In a rematch of last season’s Pac-12 title game, Stanford visits Arizona State on Saturday night looking for its fifth straight win over the Sun Devils. But it will do so without one of its key playmakers.

Rangy Devon Cajuste, the Cardinal’s second-leading receiver with 18 catches for 243 yards, will miss the game, head coach David Shaw said Tuesday.

As is his policy, he didn’t disclose Cajuste’s injury, but he appeared to receive a concussion against Washington State on Friday night.

The 6-foot-4, 228-pound redshirt junior set a school record last year by averaging 22.9 yards per catch. His average has slipped to 13.5 this year, but he’s a threat because of his size and speed. He is also an excellent blocker.

His absence “will affect us,’’ Shaw said. “Devon’s been a big-play guy for the last year and half. He can change field position.’’

He burned ASU for a 78-yard play to set up a touchdown in Stanford’s 38-14 win in the 2013 conference championship game at Tempe. He also caught a 42-yarder in that game. It was Stanford’s second win of the season over the Sun Devils; the Cardinal rolled 42-28 earlier at Stanford.

Michael Rector, a redshirt sophomore who was also injured against the Cougars, is expected to start in Cajuste’s place. Jordan Pratt and Francis Owusu probably will receive more action as well.

Starting outside linebacker James Vaughters, starting tight end Austin Hooper and backup cornerback Ra’Chard Pippens also are nursing injuries. Vaughters is likely to play, with Hooper and Pippens questionable, Shaw said.

If the No. 23 Cardinal (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) knock off the No. 17 Sun Devils (4-1, 2-1), it would continue a weird trend of “homefield disadvantage’’ in the conference. Road teams are 14-4 in Pac-12 play this season.

“It’s amazing,’’ Shaw said. “This conference is tough. It’s pretty even. You can’t say that anybody is that much ahead of anybody else in a given week.’’

ASU has prospered even after losing starting quarterback Taylor Kelly to a foot injury against Colorado. Mike Bercovici, who started the past two games, has been sensational. He passed for nearly 1,000 yards in the two games, including eight touchdowns. ASU head coach Todd

Graham said Tuesday that both Bercovici and Kelly willl play against Stanford.

The Sun Devils were routed by UCLA 62-27 in the first game Becovici started, but then edged USC 38-34. Bercovici became the first player to throw for five TDs against the Trojans, finishing with a Hail Mary pass to Jaelen Strong to win the game. ASU had a bye last week.

Stanford’s revamped offensive line will have to keep its composure in another loud stadium after what Shaw called the line’s best performance of the season against the Cougars.

Once again, the Cardinal will employ a tailback rotation, which sometimes leaves fans shaking their heads. Barry Sanders had runs of 21 and 29 yards on the first two carries of the game, then had only five more carries the rest of the way as Remound Wright (14 carries, 98 yards) took the bulk of the work.

Shaw said he wants to use his tailbacks — including Kelsey Young, Christian McCaffrey and Ricky Seale — in the plays that they handle best. That can mean inserting a different back three, four or even five plays in a row.

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald