This manual/guide/rulebook is designed to be multi-purpose. It serves as a learning tool for new members in the league. It can be referenced as a reminder for those unique situations that may occur throughout a season that have occurred and have been addressed in a prior season. And, as the rulebook, it can serve as a final ruling, in case there is the rare case of a dispute. Over 20 years of thought and tweaking have gone into this manual and covers most situations; although, something manages to create an active discussion, occasionally. In these circumstances, the league has a period in June/July every year where new rule changes or clarifications may be made, if needed. Of course, if a situation occurs that requires immediate attention, then an emergency vote may always be presented to the league. (Last update: 07/2024)
Table of Contents
SeSection 1.01 - ROSTERS AND LINEUPS
SeSection 1.02 - STARTING LINEUPS
SeSection 1.03 - THURSDAY AND SATURDAY GAMES
SeSection 2.01 – WAIVER WIRE
SeSection 2.02 - SIGNING FREE AGENTS
SeSection 2.03 – TRADES
SeSection 2.04 – INCORPORTION OF TEMPORARY IR SYSTEM FOR COVID + PLAYERS ONLY.
Chapter 3 - PLAYER SALARIES AND DESIGNATIONS
SeSection 3.01 - THE SALARY CAP
SeSection 3.02 - FRANCHISE PLAYER DESIGNATION
SeSection 3.03 - FRANCHISE SALARY INCREASES
SeSection 3.04 - RESTRICTED FREE AGENT DESIGNATION
SeSection 3.05 - FRANCHISE/RFA MAXIMUM
SeSection 3.06 - UNRESTRICTED POOL
SeSection 3.07 - PLAYER SALARY
SeSection 3.08 - FREE AGENTS
SeSection 3.09 – OPT OUT PLAYERS (TEMPORARY 2020 ONLY)
SeSection 4.01 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF FRANCHISE PLAYERS
SeSection 4.02 - RESTRICTED FREE AGENT AUCTION
SeSection 4.03 - UNRESTRICTED AUCTION
Chapter 6 - SCHEDULE AND PLAYOFFS
SeSection 6.01 – REGULAR SEASON – CHAMPIONSHIP – TOILET BOWL
SeSection 6.02 – TIE BREAKING PROCEDURE
SeSection 6.04 – POTENTIAL OF SHORTENED SEASON & PLAYOFFS
Chapter 7 – LEAGUE VOTING & RULE CHANGES
SeSection 7.01 – SIMPLE MAJORITY & QUORUM
SeSection 7.02 -- RULE CHANGE DEADLINE
SeSection 7.03 - DURATION OF RULE CHANGES
eSSection 7.04 - RULE CHANGES AFFECTING TEAMS UNEQUALLY
CHAPTER 8 – MEMBERSHIP & VACANCIES
SeSection 8.01 - STAYING IN THE LEAGUE
SeSection 8.02 - FILLING OWNERSHIP VACANCIES
SeSection 8.03 – LEAGUE EXPANSION
SeSection 8.04 – MEMBERSHIP FEES & CONTEST FEES
Rules of the HFFL
Chapter 1 – ROSTERS
Section 1.01 - ROSTERS AND LINEUPS
General Managers (GM) will maintain a roster of (16 players**) and each week will submit a starting lineup of seven players and one defense/special teams at the NFL.com HFFL league site. The lineup consists of the following:
1 Quarterback (QB),
1 Running Back (RB),
2 Wide Receiver/Tight End (WR/TE*),
2 Flex Positions (RB/WR/TE)
1 Kicker (K),
1 Defense-Special Teams (D/ST)
*Note: Currently, wide receivers and tight ends are interchangeable.
Section 1.02 - STARTING LINEUPS
FULL Lineups (consisting of seven players and a D/ST) are to be input on NFL.com’s league manager by the time that player's game starts. If a player's game has already started, you cannot sit or start him.
Section 1.03 - THURSDAY AND SATURDAY GAMES
When there are Thursday or Saturday games, GMs must submit players participating before kickoff if they wish for their players to be included in that week's fantasy match-up.
