Week Ten: Fine or Pine

Our weekly version of the start 'em, sit 'em is back - Fine or Pine.  Take it away, Adam Filadelfo! (@Frostt24)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here we are as fantasy owners another week closer to the fantasy playoffs and every move that's made is magnified just a little more. Owners need every point that they can get to ensure the playoffs are a certainty. Everything from free agent pickups to setting rosters becomes even more critically important with every passing week. The Fantasy Sports Brain wants to make sure every fantasy player reading this achieves their goal: Making the playoffs and winning it all!  Read on for help setting your lineups and finding a way to maximize your points in week ten.

Quarterback

Fine- Drew Brees- Coming off of a week nine where Brees passed for three hundred eighty five yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against an aggressive Jets D-line, the Saints get the Cowboys D in week ten which is nowhere near as good as the Jets. Brees will have another outstanding fantasy game as both teams figure to air the ball out a majority of the time. If Brees can amass almost four hundred yards on fifty one attempts against the Jets, imagine what he can do against the Cowboys.

Pine- Matt Ryan- After his three interception game in week nine, Ryan now has seven interceptions to just two touchdowns in his last two games. Ryan seems to be forcing the ball more to Tony Gonzalez and playing much more conservative with his receiving corp tandem in shambles. Matt Ryan no longer looks like the elite quarterback fantasy owners drafted ten weeks ago.

Wide Receiver

Fine- T.Y. Hilton- Hilton has clearly become the number one receiver for the Colts and with a lack of running game to help out, should benefit from Andrew Luck needing to pass more. As a bonus to fantasy owners that have been patient with him, Hilton is also staying on punt return duties so there should be plenty of yards for Hilton moving forward. Week nine saw Hilton explode for seven catches for one hundred twenty one yards and three touchdowns.

Pine- Jarrett Boykin- Without Aaron Rodgers throwing to him, Boykin may very well become a fantasy afterthought. In week nine, Boykin had one reception for fifteen yards. Green Bay will most likely rely heavily on their running game even more now that Rodgers is out for four to six weeks.

Running Back

Fine- Eddie Lacy- Over his last five games, Lacy has rushed for five hundred forty five yards and three touchdowns. While defenses may choose to crowd the box a bit more with the Aaron Rodgers injury, Lacy proved he can handle stacked boxes. Chicago tried in week nine and Lacy still rushed for one hundred fifty yards and a score. Expect Lacy to get more carries while Rodgers is out.

Pine- Trent Richardson- Unless fantasy owners are hurting for a running back, T-Rich is barely startable every week. He's averaging just 2.5 yards per carry and Andrew Luck figures to pass a lot more since the ground game isn't providing much success. Richardson hasn't produced double digit fantasy points since week four and has double digit fantasy points in just two games this season.

Tight End

Fine- Jimmy Graham- Not that any fantasy owner wouldn't start Jimmy Graham, but the injury may scare away some owners. Don't let it. Even though he hasn't played his usual number of snaps the last two weeks, he is making the most of the limited snaps he is getting. In week nine, Graham played almost seventy percent of the Saints snaps and finished with nine grabs for one hundred sixteen yards and two scores. As long as Jimmy Graham is active, he needs to be in lineups.

Pine- Julius Thomas- It's very difficult to "pine" Thomas with the way he's been playing this season but the ankle injury may be a concern. Thomas has a history of ankle injuries and with all the targets in Denver, Thomas may not see his usual amount of work. It's still undecided how much action Thomas will see and there are plenty of other options for Peyton Manning.

Defense

Fine- Seattle- Seattle gets the Atlanta offense coming off of a three pick game for Matt Ryan. Ryan needing to force the ball a lot more plus the Seahawks secondary being as good as there is, means happy fantasy owners of the Seattle defense in week ten.

Pine- Green Bay- Having to face an Eagles offense that was unstoppable in week nine, the Packers D won't have an easy time stopping DeSean Jackson, Shady McCoy and company from running all over the field this week. Being that Clay Matthews is still out for the Packers, the Eagles should have no problems putting up points on Green Bay.