PIGSKIN FANTASY FOOTBALL

League rules

Site-wide rules for all leagues. Format and roster type are chosen when a league is created.

Pigskin Fantasy Football Rules

This site hosts College and Pros (NFL) leagues. Each league uses the rules for its sport.

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College Fantasy Football Rules

Eligibility

  • Members must select players from FBS schools only (Division 1).
  • CollegeFootballData (CFBD) is the automated stats source for the live scoreboard.
  • ESPN box scores may be used for verification; CFBD is the site scoring source of record.

Crowning a champion

When a league is created, the commissioner chooses:

  • Versus — Weekly head-to-head 1v1. Wins rank the league; when wins are equal, more games played ranks higher, then fewer losses, then total points (see Versus standings). Playoffs decide the champion (see Playoffs).
  • Top Score — No weekly matchups and no playoffs. Season weeks are Preseason (Week 0) plus Weeks 1–13. Highest season total points wins (best single week breaks ties). Preseason does not count in standings.

League size

  • Versus: the league must have exactly 8, 12, 16, or 20 members (required for weekly 1v1 pairings and playoff seeding).
  • Top Score: any size from 2 up to 20 members (no playoffs).
  • Maximum for any league is 20 members.

League style

The commissioner also chooses how members get their roster:

Weekly Picks

  • Roster 1 — Single Player only (named players).
  • Set your Week 1 roster; it carries forward each week until you change it.
  • You may edit any week’s roster during the open window (subject to dibs and already-played rules).
  • Dibs apply only in Versus Weekly Picks (first save vs your weekly opponent). Top Score Weekly Picks has no matchup dibs.
  • One school per lineup applies.

Draft

  • Preseason draft to build a roster, then manage it through the season (drop/add; no waivers).
  • Host chooses what is drafted:
  • Player and position (Roster 1) — Named players into QB / RB / WR / TE / K / DEF.
  • School and position (Roster 2) — School slots: Passing / Rushing / Receiving / K / DEF.
  • Roster size (per position): the commissioner sets 2 or 3 seats at every position for the season.
  • Weekly Picks-only rules do not apply: no Dibs.
  • Your draft roster carries into each scoring week; drop/add changes apply going forward.
  • Manage your season roster on the Roster page. Run the draft on the Draft Board.
  • Roster 1 and Roster 2 both use live site scoring (same CFBD-backed scoreboard).

Roster types

The commissioner chooses a roster type for the whole season. All scoring is live for both roster types.

Roster 1 — Single Player

  • Pick 1 named player per slot: QB, RB, WR, TE, K, DEF.
  • You must submit a complete lineup (all six positions). Partial saves are not allowed. A roster is not considered submitted — and does not lock dibs — until every slot is filled.
  • Points are for that individual player only (name + school), scored live on the site.
  • Used by Weekly Picks leagues (required) and as a Draft option.
  • In Weekly Picks: Week 1 roster carries forward; change any week as needed.
  • In Draft: drafted once, then managed with drop/add.

Roster 2 — School Position

  • Pick a school per slot: Passing, Rushing, Receiving, K, DEF (e.g. Iowa Passing, Michigan Rushing).
  • Points come from that school’s box-score category for the week (not a named player), scored live on the site the same way as Roster 1.
  • Available as a Draft option only (not used for Weekly Picks lineups).
  • Example lineup:
  • Iowa Hawkeyes — Passing
  • Michigan Wolverines — Rushing
  • Ohio State Buckeyes — Receiving
  • Hawaii Warriors — Kicking
  • Florida State Seminoles — Defense

Game timing

Each scoring week has its own game dates. Only players/schools whose teams play on those days count for that week.

Preseason test (does not count in standings): Saturday, August 29, 2026 — Live scoring before Week 1. Rosters may be set anytime on Saturday, August 29, 2026 (Eastern), including after kickoff. Preseason picks do not lock players or school slots for the season.

Week 1: Thursday, September 3, 2026 through Monday, September 7, 2026.

