2011 Fantasy Football Week 5 Start/Sit: The NFC West Blues

I've got an easy gig for Week 5's fantasy football start/sit report, right? SIT: All your St. Louis Rams, who will be getting yelled at by Steve Spagnuolo all through their bye week (while Stan Kroenke yells at Steve Spagnuolo.) START: Okay, this is where it gets tougher. Here are some NFC West options, if you have the misfortune of relying on a Ram every week so far in 2011. First, the quarterback replacements in lieu of Sam Bradford:

Quarterback: The quarterback situation in the NFC West hasn't improved much since the Seahawks and Cardinals tried desperately to import a solution, especially with Sam Bradford failing to make the expected gains so far. If at all possible, do your best to sit both Tarvaris Jackson, who's behind luminaries like Mark Sanchez, and Kevin Kolb, who's behind luminaries like Tarvaris Jackson—and Matt Hasselbeck, for that matter—in NumberFire's projections. Alex Smith is a decent option against Tampa Bay, if you must. 

Running Back: Hey, Frank Gore! He's still pretty okay, right? If you've got him on your team he's probably near the top of your depth chart, and I see no reason to play a matchup with a guy like him, even though he's never quite lived up to expectations. As for Beanie Wells, it's hard not to be impressed with his numbers so far—5.4 yards a carry, five touchdowns—and he's still expected to play. 

If you're still in possession of Justin Forsett or Marshawn Lynch, may god have mercy on your soul. 

Wide Receiver: You may not be surprised to learn that the absence of the St. Louis Rams' corps hasn't done much to change the wide receiver dynamic in the NFC West. Sidney Rice is the best of a weak pack of receivers, per NumberFire.