Section 2.01 – WAIVER WIRE
Our league's waiver period is 1 day. Specifying a waiver period will freeze dropped players throughout the season for a set number of days (1) to allow all team owners the opportunity to submit a waiver claim. This period is from the end of Monday Night Football until Tuesday midnight. (Note: The reason this waiver period was originally shortened (1-day) was to allow free agent pick-ups just prior to Thursday Night Games). The Waiver Options are set to With Move to Last After Claim, which gives priority to teams lowest in the overall league standings each week and moves teams to the lowest waiver priority after each successful claim, the waiver order is not reset every week. If a player is not claimed off waivers, he becomes a free agent. A player picked up from waivers maintains his original salary. For everything EXCEPT the salary, these players are treated exactly like a free agent acquisition. If he goes unclaimed and becomes a free agent, his salary reverts to the league minimum. On Wednesday Morning, the Waiver Wire results are released, and players assigned to teams. At this point, the Free Agent Signing period begins Section 2.02 SIGNING FREE AGENTS. Note:
Due to limitations of the NFL.com Website, our customary Waiver period BEFORE the 1st week will be completed manually via Email. Usually on Monday night before the 1st game of the season to allow time to manually complete the waiver before the 1st game (typically Thursday Night).
Section 2.02 - SIGNING FREE AGENTS
After the Waiver Wire Signing, owners may sign available players *free-agents” each week by submitting a request on NFL.com. Non-rostered players lock each week at their individual game time. These acquisitions are on a first-come first-served basis and take place immediately. Players who are on an NFL team which has begun playing for the week (or have already played their game for the week Thurs/Saturdays) cannot be added until the next waiver wire or free agency period.
Section 2.03 - TRADES
After GM's have agreed upon a trade, they must execute a trade on NFL.com. The trade may be subject to commissioner approval. A trade designed to strengthen one team at the expense of another may be overturned by the commissioner or a simple majority vote of GM's. The commissioner's veto may be overturned by a simple majority vote. Trades may be made throughout the season; there is no trade deadline.
Section 2.04 – INCORPORTION OF TEMPORARY IR SYSTEM FOR COVID + PLAYERS ONLY. (In use until NFL Cancels Mandatory Covid Testing) Cancelled for 2022 Season and the future
Due to a potential hardship of team owners having multiple players unavailable to play due to either COVID + players or the possibility of a cancelled game, those players on the roster may be placed on a special IR Reserve via the NFL.com website (Max of 10 players may be placed on reserve). It is the responsibility of the Team GM to remove that player off of IR and DROP a player off of their roster for each player coming off of IR. Placing a player on IR status is for players listed as IR-Covid only. You MUST remove this status if the IR affected player becomes eligible to play for that weeks game, then a player must be dropped off your team, otherwise, the Commissioner will remove the player that was picked up in the process of placing the original player on IR, EVEN IF that player is in that week's Lineup.This section has been nullified for the 2022 season on, please do not "bench" players due to Covid status, the website still allows for this capability, an honor system of not utilizing this feature remains in place, in case it needs to be reincorporated.
Chapter 3 - PLAYER SALARIES AND DESIGNATIONS
Section 3.01 - THE SALARY CAP
There is a limit on the total team payroll of $200. Immediately upon conclusion of the auction, the salary caps are removed, and teams may increase their payrolls through trades and waiver wire signings without restriction. The roster size of 16 Players. After the end of the season, upon conclusion of the Super Bowl up to 2 weeks in the summer before the draft, teams will have to set their payrolls under the salary cap.
Section 3.02 - FRANCHISE PLAYER DESIGNATION
Teams may designate a maximum of two “franchise players,” who are untouchable. The minimum salary of these players is $36. Designations are for one year at a time.
Section 3.03 - FRANCHISE SALARY INCREASES
A player will receive an increase of 10% for each year they are listed as franchise. Increases will be rounded up to the next multiple of $1 (e.g.If prior year was $43 then next year: $43+(43*0.1) = $47.3 = $48; any decimal amount rounds up). A player with a salary under $36 who is franchised will see his pay increased to the $36 franchise minimum. (e.g. a player at a $36 price will now become $40 to Franchise, a player at $35 becomes $36, not $39 because they were not a “franchised player, yet.).
