Fantasy Football Week 5 Rankings: Calvin Johnson and 5 WRs Who Will Score Big

So far, 2011 has been a good year for quarterbacks. By extension, that means it's been a good year for wide receivers. By another extension still, it's been an outstanding year for fantasy football owners.

I don't know about you, but I find the part about the wide receivers to be the most pleasant surprise. They are typically a very finicky bunch, but this year there are receivers doing things that we've never seen before. For example, Calvin Johnson is on pace for 32 touchdown grabs and Wes Welker is on pace for 160 receptions.

Whether or not either of these things actually happen remains to be seen. For now, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

In Week 5, those who own the five receivers listed below are going to get a little extra enjoyment out of it.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Julio Jones' NFL career got off to a bit of a slow start, but he's definitely come on strong in the last two weeks, hauling in 17 catches for 242 yards.

Expect Matt Ryan to target Jones early and often on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers can be beaten through the air, and their opponents really have no choice but to try once the Packers start lighting up the scoreboard.

To beat the Packers, Ryan is going to need some big plays in the passing game, and he has a better chance of getting those from Jones than he does from Roddy White.

Projection: eight receptions, 130 yards.

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

The Kevin Kolb-to-Larry Fitzgerald connection hasn't been as prolific as many of us hoped it would be, but it hasn't been entirely ineffective. Kolb has found Fitzgerald 23 times for 361 yards in four games.

The two of them have a moderately tough matchup on their hands against the Minnesota Vikings this weekend, but the Vikings have given up some good points to wide receivers in the last two weeks. Calvin Johnson got them for 108 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3, and Dwayne Bowe got them for 107 yards and a touchdown in Week 4.

I'm sensing a trend here, and that's a good thing for Fitzgerald.

Projection: seven catches, 110 yards, one TD.

Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers

Steve Smith and Cam Newton make for quite the couple. We're just four games into the season and Smith already has 530 receiving yards. He had 554 all of last season, and that was in 14 games.

Against the New Orleans Saints this Sunday, it's safe to anticipate more of the same from Smith and Newton. The Saints don't have anybody that can cover Smith, and we know that Newton is going to look his way. Just as Ryan will have to find Jones for big plays, so will Newton have to find Smith for big plays.

Projection: seven catches, 140 yards, one TD.

Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers

At this point, Aaron Rodgers can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants out on a football field. In the last two weeks, Greg Jennings has been his main partner in crime, hauling in 16 catches for 222 yards.

The Packers will take their lumps at the hands of Ryan and Jones, but Rodgers and Jennings will give the Falcons a few lumps right back.

Because, once again, Rodgers can do whatever the hell he wants.

Projection: eight catches, 110 yards, two TDs.

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

When talking about Calvin Johnson, one is forced to use a word that doesn't even exist:

Uncoverable.

It's the only word that one can use to describe Johnson, as it is truly impossible to cover him. He's big, he's fast, and he's totally unbeatable in jump-ball situations. The reason he's enjoying so much success this year is because Matthew Stafford knows how to exploit these things.

So good luck to the Chicago Bears, who on Sunday will have to cover an uncoverable wide receiver.

Projection: six catches, 120 yards, two TDs.