Welcome to our Week 5 Game Hub with breakdowns of every contest from across the league. Our Tom Brolley gets you ready for this week’s action with the most important stats and trends for each fantasy-relevant player in the NFL. We also provide betting, weather, and injury reports with each game’s write-up to make sure you’re well-informed before you set lineups and/or place wagers. Let’s get to this week’s games!
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Week 5 Schedule
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 p.m., Thurs.
49ers Trends
Record: 3-1 (2-2)
Brock Purdy returned to the lineup after a two-week absence, but he’s dealing with toe soreness heading into this week. He completed 22/38 passes for 309 yards (8.1 YPA), 2 TDs, and 2 INTs in a loss to the Jaguars, adding 2/13 rushing and a 2-point conversion for 20.7 FP. He’s thrown for 277+ yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INTs in each of his first two games. Mac Jones posted 279/3 passing against the Saints and 284/1 passing against the Cardinals in his two starts. The Rams rank fifth in pressure rate (45.6%), and Purdy owns a .2% CPOE against pressure compared to a -7.8% CPOE for Jones. Los Angeles gives up the 12th-fewest passing YPG (212.8) to QBs after Daniel Jones posted 262/1 passing against them. Purdy totaled 292/3 and 142/0 passing in two games against the Rams last season.
Ricky Pearsall turned in 4/46 receiving on 5 targets (13%) and a 58% route share before leaving early for a PCL injury. He came into the week nursing a knee injury, and he could miss this week with a quick turnaround. Jauan Jennings is also up in the air for Thursday Night Football because of recent ankle and shoulder injuries. He turned in 2/24 receiving on 4 targets (11%) and a 73% route share playing through the injuries in Week 4. Kendrick Bourne posted just a 17-yard catch on 4 targets (11%) and 68% route share, and Demarcus Robinson turned in a 20-yard reception on 2 targets (5%) and a 33% route share in his first action of the season. The Rams give up the 12th-most receiving YPG (152.0) and the 10th-most receptions per game (13.0) to WRs. The Rams deploy the sixth-highest rate (39.5%) of Cover 3, and Pearsall is leading these WRs in YPRR (4.31) against the coverage, followed by Jennings (2.04) and Bourne (1.14). Jennings lit up the Rams for 11/175/3 receiving early last season before turning in just 2/31 later in the season.
Jake Tonges scored his second TD of the season in Week 4, and he could be counted on for an increased role on Thursday Night Football this week. He posted 3/58/1 receiving on 5 targets (13%) and a 68% snap share for 14.8 FP in a loss to the Jaguars in Week 4. The Rams deploy the sixth-highest rate (39.5%) of Cover 3, and he averages 1.80 YPRR and .20 TPRR on 25 routes against the coverage. The Rams allowed double-digit FP to Tyler Warren (5/70 receiving) and Dallas Goedert (1/33/1) the last two weeks.
Christian McCaffrey is easily pacing the position in expected FPG (27.2) and FPG (24.0) through four weeks, and he’s averaging 18.4 FPG as a receiver alone. He posted 17/49 rushing and 6/92/1 receiving on 11 targets in a loss to the Jaguars. CMC has reached 49+ rushing yards, 52+ receiving yards, 6+ receptions, and 22.7+ FP in every game. He’s averaging just 1.13 YBCO/ATT and 2.13 YACO/ATT for 3.26 YPC as a runner. The Rams give up the seventh-most adjusted YBC/ATT (2.14), the ninth-fewest rushing YPG (72.8), and the second-fewest receiving YPG (11.5) to RBs. The Rams limited Jonathan Taylor (22/96/0 scrimmage) and Saquon Barkley (22/55/0 scrimmage) to a combined 24.1 FP the last two weeks.
Rams Trends
- Record: 3-1 (3-1)
- Matthew Stafford has shown no side effects from a back injury that limited him for much of training camp. He completed 29/41 passes for 375 yards (9.1 YPA) and 3 TDs in a victory over the Colts, adding 4/4 rushing for 27.4 FP. Stafford has thrown for multiple TDs in three straight games, but he doesn’t bring anything to the table as a runner. He’s thrown for 29 TDs on 526 attempts (5.5%) in his last 16 games (postseason included) since last season, once Puka Nacua returned to the lineup. The 49ers generated a Week 4 worst 9.4% pressure rate in their first game without Nick Bosa. Stafford’s CPOE (8.6%>-5.0%) and passer rating (114.0>91.0) are better from a clean pocket compared to when he’s pressured. The 49ers give up the fifth-fewest passing YPG (172.3) to QBs, with just Spencer Rattler (207/3 passing) throwing for multiple scores against them. Stafford posted 221/1 and 160/0 passing in two games against the 49ers last season.
- Puka Nacua is pacing the position in FPG (27.4), targets (50), receptions (42), and receiving yards (503). He turned in 13/170/1 receiving on 15 targets for 36.0 FPG in a victory over the Colts. He reached 8+ receptions, 11+ targets, 91+ yards, and 22.8+ FP in every game. Nacua leads the league in TPRR (.43) and YPRR (4.37), and he ranks seventh in A.S.S. (.184) and sixth in win rate (21.1%) among WRs who’ve run 75+ routes. San Francisco gives up the seventh-fewest receiving YPG (110.3) and the ninth-fewest receptions per game (10.3) to WRs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba posted 9/124 receiving in this matchup in Week 1, and Puka posted 7/97 receiving in his lone game against the 49ers last season.
- Davante Adams found the end zone and reached 56+ yards for the third straight game, posting 4/56/1 receiving on 6 targets (15%) and an 87% route share. He’s hit 51+ yards in each of his first four games. Adams owns the second-best A.S.S. (.236) and win rate (26.8%) among WRs who’ve run 75+ routes. The 49ers allow the 10th-fewest receiving YPG (84.3) and the 15th-most receptions (30) to receivers aligned out wide. The 49ers limited Brian Thomas (5/49 receiving) and Marvin Harrison (3/44) to fewer than 11 FP the last two weeks.
- Kyren Williams has reached double-digit FP in every game after posting 13/77 rushing and 3/17 receiving in a victory over the Colts. He’s topped 69+ scrimmage yards in every game and 2+ receptions in three consecutive contests. Blake Corum turned in a season-high 9 carries behind him, but he finished with just 16 scrimmage yards. Williams paced Corum in snap share (69%>29%), carry share (50%>35%), and route share (60%>16%). The 49ers give up the 11th-most adjusted YBC/ATT (2.10), the 15th-most rushing YPG (94.0), and the fifth-fewest receiving YPG (16.8) to RBs. Travis Etienne gashed them for 19/124/1 rushing last week. Kyren totaled 53/197/2 rushing and 4/31/1 receiving in two matchups against the 49ers last season.
