Full governing document for the VBP 48-team Dynasty Bracket format.
This page reflects the working constitution for the VBP Dynasty Bracket format and is intended to govern all divisions participating in the 48-team network.
The Dynasty Bracket format combines four separate 12-team dynasty divisions under one shared playoff structure while preserving division-local rookie drafts, rosters, and long-term team continuity.
The existing standard dynasty constitution remains separate. This document governs only the Dynasty Bracket format.
Use the links below to jump to any section of the constitution.
This format is a dynasty version of the VBP bracket concept. Each division is its own self-contained 12-team dynasty league, while the overall network playoff determines the Dynasty Bracket champion.
The format consists of four separate 12-team dynasty divisions.
Each division uses the same scoring system, roster rules, dynasty calendar, payment rules, and trade rules.
The only intended operational difference between divisions is draft pace. Foundry and Forge operate as slow drafts. Legacy and Empire operate as fast drafts.
There are no local division playoffs. Division standings are used to determine the regular-season winner of each division and which teams advance to the combined 16-team playoff bracket.
League dues are collected and distributed through LeagueSafe using separate season-specific LeagueSafe leagues.
Current LeagueSafe Link: https://www.leaguesafe.com/join/4409855
Managers must pay three seasons up front in order to participate. At startup, that means the current season plus the next two seasons must all be paid before the startup draft begins.
Going forward, managers must remain paid through the next two future seasons in order to retain full offseason access and participate in rookie-draft activity.
Only the current season plus the next two seasons of rookie picks may be traded at any given time.
Example: during the 2026 league year, managers may trade rookie picks through the 2028 season only. 2029 rookie picks do not become tradable until the leagues have officially rolled forward to the 2027 season.
If a manager wants to trade rookie picks from an unpaid future season, payment for that specific season must be received in LeagueSafe before the trade will be processed.
Example: if the leagues have rolled to 2027 and a manager is already paid for 2027 and 2028, but 2029 is still unpaid, that manager must pay 2029 before any trade involving 2029 rookie picks will be approved.
The Dynasty Bracket follows a yearly dynasty calendar built around the NFL calendar and the shared 48-team playoff.
The season concludes at the completion of the Week 17 championship game.
League payouts will be distributed as quickly as possible once a champion has been declared and LeagueSafe approval can be completed.
Each division will be rolled over to the next league year as quickly as possible after the fantasy season has concluded and Sleeper allows the leagues to be pushed forward.
Managers who are not paid through the required future seasons may be restricted from transactions until payment has been completed.
Each division's rookie draft will take place in late May or early June.
This timing is intended to allow most drafted players time to sign their contracts while also giving managers additional time for offseason research before the rookie draft begins.
Draft Order: Draft order will be generated using 100yardrush.com and posted publicly by the commissioner.
Draft Timing: Startup drafts will be scheduled after the conclusion of the NFL Draft once the division is full and all required up-front payments have been collected.
Draft Speed: Foundry and Forge are the slow-draft divisions. Legacy and Empire are the fast-draft divisions.
Fast Draft Timer: Standard fast drafts use 90-second pick timers.
Slow Draft Timer Before July 15: 8-hour pick timer.
Slow Draft Timer July 15 to Before August 15: 4-hour pick timer.
Slow Draft Timer August 15 to One Week Before the NFL Season: 2-hour pick timer.
Slow Draft Timer Final Week Before the NFL Season: 1-hour pick timer.
Each division holds its own local rookie draft every offseason. Rookie draft order is not combined across the full 48-team network.
Non-Playoff Teams: Within each 12-team division, teams that do not qualify for the 16-team bracket are ordered first by Maximum Points For (Max PF), with the team that posted the fewest Max PF receiving the earliest rookie pick.
Playoff Teams: Within each 12-team division, teams that qualify for the 16-team bracket occupy the latest rookie picks in that division based on how far they advance in the combined playoff.
The earlier a playoff team is eliminated, the earlier its local rookie pick becomes. The deeper a playoff team advances, the later its local rookie pick becomes.
Same-Round Tiebreaker: If two teams from the same division are eliminated in the same playoff round, the team with the lower Max PF for that specific playoff week receives the earlier rookie pick. The team with the higher Max PF for that week receives the later rookie pick.
Final Local Rookie Order Principle: Each division always produces its own complete 1.01 through 1.12 rookie order independent of the other three divisions.
Only rookie picks from the current league year plus the next two seasons may be traded. Once Sleeper has rolled the leagues to the next season, the newly opened third-year rookie picks become available for trading.
