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49ers vs. Cardinals: 5 Players to Watch for San Francisco in Week 10

By Peter Panacy

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Nov 6, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints fullback John Kuhn (29) carries the ball against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward (25) during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The New Orleans Saints defeated the San Francisco 49ers 41-23. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints fullback John Kuhn (29) carries the ball against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward (25) during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The New Orleans Saints defeated the San Francisco 49ers 41-23. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 5: Cornerback Jimmie Ward

The Cardinals love featuring veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald in the slot, as this Pro Football Focus chart points out:

And there’s no reason to assume anything will be different in Week 10.

The 49ers are fortunate enough to have an up-and-coming defensive back in Jimmie Ward, who can play both in outside and slot formations. Per PFF, Ward is grading out with a respectable 78.4 mark. It’s clear the days of his rough 2014 rookie campaign are long behind him.

Ward is tied for the team lead in pass breakups (four), and the matchup with Fitzgerald should be pretty enticing.

But it’s also going to be a pretty good indication whether or not the young defensive back is truly going to be a key figurehead within San Francisco’s secondary moving forward.