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Step 1
Set the rules before your league has a draft. Make sure all the scoring rules, roster rules, scheduling and divisions are determined. This will limit the claims by other owners that your policies are unfair. Form a committee with several owners asking for their input on the rules.
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Step 2
Host a party to draw the draft order and the divisions for your league. Invite several other owners or all of the owners in the league to attend the party. This way everyone will be able to observe the draft order and divisional assignments drawn live from a hat. If everyone cannot attend, assign a committee to observe the draft and divisional assignments.
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Step 3
Assemble a committee to review challenges. These could be scoring decisions, decisions on the legality of a starting lineup or other issues not covered by the rules.
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Step 4
Explain how teams qualify for the playoffs before your season starts. Fantasy football leagues can handle the playoffs different ways. Some have the divisional winners and the second place teams in each division qualify. Others allow the divisional winners and then the next two highest scoring teams, regardless division, to qualify. The best idea is to put it in writing in your league rules.
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Step 5
Make fair decisions on trade protests. If there is a protest of a trade, form a committee of five league members who are not involved in the trade and give them each a vote. This will limit any claims made by owners in the league that as commissioner, you are vetoing trades based on your own team's interests. If there is a protest involving a trade your team made, remove yourself from being part of the committee that reviews the trade.
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Step 6
Seek the input of the league commissioner of a different fantasy football league if a controversial decision needs to be made. This way other owners will not challenge your decision as being biased based on the fact that you are not just the league commissioner but a team owner as well.
