fleaflicker and was not voted on by the league.
The following idea was implemented
for the 2016 season:
1. Individual defensive players were
reinstituted to fantasy lineups, after it became possible
for Fleaflicker football leagues to support formats which
use individual defensive players and team defenses. This
setup was used by the UFFL from 2004 to 2007, during the
league's final years on Yahoo! Sports, but was dropped
prior to the 2008 season because it didn't appear that
both IDPs and team defenses could be supported
simultaneously. Starting lineups will include two spots
for IDPs and an extra bench spot has been added to each
roster.
The following ideas were
implemented for the 2017 season:
The
scoring system for individual defensive players
(IDPs) was adjusted, to give more weight to areas
such as tackles and assisted tackles. The following
rule change proposals were approved by a majority of
owners on the annual league questionnaire:
1. Solo tackles for IDPs were increased from 0.5
fantasy points to one fantasy point, while assisted
tackles were increased from zero points to 0.5
points.
2. Sacks for IDPs were increased from one fantasy
point to three fantasy points. (They were worth
three points each from 2004 to 2007 and one point
when IDPs were reintroduced to the league in 2016.)
3. Passes defended for IDPs were increased from zero
fantasy points to one fantasy point. (They were
worth one point each from 2004 to 2007 but worth
nothing in 2016.)
The
following idea was implemented for the
2018 season:
1. Punters were
added to the Ultimate Fantasy Football
League, since the rostering and
statistical infrastructure was put
into place on Fleaflicker. As a
result, rosters expanded from 19 to 20
active slots, with teams being allowed
to carry no more than two punters.
The
following idea
was
implemented
for the 2020
season:
1.
The number of
injured
reserve slots
was increased
from three
players to
five players
at the
beginning of
the season, to
give roster
flexibility to
owners who had
multiple
players
sidelined due
to having
COVID-19 or
being a close
contact to
someone who
tested
positive. This
rule was
adjusted in
mid-October,
with the
number of IR
slots
increased to
six players,
so that
players who
had games
abruptly
postponed by
the NFL could
be protected
without having
to occupy
active roster
space.
The
following idea
was
implemented
for the 2021
season:
1.
One fantasy
point will be
awarded for
every 10
return yards
accumulated
(through
kickoff
returns, punt
returns,
interception
returns or
fumble
returns).
Previously,
one fantasy
point was
awarded for
every 25
kickoff or
punt return
yards, while
there were no
points awarded
for
interception
return yards
or fumble
return yards.
The following idea was
implemented for the 2022 season:
1. The
regular-season schedule was
adjusted so that each UFFL
franchise would have more
divisional games. Previously,
all teams played every other
team in the league once during
the regular season.
The
following
ideas were
implemented
for the 2023
season:
1.
The number of
injured
reserve slots
was decreased
from a maximum
of six players
to a maximum
of four
players, to
prevent roster
hoarding and
strengthen the
free-agent
pool.
2. The maximum
number of
running backs
allowed on an
active roster
was reduced
from six to
five. Owners
had voted to
reduce the
maximum number
of wide
receivers on
an active
roster from
six to five as
well, until it
was pointed
out that this
number would
be too low if
starting
lineups
require three
wideouts (and
in some cases,
four wideouts,
if the
offensive flex
spot is
occupied by a
receiver).
Rejected Rule Changes
The following
ideas were not implemented for the 2011 season:
1. Using a draft lottery (similar to the system used for the
NBA draft) to determine slotting for the first four selections
of the UFFL draft. This would have given the worst franchise
in the league a greater chance of ending up with the top pick
in the draft than the next three worst franchises without
guaranteeing that they would receive the No. 1 selection.
2. Re-seeding after each round of the playoffs (so that the
highest remaining seed will always face the lowest remaining
seed, like the NFL playoffs); currently, the UFFL postseason
structure is similar to the NCAA tournament bracket system,
where re-seeding does not occur.
3. A proposal to turn the Ultimate Fantasy Football League
from a free league to a pay league.
4. The implementation of doubleheaders (teams playing two
games in one week).
5. Expansion (to 10) or reduction (to six) of the number of
playoff-bound teams. Both scenarios would have necessitated
the creation of first-round byes for two teams. Expanding the
number of teams would have also resulted in the regular season
schedule being reduced to 12 games (from 13), or the 17th week
of the NFL calendar being used for the championship game, thus
leading to the elimination of the UFFL Pro Bowl.
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2012 season:
1. The implementation of weekly or monthly transaction limits.
Teams will continue to be allowed to make an unlimited number
of transactions.
2. The transition from a priority list waiver system to a
blind-bid waiver system.
3. A proposal that would have allowed players acquired in
offseason trades to be protected from being drafted without
occupying any franchise player slots.
4. The contraction of two to four UFFL franchises (or the
reduction of roster sizes) to increase the amount of available
talent in the free-agent pool.
5. The movement of the league from Fleaflicker Fantasy Sports
back to Yahoo! Fantasy Sports.
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2013 season:
1. The reduction of roster sizes to increase the amount of
available talent in the free-agent pool.
2. The addition of defensive player flex
positions (defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs)
without eliminating the concept of defensive teams. (In 2004,
teams were required to have one defensive team and four
defensive players in their starting lineup. From 2005 to 2007,
the requirements were changed to one defensive team and two
defensive players. The defensive players idea was scrapped in
2008 when the UFFL moved from Yahoo! to Fleaflicker because it
was initially believed that Fleaflicker was unable to handle
such a setup.)
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2014 season:
1. A proposal which would have changed the tiebreaker system
for postseason contests. The system that had been in place was
as follows: (A) most total starter combined touchdowns, (B)
highest individual starter score, (C) higher bench points
total.
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2015 season:
1. The implementation of a non-snaking draft order, similar to
that used by the National Football League.
2. The elimination of keeper players, which
would have given a clean slate to all franchises.
3. The proposal to make successful extra-point attempts worth
more than one fantasy point, based on the distance for
attempts being increased from 20 yards to 33 yards.
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2016 season:
1.
Team defenses could have earned points for three-and-out
scenarios (forcing an opposing offense to go without picking
up a first down on their offensive drive and not scoring any
points). Effective with the 2015 season, Fleaflicker made this
option available to all fantasy leagues.
2. A proposal where team defenses could have earned points for
stopping opponents on fourth-down conversion attempts.
Effective with the 2015 season, Fleaflicker made this option
available to all fantasy leagues.
3. Team defenses and individual defensive players could have
earned additional points for fumble return yards and
interception yards. Effective with the 2015 season,
Fleaflicker made this option available to all fantasy leagues.
4. A proposal where offensive players could have earned points
for targets (times a quarterback throws a ball in an intended
receiver's direction). Effective with the 2014 season,
Fleaflicker made this option available to all fantasy leagues.
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2022 season:
1. Reduction of the injured reserve list from a maximum of six
players to a maximum of three players (the pre-pandemic limit
in the UFFL).
2. Expansion of the UFFL Pro Bowl from a one-week event (Week
17 of the NFL season) to a two-week event (Weeks 17 and 18 of
the NFL season).
3. Transition from a live draft to an offline draft via
e-mail, effective with the 2023 UFFL Draft.
The following ideas
were not implemented for the 2023 season:
1. Removal of the punter position for fantasy football
purposes.
2. Transition from a priority list waiver system to a method
using blind bidding.
3. The proposal to "start from scratch," effective with the
beginning of the 2024 UFFL season.
4. A resubmitted proposal to turn the
Ultimate Fantasy Football League from a free league to a pay
league (which was first formally discussed in 2011).
