Week 10 Recap: Staying Alive

Another week in the books and the playoff picture remains just as muddled as before. Now, 6 teams remain at 5-5 with only three weeks remaining. As of right now, Chris Casey appears to be on life support sitting at three games back. However, everyone else remains in contention, even Dom, who pulled off an upset victory over Dave this weekend. In addition, his brother (Chreeyusz) was busy pulling off a major upset to keep him right in the playoff hunt, beating his older brother Nick.

This weekend is shaping up to feature some epic matchups to determine the fate of several teams. In fact, three separate matchups feature both opponents sitting at 4-6 or 5-5. At this rate, it is must win mode from here on out and I for one can't even begin to imagine how it will work out. Unfortunately, we all won't be around to watch the games together but hopefully we can coordinate something over the holiday weekend. Just remember, even though your playoff chances may look bleak, there is still so much more to play for. The number one pick and not having a license holder declaring your fantasy ineptitude comes to mind.

GAME OF THE WEEK

(5-5) Team New Year - 127.5

(8-2) Brule's Rules - 124.5

"I think we know who the title belt goes to now in the Caputo household...". The only close matchup of the weekend took place in the same household as Chreeyusz improved his postseason chances with a win over his older brother. Chris, no stranger to beating Nick in the past, caught a great opportunity when nearly half of Nick's roster was on a bye. Thanks to this YUGE victory, Chris can control his own destiny for the rest of the season with a favorable schedule ahead. Jameis and Russell Wilson have both been playing well and it is now just a decision between matchups at this point for Team New Year's QB dilemma. The main catalyst in his playoff chances is the run game, which has plagued him the entire season. Matt Jones has been phased out of the offense while Jerick McKinnon and Jonathan Stewart have been lackluster thus far. Hoping to keep the good vibes going, Chris faces the struggling Start the Carr. Ben has lost 5 of the last 7 games and has been unable to put up many points in recent weeks. Can Chris string together 100+ point performances for the first time this season? Jarvis Landry and Allen Robinson will look to finally carry this team for the same time. 

A rare loss for Nick this weekend but it should certainly being a positive experience for the team. With mostly reserves, Brule's Rules were able to put up a great deal of points and nearly win in a shootout. As of right now, he has the division locked up with one more victory, in addition to a Top-2 seed. The depth on his roster was on full display this week and will be a major factor the rest of the season. In regards to this matchup, Nick was proud of how his team fought with most of the starters down and wishes his brother luck for the remainder of the season. It is imperative to stay focused because winning out and a Josh loss could result in the #1 seed for Nick. This weekend, he faces Will, a team on their last legs for a playoff berth. Nick doesn't want to slow up at this point in the season and is certainly not prepared to lose back to back matchups.

(4-5) Dirty Birds Inc. - 134.1
(2-8) Schenectady Schmeckles - 110.5
It would appear that the team is finally back on track. Strong games from Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray were more than enough to take care of the Schmeckles. After making a beneficial trade two weeks ago, Brian is poised to make a deep run once again in the playoffs. Here's what Brian had to say after his second win in a row, "This is the time of year where the league should be very nervous I'm in contention for a playoff spot. This is a championship caliber team. My record doesn't accurately reflect how good my team. Just look at my total points! The league's luck is about to run out. Daddy's home and he's looking to f**k." This week, a much more difficult opponent in Joe and Team Ruthless. Weeks prior, they made a massive trade and this matchup will certainly make it clear who won this particular transaction.

Well, this appears to be the final nail in the coffin for Chris' season. Nearly mathematically eliminated from playoff competition, it was certainly a let down after all the progress that was made in 2015. The Aaron Rodgers trade looked promising but it was the core of the team that really let Chris down. Eddie Lacy was injured right away and LeGarrette Blount could only do so much to bolster the run game. In terms of keepers, Terrelle Pryor was a great addition and could be a fringe keeper based on his play for the rest of 2016. For now, all Chris can focus on is avoiding the license plate. The first pick in next year's draft could really turn things around for a team. Case in point, Ezekiel Elliott.

(3-7) The Shitty Beatles - 83.1
(5-5) EBDB BnB - 77.8
This team still has life after an upset victory over Dave. It wasn't pretty, but Philip Rivers was able to provide enough points to seal the deal for Dom. Jay Ajayi and Antonio Gates continued their strong play while Delanie Walker, albeit on the bench had a huge game as well. Unfortunately for Dom, he faces Josh next week but he's not concerned, at least until he found out that Rivers and Gates are on bye. With an extremely large task at hand, Dom is ready for the fight, simply making his quote "Hello Josh" for this week. Everyone on the Beatles needs to be firing on cylinders this weekend in order to pull off the major upset. If not, he is most like relegated to the consolation bracket, hoping to avoid the license plate holder. But the season isn't a total wash, Dom has obtained an absurd amount of picks over the past season and will be looking to reload with a revamped roster next season regardless.

After rattling off 5-straight wins to put him in prime position for a playoff spot, Dave is now back to fighting for his life with the majority of the league. Once again, Dave was plagued by the play of Blake Bortles. A rocky season at best, Bortles has tested Dave's mettle far too often to receive a vote of confidence. Kirk Cousins has been brought in to work out and may get the start this weekend in a pivotal game against Vinnie. With Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin playing in primetime, it is imperative that Dave gets out to a great start in order to make his decision easier at QB. Bortles has a decent matchup but will he go back to the well again? Todd Gurley, who has also been M.I.A. most of the season, faces MIA this weekend, hoping to recapture the magic from 2015, especially with Devonta Freeman on bye. The x-factor as usual, will be Michael Crabtree, returning from a quiet game and then a bye, can he post another massive game to will Dave to victory and end the 3-game skid? A typical DeAndre Hopkins-like performance would also be appreciated too. 

