The Tennessee #Titans and Arizona #Cardinals meet in Week 5 action in Glendale, Arizona, this Sunday. The two teams have met a total of 12 times, with the Cardinals winning eight of those matchups. The #TITANUP look to change that this week, but it won't be an easy task.
The Cardinals are an unpredictable team that keeps games close regardless of whether they win or lose. The Titans have shown flashes of potential, but have been unable to capitalize on much of anything. The matchup between these teams provides some intriguing fantasy football options on both sides of the ball.
Let's take a look at some players to start and sit in fantasy football from this Week 5 matchup.
Start: TE Trey McBride, Arizona
Trey McBride has been Kyler Murray's top target all season. Marvin Harrison Jr. is making a case for himself as well, but McBride leads the Cardinals with 234 receiving yards. The Titans' defense struggles in the middle third, so if Murray targets McBride there, he could end up averaging 13 yards per catch like he did against the Carolina Panthers.
Sit: WR Calvin Ridley, Tennessee
This was a tough decision. Ridley hasn't played well through the first four weeks of the season. He has 10 receptions on 24 targets for 141 yards, a 41% catch rate, and zero touchdowns. He will be targeted this week against a weak Cardinals' secondary, but trusting him to catch the ball is a risk right now. If you truly need a receiver from this team, grab Elic Ayomanor. He has 12 receptions on 25 targets for 151 yards and a touchdown. His catch rate is still under 50%, but it's higher than Ridley's.
Start: QB Kyler Murray, Arizona
The Titans' defense struggles mightily against the run and has not been good at getting pressure on the quarterback. That could change this week with Jeffery Simmons set to take advantage of Evan Brown, who has struggled to gain leverage and anchor. This will cause Murray to roll out more often than he would like, which also means he will run with the ball more often than he'd like. With the Cardinals using their third-and fourth-string running backs, Murray becomes the focal point of the run game.
Start: RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee
If there's anything about the Titans' offense that is good, it's Tony Pollard. Okay, that's not really fair, but Pollard is the most reliable offensive player the Titans have. He is a volume back; he's not going to average five yards per carry like Christian McCaffrey, but he will get plenty of touches. And, he's one of the first players to find the end zone for Tennessee regularly. The Cardinals' run defense is solid, ranking in the top 10, but Pollard is essentially the Titans' entire run game right now. He will get his yards this week.
Start: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona
Trey McBride may be the top-targeted player so far, but Harrison is making a case for himself to be Murray's favorite. He's also facing a Titans' secondary that has allowed six passing touchdowns and ranks 22nd versus wide receivers. In his second year, Harrison is finding his footing and learning to fully implement his talents on the field. He will get his targets this week, and he's likely to give L'Jarius Sneed a run for his money when he does catch the ball.
Sleeper: RB Emari Demercado, Arizona
The starting running back by default, Demercado, is in his third season in the NFL. Trey Benson was placed on injured reserve this week, and James Conner was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury, which is how Demercado ended up the starting running back. He has just four carries in 2025, but as the lead back, he will get 12-15 touches on Sunday. The Titans' run defense is fifth-worst in the NFL, which means that Demercado could have a breakout game.
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