League Rules

System Shock Dynasty League — Official Rules v1.2

System Shock is built on stable, intentional rules designed to reward long-term strategy. Rule changes are only considered in the offseason and require league consensus.

Scoring

Full PPR scoring with TE Premium. Designed to reward consistent production and reduce variance.

Passing

Passing Yards	1 pt / 25 yards
Passing TD	6 pts
Interception	-2 pts
2-Point Conversion (Pass)	2 pts

Rushing

Rushing Yards	1 pt / 10 yards
Rushing TD	6 pts
Rushing First Down	0.25 pts
2-Point Conversion (Rush)	2 pts

Receiving

Reception (PPR)	1 pt
TE Premium (per reception)	+0.5 pts
Receiving Yards	1 pt / 10 yards
Receiving TD	6 pts
Receiving First Down	0.25 pts

Bonuses

40+ Yard TD (Rush/Rec)	+2 pts
50+ Yard TD (Rush/Rec)	+3 pts

          Why these settings? TE Premium elevates the position without making it overpowered. 
          First down bonuses reward players who move the chains. No kickers or defense — we focus on skill positions only.
        

Rosters

Starting Lineup (12 Players)

1 starter

2 starters

3 starters

2 starters

FLEX

3 starters

1 starter

FLEX: RB / WR / TE
SUPERFLEX: QB / RB / WR / TE

Roster Breakdown

Bench

Taxi Squad

IR Slots

Taxi Squad Rules

Eligibility: Rookies only
Promotion: One-way — once promoted, cannot return to taxi
Purpose: Develop players without using active bench space

IR Rules

Players must have Out, IR, or Suspended designation
3 IR slots available

          Why this structure? Deep benches and taxi squads reward managers who scout and develop talent. 
          The 3-FLEX setup creates meaningful lineup decisions each week.
        

Drafts

Startup Draft

Format: Snake draft
Player Pool: All veterans and current rookies
Time per Pick: Slow draft (async)
Fills: All active roster and bench spots

Rookie Draft (Annual)

Timing: After the NFL Draft each offseason
Rounds: 4
Format: Linear (non-snake)
Player Pool: Incoming rookies only
Pick Trading: Enabled year-round

Rookie Draft Order

Non-Playoff Teams: Determined by Max Points For (Max PF)

Lowest Max PF picks 1.01
Highest Max PF among non-playoff teams picks last in the lottery

Playoff Teams: Determined by reverse playoff finish

League Champion drafts last
Remaining teams follow elimination order

          What is Max PF? Max Points For is the total points your team would have scored 
          using its optimal lineup each week. Sleeper calculates this automatically. This system rewards 
          truly weaker rosters and eliminates incentives for intentional tanking.
        

Waivers & Free Agency

FAAB System

Type: FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget)
Annual Budget: $100
Processing: Daily at midnight PST
Minimum Bid: $0

Why FAAB?

Rewards planning over reaction speed
Removes timezone advantages
Keeps rebuilding teams competitive for key pickups
Adds strategic resource management to the game

          No waiver priority resets. Your FAAB budget is your only currency for free agents. 
          Spend wisely — once it's gone, you're limited to $0 bids for the rest of the season.
        

Trades

Trade Rules

Processing: Instant (no review period)
Vetoes: No league vetoes
Future Picks: Tradeable year-round
Trade Window: Open all year

Collusion Policy

Commissioner intervention occurs only for clear collusion. Examples include:

Lopsided trades with no reasonable justification
Trades that benefit a team the manager has a personal relationship with
Coordinated tanking between multiple teams

          Philosophy: Managers are trusted adults. Bad trades are part of dynasty — 
          we don't protect you from yourself. The commissioner only intervenes for integrity violations, not poor judgment.
        

Playoffs

Playoff Format

Teams: 6 teams qualify
Format: Single elimination, one-week rounds
Seeding: Based on regular season record
Byes: Top 2 seeds receive first-round byes

Consolation Bracket

Played for competitive integrity and engagement
Does not impact rookie draft order
All teams expected to set competitive lineups

          Playoff timing will be finalized prior to each NFL season and remain consistent throughout the year.
        

Competitive Integrity

Rebuilding vs. Tanking

Rebuilding is a valid dynasty strategy. Tanking is not.

Rebuilding looks like:

Trading veterans for draft picks
Prioritizing young players over win-now pieces
Accepting a down year while building for the future

Tanking looks like:

Starting inactive, IR, or BYE players when alternatives exist
Leaving starting positions empty
Repeated lineup neglect
Intentionally benching your best players

Lineup Requirements

All teams must set reasonable, competitive lineups each week — including during the consolation bracket.

Enforcement

Max PF draft order removes incentives for tanking
Commissioner may intervene for clear lineup sabotage
Repeated violations may result in removal from the league

          The standard: Would a reasonable manager make this lineup decision? 
          You don't have to optimize perfectly, but you can't sabotage.
        

Governance

Rule Changes

Only discussed during the offseason
No mid-season scoring or structural changes
Changes require league discussion and consensus
Commissioner facilitates but does not dictate

Commissioner Authority

The commissioner's role is to:

Enforce bylaws consistently
Resolve disputes fairly
Maintain league integrity
Facilitate (not dominate) league discussions

Dispute Resolution

Commissioner makes initial ruling
Decisions prioritize transparency and long-term league health
Managers may appeal to the league for consensus override

          Philosophy: System Shock is built on stable rules and trusted managers. 
          The commissioner is a caretaker, not a dictator. All decisions aim for fairness and longevity.
        

Ready to Join?

If these rules resonate with you, we'd love to have you in the league.

Join System Shock