Fantasy Football Keeper League Rules

Draft Order

Draft order is determined based on previous year finishing place.  This is just like it’s done in the NFL.  The team that wins the league drafts last the following year.  The team that finished last drafts first the following year.
Over the past fours years we’ve had 2-3 new teams each year.  When that happens, new teams will draft before existing teams.  This is to balance the advantage that existing teams have with the ability to keep players from the year before.

Keepers

Each manager is allowed to keep up to 2 players from the previous year.  Each keeper replaces your draft spot in one round.
If you keep one player, that player replaces your first round pick.  If you keep two, those players replace your first and second round picks.
The limit for keepers will be 2 years.  This means you are allowed to keep a player for two more years after the year you originally drafted the player.
After two years, the player will return to the pool of draft picks.
If you pick the same player again, you are eligible to keep that player another 2 years.

Keeper Free Agency

Again, mirroring the NFL as much as possible, good players have contracts that end or they hold out.  In fantasy football, we can do that by limiting the number of years in a row you can keep a player.  This also helps with parity.
Luckily for some, the 2009-2010 season was the first year we allowed keepers. Even if the limit were 2 years,  you’ll still be allowed to keep whoever you want this year.

No Snaking

Mimicking the NFL draft again, we will not use a snaking draft order.  In my opinion, this can setup some teams for success and others for failure from the beginning.   Like the NFL, we'll strive for parity year to year.
Just to clarify a little more: if you finished last in 2010 (and there aren’t any new teams), you will get the 1st pick of every round.  If you finished first in 2010, you will get the last pick in every round.