Week 1 rosters may be submitted now (before Thursday). Scoring for Week 1 does not begin until Thursday, September 3.

Week 2: Thursday, September 10, 2026 through Saturday, September 12, 2026.

You cannot use a player (or school slot) whose game has already started that week (including Monday/Thursday games).

A Friday submission that includes Monday or Thursday games already played is not permitted.

Roster carry-forward

  • Your Week 1+ roster carries forward into the next week automatically.
  • Change any slots you want during the open window; unchanged slots stay as they were.
  • Past weeks keep the roster that was active that week (history does not rewrite).
  • Preseason (Week 0) does not carry into Week 1 — set Week 1 separately.

One school per lineup

  • Every filled slot on your lineup must be from a different university (including DEF).
  • If two slots from the same school are not caught before games are played, all points from those slots are forfeit.

Responsibility

You are responsible for your roster. Other members and the commissioner are not responsible for checking and correcting it.

Anyone can check another member’s score for accuracy. Do not cheat — Honest mistakes happen. The commissioner resolves disputes.

Dibs

Dibs means: If you and your weekly opponent both want the same player (or DEF), the member who submits their roster first keeps it for that matchup.

(Weekly Picks + Versus leagues only — Does not apply to Draft leagues or Top Score leagues.)

  • First submitter gets dibs on that named player / DEF.
  • The site blocks you from saving a player your opponent already claimed for the matchup.
  • Other matchups may still use that same player.

Deadlines

ALL ROSTERS MUST BE IN NO LATER THAN SATURDAY AT 11:00 AM EASTERN!

Player selection for each fantasy week opens Saturday at 11:00 AM Eastern (when the prior week locks) and must be submitted no later than Saturday at 11:00 AM Eastern. The following week’s roster opens at that same Saturday 11:00 AM handoff. Live Scoreboard / Leagues / Current Week advance automatically at Sunday 1:00 PM Eastern (right after the noon score QA).

If a game has already been played without a prior amendment request, members are stuck with the player(s) or school slot(s) they selected.

Verification and injuries

  • The site shows an injury warning (from ESPN) when you select a player listed Out, Doubtful, Questionable, IR, Suspended, etc. You may still save that pick — the warning does not block you.
  • It is still up to the member to confirm injuries before lock.
  • After your first Week 1+ submit, further lineup changes require an amendment request (injury or scheduling oversight) that the commissioner Approves or Denies in Setup.
  • Rosters may also be amended for opponent roster conflicts (before the affected game starts).
  • A member does not have to notify anyone of a roster conflict, but may choose to do so.
  • If a roster is not submitted in time, the member forfeits that week’s competition (loss), unless both matched members fail to submit — see Versus standings.

Versus standings

(Versus leagues only.)

  • Ranked by wins, then more head-to-head games played, then fewer losses, then ties, then total points.
  • If you do not submit a roster and your opponent does, you forfeit that week (loss).
  • If both matched members do not submit a roster that week, neither receives a win, loss, or tie. That matchup does not count toward either member’s games played, so each has one fewer head-to-head result than the rest of the league.
  • With the same number of wins, a member who played fewer games cannot rank above a member who played more games — even with fewer losses or a higher season score.

Weekly scoring agreement

  • Scoring is done automatically on the site.
  • Each member can tally their own points for verification.
  • If you notice a scoring issue, notify your opponent (Versus) and the commissioner.
  • All scoring challenges must be submitted no later than Monday of each week.

Playoffs

(Versus leagues only — Top Score leagues have no playoffs.)