Section 3.04 - RESTRICTED FREE AGENT DESIGNATION
Teams may designate a maximum of Five restricted free agents (If Franchised players = 0). These players will be auctioned with a minimum bid of $16. However, a team that restricts a player can match the highest bid and retain him. The bid will be the player's salary. If a restricted player is not bid on, his salary will be $16. (Restricted bidding process detailed in Chapter 4, Sections 2-3.)
Section 3.05 - FRANCHISE/RFA MAXIMUM
Teams may use a combination of Franchise (up to 2 Max) and restricted designations up to a maximum of 5 total. Therefore, the Ratio of Maximum Franchise/RFA may be (0/5, 1/4. 2/3). Owners do not necessarily have to name any franchise or restricted players. (correction -7/2024 to rephrase rule properly - eliminated the 4 RFA maximum)
Section 3.06 - UNRESTRICTED POOL
Players who are not designated franchise or restricted will return to a pool of unrestricted free agents. From this pool, each year, the unrestricted draft will begin.
Section 3.07 – PLAYER SALARY
Players who are bid on will have their salaries set at the amount of the highest bid.
Section 3.08 - FREE AGENTS
Players who are not franchised or signed by any team will be available as described in Section 2.02. Their salary will be designated at league minimum $1.
Section 3.09 – OPT OUT PLAYERS (This rule has expired based on definition after 2021 season but left in rules for future reference purposes)
There is a small list of NFL players that have opted out for the 2021 Season, these players may still be drafted or picked up, however, they will count as a roster spot and salary and may not be placed on the COVID IR. However, the player may be dropped and picked up by another player.
Section 4.01 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF FRANCHISE PLAYERS
The first part of draft day will be the announcement of franchise players and restricted free agents. All managers must designate according to the guidelines laid out in Section 3. These designations are silent designations. Each owner submits their designations to the person who is posting the announcement (the auctioneer). Franchise players are selected in order of record from bottom to top. The intention is to make sure no owner makes a franchise or restricted decision based upon what players are or are not announced as franchised or restricted.
Section 4.02 - RESTRICTED FREE AGENT AUCTION
Reverse order of last year's standings determines an order, then each GM, in turn, selects one of his RFAs to put on the auction block (continues until all RFA are on the RFA board). For each RFA there is a silent auction with a minimum bid of $16. Then, after the final bid is made, the GM gets two minutes to decide if he wants to match the bid and retain the player or release the player to the highest bidder. Once all RFAs have been auctioned, the draft proceeds to the auction for unrestricted players.
Ties: In the event of tie for the highest bid on a restricted free agent, the original owner gets the option to match the tied bid. If the owner chooses not to match, the owners who tied for the highest bid immediately begin an informal auction style bid-off. Highest bid wins the RFA player at that price.
Section 4.03 - UNRESTRICTED AUCTION
Reverse order of last year's standings determines the order, then each GM, in turn, announces a player or D/ST to be placed on the auction block with an opening bid (minimum $1). Bids must be made in multiples of $1. The highest bidder retains that player or D/ST at the highest bid, then a 1 on 1 bidding proceeds to Section 4.03a (below), if necessary. GMs may not commit more than the $200 salary cap.
Section 4.03a – 2nd STAGE BIDDING DURING UNRESTRICTED ACTION (added 2018 Season known as the DJ Rule or the Bruce Tax)
The person that has won that player with the highest bid would then enter a second 1 on 1 bidding contest with the owner of the player from the previous season's final roster. The previous owner would have to bid AT LEAST $1 more than the Stage 1 winner. The previous owner does not have to bid and can just let the player go. Bidding between the previous owner and the Stage 1 winner would then proceed until someone cries UNCLE.
