Week 5 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season is already here as we'll see a Thursday Night Football clash between the Los Angeles Rams (3-1) and the San Francisco 49ers (3-1). The Los Angeles Rams come into Week 5 following a thrilling win over the formidable Indianapolis Colts while the 49ers are looking to bounce back from an upset loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. With both teams tied for first in the NFC West, fans should be ecstatic for this divisional tilt.
As is the case for every week, we'll be taking a look at the Fantasy Football implications in Week 5, leading with our Start 'em/Sit 'em options for this game. Sportsbooks are billing the Rams as 5.5-point favorites with a projected total of 46.5 points in the game for both sides.
San Francisco 49ers – Start ‘Em
Must-Start: Christian McCaffrey, RB (SF)
There's no debate here and with most of the offense banged up heading into this short week, Christian McCaffrey will continue to be the only engine running this offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy looked shaky during his return, so expect a ton of short passes behind the line of scrimmage to McCaffrey as he tries to make magic in the open field.
Shaky Start: Kendrick Bourne, WR (SF)
This core group of pass catchers has been depleted by injury, the latest being WR Ricky Pearsall leaving last game with a knee injury and failing to return, now fearing a potential PCL injury. George Kittle is officially on Injured Reserve and Jauan Jennings was a non-participant in practice on Monday. This leaves Kendrick Bourne, listed as the WR3 on the depth chart, as the potential No. 1 option for Brock Purdy to throw the ball too.
Nevertheless, this an extremely risky play and if you can find consistency elsewhere, best to stay away unless you're a Pearsall or Jennings manager. Bourne has yet to surpass four catches in a game this season, but we can expect his usage to skyrocket if these injuries continue as a recurring issue.
Los Angeles Rams – Start ‘Em
Must-Starts: Puka Nacua (WR), Davante Adams (WR), Kyren Williams (RB)
Just when we though the Los Angeles Rams couldn't reach a new level of offensive efficiency, they've added veteran WR Davante Adams alongside the arguable No. 1-overall player in fantasy Puka Nacua. Adams has a touchdown in three of his first four games and ranks WR11 on the season in terms of points. Puka remains WR1 through Week 4 and Kyren Williams logs at RB20, surpassing 10.0 fantasy points in each game in PPR formats.
All three skill players will be must-starts in lineups moving forward, especially if the Rams continue producing that this sort of offensive pace.
Matthew Stafford, QB (LAR)
Matthew Stafford is currently ranked as the QB12 and sits on the fringe of most 10-team and 12-team leagues. However, given the talent of this offense already, we can expect the chemistry between Stafford and his receivers to only grow as the season wears on. He's likely to finish inside the top-10 of fantasy quarterbacks and if we're following the logic of Joe Burrow and JaMarr Chase leading the league in passing and receiving last year thanks to each other, Stafford and Nacua could be on a similar path. Expect Stafford to continue slinging the ball against a tired 49ers defense on a short week.
49ers-Rams Week 5 – Sit ‘Em
Brock Purdy, QB (SF)
While Brock Purdy is averaging 19.2 fantasy points through his first two starts, his nagging injury could become a concern moving forward, especially since the 49ers know they have a backup in Mac Jones who can keep them competitive in the game. Purdy threw two interceptions against the Jaguars, contributing to a four-turnover day from the offense, and had to throw the ball as his team trailed all of the second half.
Don't expect the 49ers to look much better during the short week as they'll likely be without pass catchers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings. Purdy's production will likely be limited to whatever big plays Christian McCaffrey can make after the catch.
Jake Tonges, TE (SF)
George Kittle fantasy managers may have no other choice than to start Jake Tonges in replacement as the third-year TE effectively jumps to second on the receiving depth chart. He became instantly more active against the Jaguars once Ricky Pearsall exited the game and he provides a solid safety blanket for Brock Purdy on the underneath routes. With the passing game becoming a looming issue for the 49ers, Tonges may have to step up in a major way until George Kittle can return.
However, there's no reason to inflate his stock just yet and cautious managers should look elsewhere while stashing Tonges for the time being. He's still rather unproven, but this TNF opportunity could be the one he needs to solidify himself within the offense.
