Fantasy Football: Eliminator Picks for Week 15 and Preview of Key Matchups

A lot of folks have probably given up on their eliminator entry; but there’s still plenty to be learned about the nature of the game for next year in the last couple of weeks of this season.

It’s a good time to evaluate what teams you have left, which teams you intentionally saved (if any) and  how playoff teams will impact your last few selections.

I managed another win with the Detroit Lions last week as they beat the Minnesota Vikings, 34-28. The Lions benefited from a non-call on a facemask on the last play of the game. They walked away with a W despite a late surge led by backup QB Joe Webb.

The Steelers, Jets and Ravens, all teams in the playoff race, won their contests as well to make it a very good week for entries.

For the season, I stand at 13-1 with a rank of 479 on ESPN’s Eliminator Challenge.

Here are my picks through Week 14:

Week 1: San Diego Chargers

Week 2: New York Giants

Week 3: Dallas Cowboys

Week 4: Green Bay Packers

Week 5: New Orleans Saints

Week 6: Cincinnati Bengals

Week 7: Carolina Panthers

Week 8: Tennessee Titans

Week 9: Houston Texans

Week 10: Baltimore Ravens (loss)

Week 11: San Francisco 49ers

Week 12: Atlanta Falcons

Week 13: New England Patriots

Week 14: Detroit Lions

The matchups for Week 15 aren't great for the teams I have left.

The Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders were teams I thought would be strong throughout the year. Now, neither team has their original starting quarterback, and they have been scuffling as of late with Caleb Hanie and Carson Palmer.

Still, the Bears are the most popular pick this week thus far as they host the Seattle Seahawks.

The Bears have lost three in a row with Hanie at the helm. The Bears should win but I’m not confident enough in their offensive attack to make them my selection.

Oakland is hosting Detroit. The Raiders looked like a playoff team a few weeks ago, but injuries and a tough late season schedule have narrowed their odds and confidence. I'm avoiding them this week.

The Atlanta Falcons get a Jacksonville Jaguars team that’s coming off its biggest win of the season, a 41-14 thumping of the defenseless Tampa Bay Bucs.

But the Falcons, who I used in Week 12, are clearly the better team here and should get the win as they're hungry and in the midst of a playoff hunt.

The Tennessee Titans get the woeful Colts again in a rematch of their Week 8 contest that the Titans won 27-10. I used the Titans that week.

Even though the Colts have the home field this time, the result shouldn’t be too much different: The Colts just haven’t shown anything that points to them winning a game this year.

Houston is a popular selection as well this week. They are hosting the Panthers a week after clinching their first division title. I’d be a bit worried about the hangover effect here for the Texans.

And let’s face it: I’m a big Cam Newton fan as well.

Because of poor planning, I’m left deciding between two matchups, neither of which I’m crazy about. The Miami Dolphins are on the road in Buffalo, and the Cardinals are hosting the Browns.

The Dolphins beat the Bills in Miami in Week 11, 35-8. That loss is part of the Bills’ current six-game losing streak. I’d take the Dolphins here, but I like the other matchup a little bit better.

My selection this week is the Arizona Cardinals. John “Helter” Skelton had some big plays in relief of Kevin Kolb against the 49ers last Sunday and will probably get the start against the Browns.

Arizona has won three straight games while the Browns have lost three straight. Colt McCoy will likely sit for the Browns after the concussion he sustained against the Steelers. This means Seneca Wallace will be under center for Cleveland.

This isn’t the most confident I’ve been about a pick this year, but I think Arizona gets it done this week.

Week 15 Selection: Arizona Cardinals