Kyler Murray or Sam Darnold: Who should I start in Week 5 Fantasy Football?

Among the quarterbacks fantasy football managers can start in Week 5, Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold are each pursuing their redemptive arcs this season. The Cardinals quarterback is returning from an injury trying to re-establish himself as the undisputed starter in Arizona. Meanwhile, the Vikings starter is now on his fourth NFL team and looks like he has found a long-term home in Minnesota.

The Cardinals and their quarterback have shown glimpses of promise this season but are 1-3 entering into Week 5. They are coming up against a San Francisco 49ers that have not clicked fully into gear and are sitting with an even 2-2 score on the win-loss column. Kyler Murray will need to be at his best to ensure both teams leave the field with the same record after the game is over.

The Vikings, meanwhile, have been irrepressible and lead the league with a perfect 4-0 record. They have stifled quarterbacks like Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, and Jordan Love on defense, while Sam Darnold has kept putting up MVP numbers to lead them to victories. Having already defeated one former employer, the 49ers, the Minnesota starter can now turn his attention to the team that drafted him and gain a measure of revenge against the Jets for moving on from him.

Is Kyler Murray a good pick in Week 5?

Kyler Murray has been fairly accomplished this season in his throwing, even though it has not yielded the results that the Cardinals would like. He has six touchdowns and just a single interception after four weeks and has a passer rating of 104.6. He has picked up 777 yards through the air, which is just shy of 200 passing yards per game.

Fantasy football managers will need to consider that he has thrown a touchdown in every single match he played thus far but has not accounted for more than 250 yards except in Arizona's Week 2 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Is Sam Darnold a good pick in Week 5?

Sam Darnold has been a phenomenon this season and must be top of the list for both the MVP and Comeback Player of the Year awards. He has 932 passing yards and 11 touchdowns already and has led the Vikings to a perfect start to this season. There is already talk about J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota's first-round pick this year, not finding a spot when he is back healthy and any talk of missing Kirk Cousins has been consigned to the dustbin.

Fantasy football owners might be a bit wary of him throwing an interception as he has thrown a pick in every game except in the victory over the Texans. But his overall passer rating of 118.9 shows that it should not be a pressing concern.

Whom should I start between Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold in Week 5?

Fantasy football managers can use Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer tool to decide who to choose between Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold. The tool analyzes various factors to tell us the best bet for Week 5.

Kyler Murray vs Sam Darnold - Start 'Em Sit 'Em - Fantasy Football - Week 5 - 2024 NFL Season - Sportskeeda Optimizer Results

The tool recommends starting Kyler Murray over Sam Darnold. The Cardinals quarterback is expected to get more passing and rushing yards, thereby also increasing the chances of total overall touchdowns in his name. As a dual-threat quarterback, the Arizona star getting more yards on the ground is not a surprise projection.

But the nature of their opponent dictates the passing yards forecast. The Vikings play the Jets, who are allowing just 128 yards through the air per game, which is the second-best in the league. The 49ers, on the other hand, are allowing 199 yards per match, which is right in the middle of the pack.