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Offense |
Kicking |
Defense / Special Teams |
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Passing Yards:1 point per 100 yards Passing Touchdowns:4 points Interceptions Thrown:-1 point 300-399 Passing Yards Bonus:1 point 400+ Passing Yards Bonus:1 point Rushing Yards:1 point per 100 yards Rushing Touchdowns:6 points 100-199 Rushing Yards Bonus:1 point 200+ Rushing Yards Bonus:1 point Receiving Yards:1 point per 100 yards Receiving Touchdowns:6 points 100-199 Receiving Yards Bonus:1 point 200+ Receiving Yards Bonus:1 point Kickoff and Punt Return Yards:1 point per 100 yards Kickoff and Punt Return Touchdowns:6 points Fumble Recovered for TD:6 points Fumbles Lost: -1 point 2-Point Conversions: 2 points
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PAT Made:1 point PAT Missed:-1 point FG Made 0-19:3 points FG Made 20-29:3 points FG Made 30-39:3 points FG Made 40-49:3 points FG Made 50+:5 points FG Missed 0-19:-1 point FG Missed 20-29:-1 point FG Missed 30-39:-1 point FG Missed 40-49:-1 point FG Missed 50+:-1 point
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Sacks:1 point Interceptions:1 point Fumbles Recovered:1 point Safeties:2 points Touchdowns:6 points Kickoff and Punt Return Touchdowns:6 points Points Allowed 0:10 points Points Allowed 1-6:7 points Points Allowed 7-13:4 points Points Allowed 14-20:1 point Points Allowed 21-27:0 points Points Allowed 28-34:0 points Points Allowed 35+:0 points Team Def 2-point Return:2 points A player on your offensive roster scoring a defensive/ST TD: 6 points* For PLAYERS ONLY (below) Yards (players): .01 point/yard, (i.e. 150 yards = 1.5 points). Example: if you have a WR that returns a Kickoff or Punt 25yds, they earn 0.25 points. |
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AMENDMENT (2010): A player who earns yardage during kickoff or punt return duties will earn his team that started him .01 points per combined return yardage. If a player has 165 combined return yardages, then the team gets 1.65 points.
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AMENDMENT (2010): Milestone Bonus Points (rushing/receiving): Milestones for players with rushing (OR) receiving yard totals equal to or over 100 yards gets 1 bonus point. If the yards (in each category Receiving or Rushing) total goes equal to or over 200 yards, another additional 1 point is awarded to the owner. (Example: Under Current Point system: 80 yards rushing and 80 yards receiving will NOT receive 1 bonus point.)
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AMENDMENT (2011): Milestone Bonus Points (passing) Milestones for players with passing yards equal or over 300 yards will get 1 bonus point. If the total passing yards equal to or over 400 yards, the owner is awarded an additional bonus point, meaning a total of 2 points for passing the 2 milestones.
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Chapter 6 - SCHEDULE AND PLAYOFFS (Updated 2021 for NFL 18 week season)
Section 6.01 – REGULAR SEASON – CHAMPIONSHIP – TOILET BOWL
HFFL Championship: The regular season will be 14 weeks long (with weeks 15 and 16 being playoffs, and week 17 being the HFFL Championship. The top two teams plus the next three teams with the best overall records make it into the playoffs.
Update: 2025:
For now on, ONLY the TOP 5 of 12 teams move onto the HFFL Championship (as before the vote -based on a team's record & head to head rules for the league, that does not change). For the LAST spot (spot 6) ALL Win/Loss and H-T-H records are then thrown out (for the 6th spot only) and the team with the HIGHEST PF (Points For) between the bottom seven teams gets placed into the Sixth Seed and participates in the League Championship. After that, the Bottom Spots 7-12 are determined just like positions 1-5 (for the Toilet Bowl).
So it is very possible that if you ended up the season with a 4-10 record, you could sneak into the playoffs over someone who has a 7-7 record.
Toilet Bowl: The regular season will be 14 weeks long (with weeks 15 and 16 being playoffs, and week 17 being the Toilet Bowl. The bottom two teams plus the next four teams with the worst overall records make it into the Toilet Bowl. Note: when league is 10 teams, week 15 is a bye for the toilet bowl and the 4 teams proceed to play weeks 16 & 17.