  • Playoffs always start Week 11 and end Week 13 (regular season ends Week 10).
  • Versus leagues must have 8, 12, 16, or 20 members. Playoff field by size:
  • 8 members: Top 4 make the playoffs.
  • Week 11 — Semifinals: 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3.
  • Week 12 — Rest week (no playoff games).
  • Week 13 — Championship.
  • 12, 16, or 20 members: Top 8 make the playoffs.
  • Week 11 — Round 1: 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5.
  • Week 12 — Round 2 (re-seeded): highest remaining seed vs lowest remaining seed.
  • Week 13 — Championship.
  • Seeding uses standings (wins, then games played, then losses, then total points).
  • No first-round byes into Week 11 (every playoff team plays when their first playoff game is scheduled). The top seed still gets the 1st pick in every round of the playoff draft.
  • During the playoffs, continue managing your carried roster (Weekly) or draft roster (Draft) as usual.
  • There will be a draft for playoff roster spots. Each playoff member drafts 2 per position (Roster 1: players; Roster 2: school slots), including defense.
  • Draft date TBD.
  • Optional losers bracket may be offered; prize TBD.

Scoring — Roster 1 (Single Player)

QB

4 points per TD · 25 yards = 1 point · INT −1 · Fumble Lost −1

Count passing, rushing, and receiving yards (including negative rushing yards).

RB

6 points per TD · 10 yards = 1 point · INT −1 · Fumble Lost −1

Count rushing, passing, and receiving yards (including negative rushing yards).

WR

6 points per TD · 10 yards = 1 point · INT −1 · Fumble Lost −1

Count receiving, passing, and rushing yards (including negative rushing yards).

TE

6 points per TD · 10 yards = 1 point · INT −1 · Fumble Lost −1

Count receiving, passing, and rushing yards (including negative rushing yards).

K

  • FG made = 3 points
  • Every 10 yards of FG distance = 1 point (40 yd FG = 7 pts; 39 yd FG = 6 pts)
  • Fake resulting in a TD = 6 pts
  • Every 10 rush yards = 1 pt
  • PAT = 1 point

DEF

  • Kickoff and punt return TD = 6 pts
  • Kickoff + punt return yards combined: every 25 yards = 1 point
  • INT TD = 6 points · Fumble TD = 6 points
  • INT +2 · Fumble recovery +2 · Sack +1
  • Blocked FG return = 2 pts

RBs, WRs, and TEs may throw passes — Those TDs and yards count. INTs and fumbles lost are −1 each.

Scoring — Roster 2 (School Position)

Live scoring on the site (CFBD), same as Roster 1. Points come from the school’s box-score category for that slot. Stats do not double-count across slots (e.g. a QB’s rush yards go to Rushing, not Passing; a catch goes to Receiving).

Passing (school)

4 points per pass TD · 25 pass yards = 1 point · INT −2 · Fumble Lost −2

Count that school’s Passing box only.

Rushing (school)

6 points per rush TD · 10 rush yards = 1 point · INT −2 · Fumble Lost −2

Count that school’s Rushing box only.

Receiving (school)

6 points per receiving TD · 10 receiving yards = 1 point · INT −2 · Fumble Lost −2

Count that school’s Receiving box only.

K (school)

Same as Roster 1 K scoring, for that school’s kicking.

DEF (school)

Same as Roster 1 DEF scoring, for that school’s defense.

Example roster (Roster 1)

Week 1 — Member 1

  • QB — Deshaun Watson, Clemson
  • RB — Leonard Fournette, LSU
  • WR — Travis Rudolph, FSU
  • TE — Jake Butt, Michigan
  • K — Jaden Oberkrom, TCU
  • DEF — Alabama

Week 2 — Member 1

  • QB — Deshaun Watson, Clemson
  • RB — Leonard Fournette, LSU
  • WR — Travis Rudolph, FSU
  • TE — Bucky Hodges Jr., Virginia Tech
  • K — Jaden Oberkrom, TCU
  • DEF — Alabama

Week 1 carried into Week 2. Member 1 only changed TE. Other slots stayed the same and still score. Every slot remains a different school.

Example roster (Roster 2)

Week 1 — Member 1

  • Passing — Iowa
  • Rushing — Michigan
  • Receiving — Ohio State
  • K — Hawaii
  • DEF — Florida State

Week 2 — Member 1 keeps the same school slots unless they edit during the open window.