(4-6) Kissing Suzy Kolber - 77.8
(5-5) Why You Pee On My Car? - 112.8
Roethlisberger is healthy once again and so are Aaron's playoff chances. Huge performances from Ben and Antonio were more than enough to get WYPOMC back to an even record. The rest of the team phoned it in this weekend but once the byes are over with, Aaron totes a formidable roster which could be a tough out for anyone. The returns of Tevin Coleman and Carlos Hyde are crucial for any success in the postseason. For now, it would appear that Aaron will be in the playoffs, meaning he has an opportunity to rid himself of the infamous hot-pink license plate holder. A win this week will certainly allow him some breathing room and he won't be holding anything back this weekend against the Schmeckles, who are one foot out the door in the playoff race. Chris will be at full strength and is hoping to play spoiler with Rodgers and Blount leading the charge. For Aaron, the Steelers face the Browns and it appears Ben/Antonio could be in store for huge performances. 

It may be a lonely postseason for the boys from Lake George. Thankfully, Tom Brady is still on the roster and has a favorable matchup this weekend against San Francisco. Gronk nearly lost a lung and Martellus Bennett may be a play this weekend. Ty Montgomery has cooled off but will be called upon in primetime as the backup running back, hoping to fill the void of Forte. At this point, it is a must-win game sitting at 4-6 but he is certainly not done yet. Matt Forte's bye week is a killer but at least he isn't subjected to watching the Jets for a week. This weekend, he faces Dave which looks to be a closely contested matchup. Mark Ingram and Brandin Cooks will need to bolster the roster on Thursday night while Dave's duo of Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen look to gain an early lead. A loss this weekend could put Vinnie too far behind the 8-ball to get into the postseason. 

(5-5) Team Ruthless - 117.8
(4-6) Hogan Knows Best - 99.8
Strong performances from Le'Veon Bell and Drew Brees were enough to propel Joe to a huge victory over Will. His trade may appear to be a bunch of damaged goods but if they can stay healthy, he will have a lineup that can rival any squad. This weekend, he has a big test against Brian. We can finally see who won the trade from a few weeks back. Gronk is banged up, in addition to Jordan Howard and Will Fuller but it appears as though all three will play. Thankfully, Brian will be without his Falcons duo while Drew Brees and Le'Veon Bell has extremely favorable matchups. The x-factors come down to CJ Prosise with Rawls' return and Coby Fleener filling in for Gronk. Any significant contributions from them could decide this matchup. Obviously, the winner sitting at 6-5 will have a great chance to claim the 3rd seed.

Unable to pull off the upset in Week 10, Will now sits at 4-6, the outside looking in for the playoffs for yet another year. Similar to last season, he's allowed more points than he's scored and just can't seem to figure things out. The lineup is consistent each week but simply not enough to compare with some of the elite rosters. Tyrell Williams, Kenny Britt and AJ Green provided huge games but it wasn't enough to make up for weak RB play. As Christine Michael is phased out of the offense and Thomas Rawls is slowly making his return back to the field, Will has had to rely on Robert Kelley to lead his backfield and it is not enough. Perhaps, pickups of Charcandrick West and James Starks could provide a spark late in the season. In regards to his team, Will had this to say, "My team has lost some serious firepower over the course of the season. Barring a miracle, I have to accept I might not be a contender this year. Regardless, I will continue to give everyone my best shot and hope to sneak into the playoff picture." Love the attitude from Will here. His quest for a playoff shot goes through Brule's Rules this weekend.

(9-1) TY Beanies - 151
(5-5) Start The Carr - 80.1
Dominance once again from Josh. Everything is clicking at this juncture and he has vanquished every team he has played recently. David Johnson once again but up big numbers while the rest of the team followed suit. But this was the Ezekiel Elliot show. Arguably the league MVP at this point, he posted 40 points in an unbelievable performance against the Steelers. Cam Newton has appeared to turn things around and the team is clicking on all cylinders. Now with the inside track for the #1 seed, everyone should look out for TY Beanies. This week, he has the chance to finish off Dom's season and he will be more than willing to finish the job. "Another week our opponent  failed to break 100 points. I suppose it will be hard to keep up with a juggernaut that is averaging 136.3 points per game. Good luck to you Shitty Beatles. I hope you're getting used to the idea of that pink license plate on the back of your car."

"Man, I suck. Need to win out to have confidence. Start the Carr may need some re-shuffling. Always a challenging week with Denver on bye, but despite the recent slip, I'm staying confident that I can repeat my early season magic." The tailspin continues for Start the Carr after such a great start. Plagued with hardly any RB depth, Ben has been reeling in recent weeks. With Derek Carr on a bye and Jay Cutler being absolutely terrible, he never really stood a chance. This weekend, he gets his cornerstone QB back from bye but is unfortunately subjected to playing without Demaryius Thomas, McManus and Booker, who have kept his team afloat in recent weeks. Donte Moncrief and Michael Thomas will need to have special performances, or at least get in the endzone to beat Team New Year this week. Look for this one to be the closest game of the weekend, with Derek Carr's Monday Night performance ultimately being the difference.