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HFFL Championship
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The Toilet Bowl |
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Week 15-- Round 1, Wildcard Games Game 1: wildcard 4 vs wildcard 1 Game 2: wildcard 3 vs wildcard 2 Division Champs—Bye
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Week 15-- Round 1, Wildcard Games (Skipped when League = 10 Teams) Game 1: wildcard 1 vs wildcard 4
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Week 16-- Round 2, Semifinal Game 3: worst wildcard vs champ with best record
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Week 16-- Round 2, Semifinal Game 3: best wildcard vs loser with worst record
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Week 17—Championship Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs Winner of Game 4 |
Week 17—Toilet Bowl Game 5: loser of Game 3 vs loser of Game 4. |
Section 6.02 – TIE BREAKING PROCEDURE
1. Head to Head Record (if games are split 1-1, then go to #2) - other conditions in 1a/b below.
a): If 3+ teams are tied (e.g. three 6-7 teams), then their order is determined based on the record % of the games between those teams involved). E.g. 0.75%, 0.3% & 0.3%, then 0.75% moves on. See 1b below. Note: if there are 3 spots open and there are 4 teams with the same record going for those three spots then the head to head records between just those 4 teams are ordered based on percentages. IF the 3rd and 4th positions are tied (and lower than the first 2 positions (used in this case) (e.g. both at 0.30%) then goto 1b.
b): If 2+ other Teams (from 1a) still have the same record % between just themselves (e,g, 0.5% & 0.5%), then their order will be determined based on the record % between just those teams. which may vary from the record % determined in 1a. However, if the teams still have the same Record Percentages (between just their teams), then go to 2 below.
2. Most points scored in only the games against teams involved in the tie from 1b, if scores are =, then go to #3.
3. Most overall points scored during the season (if scores are =, then go to #4)
4. Coin toss or (fight to the death) – using game of choice deathmatch mode.
Note: This process is used to help determine ranking at the end of season and appropriate matchups for the playoffs.
Section 6.04 – POTENTIAL OF SHORTENED SEASON & PLAYOFFS (Kept in Rules in case this Scenario occurs).
Please note: in the event that an extreme event occurs that shortens the NFL Season, executing Section 6.04 may be referred to as a guidance (updated for 18 week season).
1) If no cancellations, then no change to our playoff system.
2) NFL UNEXPECTEDLY Cancels just before Week 14 is played:
Then use best record, total points for tie breaker to crown champ. (Toilet Bowl, worst record, then Least points for Tiebreaker.
3) NFL UNEXPECTEDLY Cancels DURING week 15 &. does not play week 15; We have 6 teams in the playoffs, therefore choose champ based on:
Best Record (winning %) of Regular Season using Total Points for tie breaker of the 6 teams to crown champ. (Opposite for Toilet Bowl).
4) NFL UNEXPECTEDLY Cancels after at least 1 Playoff game is played: For the teams left then choose:
A) Use Total Points of Regular Season + Post Season to crown champ
(Will include points earned during bye week teams (if applicable)).
5) IF the NFL announces the shortened season well in advance and based upon how short the season is cut,
A) Reduce playoff games by one week if NFL Season is 14 games or less, therefore top 4 move on to playoffs/championship, bottom 4 move to the Toilet Bowl games. No bye weeks and the playoffs are 2 weeks only.
B) If they will play > 14 weeks but < 18 weeks, Keep the playoffs the same length (3 weeks) and just shift them appropriately, maintaining that the last NFL game is NOT part of the HFFL playoffs.
E.g. On week 10, the NFL announces that week 16 & 17 are cancelled, then the HFFL playoffs will be Week 15=Championship, Week 14 = Semi Finals, Week 13=Quarterfinals.
Chapter 7 – VOTING & RULE CHANGES
Section 7.01 – SIMPLE MAJORITY & QUORUM
Any issue requiring a league vote must attain a simple majority. A simple majority vote requires a quorum of 6 votes in a 10-team league or 7 votes in a 12-Team league is required for any rule changes to take effect.