Starting Lineup:
Bench: 13 bench spots.
Injured Reserve: 4 IR slots.
Taxi Squad: 4 taxi squad spots.
Positions Not Used: Kickers and Team Defense / Special Teams.
Taxi Squad Rules: Only rookies and second-year players are eligible for taxi squad placement. Once promoted during the season, a player may not return to taxi until the following offseason.
The Dynasty Bracket uses the VBP Progressive PPR scoring model.
All other scoring categories follow the current dynasty settings used across the VBP network unless a published offseason amendment changes the format.
Sleeper stat corrections are final and binding.
Local Division Regular Season: Weeks 1-13.
Each division operates as its own 12-team dynasty league during the regular season.
The first-place team in each division at the end of the regular season is the division winner for payout and top-four seeding purposes.
There are no local division playoffs. The combined 16-team bracket is the only playoff structure used to determine the overall Dynasty Bracket champion.
At the conclusion of the local division regular seasons, 16 teams qualify for the combined playoff bracket.
Seeds 1-4: The four division winners receive the top four seeds. Those four teams are ordered by regular-season record and then by points for to two decimal places.
Seeds 5-16: The remaining twelve playoff spots go to the next best teams across the full 48-team field based on regular-season record and then points for to two decimal places.
Playoff Schedule:
Round of 16 Matchups: 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3 vs 14, 4 vs 13, 5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, and 8 vs 9.
No byes are used in this format. Week 18 is never used for playoff games.
Waivers and free agency follow the Sleeper settings configured for each division.
Adds and drops are not frozen during the playoff period solely because the combined bracket has begun.
Managers remain subject to dynasty payment restrictions and competitive-integrity review regardless of waiver settings.
Tradable Assets: Managers may trade players and rookie draft picks under the dynasty settings configured for the format.
Future Pick Trade Window: Only the current season plus the next two seasons of rookie picks may be traded at any given time.
Future Pick Payment Requirement: If a manager wants to trade picks from a future season that is not yet paid, LeagueSafe payment for that season must be received before the trade will be processed.
Trade Freeze: No trades may be executed from the start of Week 12 through the conclusion of the Week 17 championship game.
No Trade Review Period: There is no waiting-period trade review window before trades are pushed.
Trade Review Policy: All trades remain subject to commissioner review and may be reversed only in cases of collusion, abuse of the league system, or intentional sabotage of league integrity.
Trades will not be reversed due to perceived imbalance or manager strategy alone.
Managers are expected to set complete and competitive lineups every week.
League members are encouraged to report lineups that are not being set so those situations can be reviewed as quickly as possible.
Intentional losing is not permitted. Managers must make reasonable efforts to field a valid lineup.
Two-Strike Inactivity Policy: If a manager fails to set a valid lineup, the commissioner may issue a warning as the first strike.
If the same manager fails to set a lineup again after that warning, that second strike may result in removal from the league for inactivity.
When a team is removed for inactivity, the commissioner may assign highest projected points to that lineup each week until a replacement owner is found.
No refund will be given if a manager is removed from the league for inactivity.
Because adds and drops remain open during the playoff period, any drop that appears suspicious or designed to manipulate the player pool may be reviewed and questioned by the commissioner.
Dynasty divisions require long-term commitment. If a manager leaves, the commissioner may assign a replacement manager who inherits the roster, all future picks, and all associated payment obligations.
LeagueSafe payments used to satisfy future-pick trade requirements are non-refundable.
Total Prize Pool: 48 teams x $50 = $2,400.
LeagueSafe is used for collection and payout approval.
Division Winner Bonus: Each division winner receives $75.
Overall Playoff Payouts:
Division-winner bonuses and playoff-finish payouts stack. A team that wins its division and also advances in the bracket receives both payouts.
The additional $5 for quarterfinalists is intended to offset LeagueSafe withdrawal fees so those teams effectively receive their buy-in back.
Payouts will be distributed as quickly as possible once the champion has been declared and LeagueSafe processing is available.
Official communication may be handled through the VBP Discord server and Sleeper league chats.
Managers are responsible for monitoring official communication channels for rule clarifications, payment reminders, scheduling announcements, and bracket updates.
Real-time updates, public standings, and ranking snapshots for the format can be viewed in the Bracket Center.
Rule changes for future seasons may be proposed in the offseason.
Once the league year begins, the published constitution remains in effect until the following offseason except for clarifications that do not alter the substance of the rules.