Final authority

Commissioner has the final word. ACCEPT THE DECISION AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT WEEK.

Don't be a quitter and don't threaten to quit.

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Pros Fantasy Football Rules (NFL)

Sport

  • These rules apply to Pros (NFL) leagues on pigskinFF (e.g. They Not Like Us).
  • College leagues use the separate College Fantasy Football Rules.

Eligibility

  • Members select NFL teams by position category (not named players).
  • Team and Position is the only Pros roster type.
  • Live scoring uses ESPN NFL box scores (team Passing / Rushing / Receiving / K / DEF).

Crowning a champion

When a Pros league is created, the commissioner chooses:

  • Versus — Weekly head-to-head 1v1. Wins/losses rank the league; total points break ties. Playoffs decide the champion (see Playoffs). *(They Not Like Us is Versus.)*
  • Top Score — No weekly matchups and no playoffs. Season weeks are Weeks 1–17. Highest season total points wins (best single week breaks ties).

League size

  • Versus: exactly 8, 12, 16, or 20 members. *(They Not Like Us: 12.)*
  • Top Score: any size from 2 up to 20 members.
  • Maximum for any league is 20 members.

League style

  • Pros leagues are Draft only (Weekly Picks is not offered for Pros).
  • Preseason draft builds your season roster; manage it all season on the Roster page (no waivers).
  • No Dibs.
  • Draft picks auto-fill your season roster. After the draft, you set weekly starters, drop/replace free agents, and trade.
  • Commissioner sets draft day in Setup. When the draft is live, members pick on the clock on the Draft Board.

Roster type — Team and Position only

  • Each seat is an NFL team at one category: Passing / Rushing / Receiving / K / DEF.
  • Points come from that team’s box-score category for the week (not a named player).
  • Roster size (per position): commissioner sets 2 or 3 seats at every position for the season. *(They Not Like Us: 2.)*
  • No team restriction across positions: you may own Passing, Rushing, Receiving, K, and DEF all from the same NFL team.
  • You cannot own the same team twice in the same position (e.g. two Chiefs Passing seats).
  • Bye weeks are shown on the Roster and Draft Board — plan starters around byes.

Weekly starters

  • Each scoring week, choose one starter per position (Passing, Rushing, Receiving, K, DEF) from the teams on your roster.
  • Only starters score on the Live Scoreboard and Leagues page.
  • Saving starters is free (not a drop/add).
  • Once that team’s NFL game has started for the week, that starter is locked.

Free agency (drop / replace)

  • After the draft, drop a rostered team to free agency or replace it with an available FA team at that position.
  • A team is available if no other member owns it at that same position.
  • No weekly transaction caps — drop/replace anytime, subject to game locks below.
  • You can add an already-played team onto your bench (depth for later weeks). You cannot FA a team into becoming this week’s starter after their game has started.
  • You cannot drop or replace your weekly starter once that team’s game has started.
  • You can drop or replace a non-starter (bench) team even if that team’s game has already started.
  • Swapping a team between your own seats at the same position (when allowed by the site) does not require free agency.

Trades

  • Propose trades anytime after the draft finishes.
  • Packages must be same position only (e.g. Rushing for Rushing). Multi-team packages are OK if seat counts match and roster rules stay valid.
  • Partner Accepts or Rejects. Reject ends the trade.
  • After Accept, the rest of the league votes (trade parties do not vote):
  • One Approve from any other member completes the trade.
  • The trade is rejected only if every other member Disapproves.
  • Non-votes are not Disapproves.
  • Trades do not use free-agency drop/replace and have no weekly transaction cost.
  • Pending votes are visible on Roster and in Setup.

Season calendar

Pros season is longer than College.

