League History

Rule Changes & Evolution (2013–2026)

📋 Current Rules 📅 Change Log 🔢 ESPN API

📖 Current Rulebook

Current Ruleset

League Structure

10 teams, ESPN platform
Communication via Discord
14-week regular season
3-week playoffs, 6 teams qualify
Top 2 seeds receive a first-round bye

Buy-In & Payouts

$50 per owner per season
1st place: $210
2nd place: $100
3rd place: $50
Weekly high score: $10
Consolation dollar: $1 to 2nd-highest scorer if they lost
Late dues: 5-pt penalty if unpaid at Week 1 kickoff, doubling each week until paid (2026+)

Scoring

Half-PPR scoring (0.5 pts per reception)
Fractional / decimal scoring enabled
Missed PATs: −0.5 pts
Forced fumble: 1 pt
Recovered fumble: 2 pts

Keepers

1 keeper per team
Drafted players kept at their draft round
Waiver pickups kept at ADP + 1 round
Max 3 seasons rostered
Cannot keep 1st-round picks
Duplicate round values: forfeit the round above
Player contracts reset after trades

Draft

Snake draft, 60-second pick clock
Lottery: every team gets 2 balls
10th: 48 balls · 9th: 22 · 8th: 11 · 7th: 7
Draft pick trading enabled

Rules & Admin

Trade deadline: beginning of Week 13
ESPN "undroppable" restrictions disabled
2 IR slots
IR violation ladder: 1st = 12th round pick, 2nd = 8th, 3rd = 5th
Inactive manager: commissioner may set lineup after 2 weeks

Founding / Platform

Buy-In Change

Payout Change

Teams / Owners

Scoring / Format

Draft

Admin / Minor

2026

Buy-In Late dues penalty introduced: owners who haven't paid before kickoff of Week 1 take a 5-point penalty, which doubles each week until payment is received.

2025

Draft Lottery modified: every team gets 2 balls. 10th place gets 48, 9th gets 22, 8th gets 11, 7th gets 7. Remaining teams get 2 each.
IR IR violation penalty ladder introduced: 1st offense = loss of 12th round pick, 2nd = 8th round, 3rd = 5th round.
Schedule Rivalry week removed from schedule.

2024

Rules No league changes in 2024.

2023

Teams League expanded from 8 → 10 teams.
👋 Joe and John join the league.
Payouts Playoffs increased: $210 / $100 / $50. Weekly high score increased $5 → $10. Consolation dollar unchanged at $1.
Playoffs Switched to 3-week format with 6 teams; top 2 seeds receive a first-round bye.
Schedule Rivalry week added to regular season schedule.
Trades Trade deadline pushed to the beginning of Week 13.

2022

Rules No league changes in 2022.

2021

Buy-In Increased $40 → $50 per owner.
Payouts Playoffs increased: $185 / $90 / $50.
Schedule Regular season extended by 1 week after the NFL added Week 18. Final week of playoffs now week 17.
Scoring Forced fumble = 1 pt · Recovered fumble = 2 pts.
Keepers Waiver keeper rules unified: all waiver pickups (drafted or undrafted) kept for ADP+1.
IR Covid IR slot converted to a general-purpose 2nd IR slot.
Draft Draft order adjusted so mid-round picks are treated as worst.

2020

Buy-In Increased to $41.25 to account for 2 additional weeks of weekly high score payouts.
Payouts Consolation dollar introduced: $1 to the 2nd-highest scorer each week — but only if they lost.
Playoffs Switched from 2-week to 1-week playoff format. See how the two-week format played out →
Scoring Forced fumble = 1.5 pts · Recovered fumble = 1.5 pts.
Waivers ESPN's "undroppable player" restrictions disabled.
Keepers Player contracts reset after trades.
IR Covid IR slot added.

2019

Platform League communication switched from Facebook → Discord.
Keepers Keeper count reduced from 2 → 1. Waiver pickups kept for ADP+1 (previously Round 15).
Scoring Missed PATs = −0.5 pts.
Trades Trade deadline set to just after Week 10.
Draft Pick time increased back to 60 seconds.

2018

Teams 8 teams
Brian is forced into retirement and is replaced by Johnny A.
Scoring Switched to half-PPR scoring.
Keepers Complex keeper rules: drafted players kept by round, dropped players kept in Rounds 5 / 10 / 15 based on original draft round.
Draft Draft pick trading enabled. Pick time reduced to 45 seconds.
IR 1 IR slot added.
Trades Trade deadline removed.

2017

Teams 8 teams
Brandon retires and is replaced by Ben.
Keepers Waiver pickups can be kept for 15th round pick.

2016

Major Formal rulebook introduced — the league's first written constitution. It is highly respected.
Teams League contracted from 10 → 8 teams.
Loren and Rob retire.
Buy-In Increased to $40 per owner.
Payouts Playoffs: $150 / $70 / $40 · $5/week high score
Draft Lottery introduced: 8th gets 55 balls, 7th gets 25, 6th gets 12, 5th gets 8. Others get 2 each.
Keepers Keepers introduced: 2 per team, max 3 seasons rostered. Cannot keep 1st-round picks. Duplicate round values forfeit the round above.
Trades Trade deadline formally introduced.

2015

Teams League drops from 12 to 10 teams.
Danielle, Keegan, and Bob retire. Bob takes an advisory role on Carl's team. 👋 Rob joins.
Scoring Fractional / decimal scoring implemented.
Buy-In Increased to $26 per owner.
Payouts Playoffs: $109 / $60 / $31. Weekly high score prize introduced: $5 paid to the highest scorer each week (12-week season).
Inactive League manager may set lineup for inactive members after 2 weeks (from current roster only).
Draft Pick time set to 60 seconds.

2014

Name League renamed to "Monday Morning Tears".
Teams 12 teams.
Mike H & Jim R retire. 👋 Ray, Brian, Brandon, and Bob join the league.
Buy-In $5 per owner (first year with a buy-in).
Payouts Playoffs: $35 / $15 / $10 (unconfirmed).

2013 — League Founded

Founded League created as "Madame DeRuiter's Pauvre Bebes"
Teams 10 teams.
Bill, Mike, Andy, Carl, Phil, Loren, Danielle, Keegan, Jim R, Mike H
Platform Facebook group used for league communication and trash talk.
Buy-In No buy-in/payout — bragging rights only.
Scoring Standard scoring with bonuses.
Schedule Season started in Week 2 of the NFL calendar.

Scoring & Settings History (ESPN API)

Year-over-year changes detected from ESPN's league settings — most recent first