October 6, 2016

Ben Ruppert's Thursday Night Football (TNF) matchups analysis and lineup starts/sits for Week 5 of the 2016 NFL season. Players to target or avoid for fantasy football lineups.

It's time for the Week 5 installment of Thursday night matchups with my start/sit recommendations. This week, a pair of 1-3 teams meet, with the Cardinals heading into San Francisco to take on the 49ers.

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down every game and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and injury information as well. Later this week, you will find parts one and two of our Week 5 NFL matchups, which should help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

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Cardinals @ 49ers - Thursday 10/6 @ 8:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love:

David Johnson, RB, ARI

David Johnson will produce against any team he faces. Johnson has been one of the top scoring fantasy RBs to date. He can do it all, and there will be even more room in the backfield with backup RB Chris Johnson being placed on IR. The 49ers also recently lost stud LB Navarro Bowman to a torn Achilles, which means more running room up the middle for Johnson. Last week Ezekiel Elliott ran all over this defense, rushing 23 times for 138 yards and a score. Expect another huge day from Johnson.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI

Larry Fitzgerald has been the most consistent WR the Cardinals have had this season, with at least five catches and 60 yards in every game this season. As long as Carson Palmer remains at the helm, expect a good game from Fitz. However, if Drew Stanton ends up starting then temper expectations in this game mightily. In 2014 when Stanton started multiple games for the Cardinals, Fitz averaged four receptions on eight targets for only 38 yards over eight games. He did not score a TD in any of the eight games. Fitz falls as low as the ‘hate’ category this week if Stanton is behind center.

Carlos Hyde, RB, SF

Carlos Hyde has looked much better than advertised so far in 2016. He is averaging 20 touches per game, 4.1 YPC, and has five TDs through his first four games of the season. What is surprising about these numbers is that no matter what the situation was in the game, Hyde was used. In Week 1 when they dominated the Rams, Hyde was in all game, and when they were getting trounced by the Seahawks in Week 3, Hyde was in until the end getting carries. Even though this Cardinals defense has done well defending the run, Hyde is the 49ers' best offensive weapon and will get touches no matter the situation. Fire him up on Thursday night.

Matchups We Hate:

Carson Palmer, QB, ARI

Carson Palmer may not be playing in this game on Thursday due to a concussion sustained in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s game against the Rams. If he doesn’t play, it affects the entire offense in different ways. If he does play, he has all the potential and weapons to have a great game, but he has struggled as of late. Palmer has averaged 288 yards over the past two weeks with a 1:5 TD:INT ratio. At this point you can drop Palmer, but I would bench him for another option until he turns his game around. It is never easy coming back from a concussion; I would not start Palmer in this matchup.

Michael Floyd, WR, ARI

Michael Floyd lost a ton of snaps to John Brown last week against the Rams. After out-snapping Brown 90% to 57% in Week 3, Brown dominated Week 4's count, 91% to 45%. Brown also went out and put up better numbers then Floyd has all season. This week they face the 49ers and may have Stanton at the helm. In 2014 when Stanton started, Floyd had some games where he caught one pass, and then had others where he caught five passes for over 100 yards and multiple TDs. Floyd is so wildly unpredictable that it is tough to recommend starting him. No matter who plays QB for the Cardinals this week, you’re rolling the dice trotting Floyd out there.

Notable Players:

John Brown, WR, ARI

John Brown has seen a huge resurgence over the past two weeks. After barely being able to get on the field over the first two weeks, Brown has caught 16 passes for 214 yards over the past two weeks. He out-snapped Michael Floyd 91% to 45% last week. Back in 2014, Brown’s rookie season, he had consistent play while Stanton was under center. Brown looks like he has fully recovered from the concussion he suffered earlier in the year, and as long as his snap count remains high, expect solid production from the 26-year-old WR.

Jeremy Kerley, WR, SF

Jeremy Kerley had himself a solid game last week, catching 6-of-9 targets for 88 yards and his first TD of 2016. This was Kerley’s best game since Week 1 when he caught seven passes for 61 yards. He didn’t do much in Weeks 2 or 3, but he does lead the 49ers in targets this season with 32 over four games (8 targets per game). Kerley would be a fine play in PPR formats given all of these targets, but he is a risk in standard leagues. It’s tough to know what you will get from Blaine Gabbert each week, so keep expectations in check after Kerley’s big week last week.