Section 7.02 - RULE CHANGE DEADLINE
Rules Change requests affecting league play that can in anyway affect Draft Day strategy, must be submitted to the Commissioner only by June 30th Midnight (EST). The Commissioner will then release within 3 days, an email to begin discussion of all topics to be discussed and voted upon. The vote deadline is due Midnight, the 2nd Friday in July. Rule Changes NOT affecting Draft Day strategy may be discussed and voted upon from 10am-11am before the draft.
Section 7.03 - DURATION OF RULE CHANGES
Once a rule is voted on, it cannot be brought to vote again until the following season.
Section 7.04 - RULE CHANGES AFFECTING TEAMS UNEQUALLY -(Based on long discussions (2018) on changing Roster Requirements e.g. TE's).
The discussion was brought up and decided upon that rules changes that are encompassing and would give advantages to certain teams on the active year being voted in would not take affect until the following year. For example, if TE's are voted upon as a required position, the rule would not take affect until the following year. In addition, they would become Free agents that following year. This protection would allow for others equal chances to prepare their rosters appropriately.
CHAPTER 8 – MEMBERSHIP & VACANCIES
Section 8.01 - STAYING IN THE LEAGUE & EXPECTATIONS (implied)
Our League’s success involves its rich history and traditions. The annual draft in August is a core component of the league’s success and attendance is mandatory rule (although technically unwritten but implied) to remain a member. With that mentioned, some rare and serious circumstances do occur, which may require a virtual presence of a GM. Each situation will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Throughout the season, any owners who find themselves unable to regularly keep in touch with the league are encouraged to surrender their teams, or the league may have to resort to a majority vote, so that new owners may be appointed. Ownership can be changed at any time, just keep up with your team or let us know if you are having trouble and we will try to help. “Not Keeping in Touch” can include but not limited to, consistently ignoring emails that need a response several weeks in a row, not providing input for key issues (e.g. voting) when requested, not responding to other member’s time-sensitive requests that may directly affect or delay plans (e.g. draft arrival times, shirt sizes, planning league activities, etc.). A simple reply via email, text, post on the league discussion board, or the ancient art of the phone call is all that is needed.
Section 8.02 - FILLING OWNERSHIP VACANCIES
Whenever there is an ownership vacancy in the off season, any current owner may elect to make a request to take over an ownerless team and make his team available for a league newcomer. Through a random lottery, bidding owners will be allowed to select an ownerless team to take over. Afterward, all abandoned and remaining ownerless teams will be randomly distributed to league newcomers.
Section 8.03 – LEAGUE EXPANSION
League expansion typically occurs the year after when the league drops to 10 or less members. If the league expands with two new GM’s (e.g. 10 to 12), then they will not have an assigned team and will have the full $200 available from the RFA portion of the draft, onwards. This issue has been discussed multiple times and remains the current procedure for new League Members.
Section 8.03a – EXCESSIVE TURNOVER
Although it has not occurred since the advent of RFA & Franchise players, we have come close to a year when more than 2 new members joined the league, Discussion (and a ruling) that if the league change involves 3+ New members in a 10-team league or 4+ New members in a 12-team league, then all team rosters will reset and be wiped clean and the Section draft will begin at Unrestricted Free Agent Section as described in Section 4.03. Also, Section 4.03a will be null for that draft. Please note: this will automatically occur in the above conditions, however, the roster wipe may be voted against (as in the case that 1 or more leaving GM's have provided a GM (approved by the league) to take over that team.
Section 8.04 – MEMBERSHIP FEES & CONTEST FEES
It has been determined that the HFFL does not collect membership fees. In addition, mandatory monetary contests are not typical within the league (we don’t play it for the money!), although side bets and other challenges may be presented, e.g. on draft weekend. However, there are two main instances that some monetary aspects come into play.
1. Yearly League T-Shirts or other HFFL memorabilia, usually taken care of by an appointed/volunteered member of the league. (Usually < $25).
2. Charitable Donations, Monetary (and/or other appropriate gifts, e.g. TP) are highly suggested for the HFFL Draft Host. Each HFFL draft, great preparation and effort is provided by the host and any contributions are helpful.