  • Week 1: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 through Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
  • Later weeks are 7-day blocks from the Week 1 start (season start date in Setup).
  • Current Week / Scoreboard / Leagues advance automatically at Tuesday 12:00 PM Eastern (same moment following-week roster picks open, after noon score QA).
  • Versus: regular season Weeks 1–14; playoffs Weeks 15–17.
  • Top Score: Weeks 1–17 (no playoffs).
  • Only games in that fantasy week’s date window count.

Responsibility

You are responsible for your roster and starters. Other members and the commissioner are not responsible for checking and correcting them.

Anyone can check another member’s score for accuracy. Do not cheat — honest mistakes happen. The commissioner resolves disputes.

Deadlines

Weekly starter picks open Tuesday at 12:00 PM Eastern (after the prior week’s Tuesday-noon score QA) and stay open through the scoring week until the next Tuesday 12:00 PM Eastern handoff.

Each starter locks at that NFL team’s kickoff — set Thursday starters before Thursday kickoff, Sunday starters before Sunday kickoff, etc. Bench seats can still be dropped/replaced after kickoff.

Injuries and locks

  • Check injuries, inactives, and byes yourself — production is from the team box, not a single player.
  • After kickoff, that team cannot be set as starter and cannot be dropped/replaced if they are your current weekly starter. Bench (non-starter) teams may still be dropped or replaced, and already-played FA teams may be added to the bench.
  • If you have no valid starter set for a position when scoring runs, that slot scores 0.

Weekly scoring agreement

  • Scoring is done automatically on the site from ESPN NFL box scores.
  • Each member can tally their own points for verification.
  • If you notice a scoring issue, notify your opponent (Versus) and the commissioner.
  • All scoring challenges must be submitted no later than Monday of each week.

Playoffs

(Versus leagues only — Top Score leagues have no playoffs.)

  • Playoffs always start Week 15 and end Week 17 (regular season ends Week 14).
  • Versus leagues must have 8, 12, 16, or 20 members. Playoff field by size:
  • 8 members: Top 4 make the playoffs.
  • Week 15 — Semifinals: 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3.
  • Week 16 — Rest week (no playoff games).
  • Week 17 — Championship.
  • 12, 16, or 20 members: Top 8 make the playoffs. *(They Not Like Us: Top 8.)*
  • Week 15 — Round 1: 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5.
  • Week 16 — Round 2 (re-seeded): highest remaining seed vs lowest remaining seed.
  • Week 17 — Championship.
  • Seeding uses standings (wins, then total points).
  • No first-round byes into Week 15 (every playoff team plays when their first playoff game is scheduled).
  • Optional losers bracket may be offered; prize TBD.

Scoring — Team and Position

Live scoring uses ESPN NFL box scores. Stats do not double-count across slots

(e.g. rush yards go to Rushing, not Passing; catches go to Receiving).

Passing (team)

  • 10 net pass yards = 1 point
  • Pass TD = 6 points
  • 2-point conversion (pass) = 2 points
  • INT = −1 point
  • Count that team’s Passing box only (ESPN net pass yards).

Rushing (team)

  • 10 rush yards = 1 point
  • Rush TD = 6 points
  • 2-point conversion (rush) = 2 points
  • Count that team’s Rushing box only.

Receiving (team)

  • 10 receiving yards = 1 point
  • Receiving TD = 6 points
  • 2-point conversion (reception) = 2 points
  • Count that team’s Receiving box only.

K (team)

  • FG made = 3 points + 1 point per 10 yards of kick distance

(example: 40 yd FG = 7 pts; 39 yd FG = 6 pts)

  • PAT (XP) made = 1 point

DEF (team)

  • Sack = +1
  • INT = +2 · Fumble recovery = +2 · Safety = +2
  • Defensive / return TD (INT, fumble, kick return, punt return) = 6 points each
  • Defensive / special-teams 2-point return = 2 points
  • Every 25 kickoff + punt return yards = 1 point
  • Two-point conversions are not counted as defensive touchdowns.

Final authority

Commissioner has the final word. ACCEPT THE DECISION AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT WEEK.

Don't be a quitter and don't threaten to quit.