If you need a refresher on the rules for the series or a run down of previous match-ups? Here is the rules and history thread:
"Close Calls 2007" - A Sportsoutlaw.com Exclusive
Remember, this is based on re-draft leagues.
Today's Match-up:

Chad Johnson - WR - Cin *vs* Steve Smith - WR - Car

Last Year's Stats:
Chad Johnson - 16 gms - 87 rec - 1369 yds - 7 TD's
Steve Smith - 14 gms - 83 rec - 1166 yds - 8 TD's

One is going for his 5th stright AFC receiving yards title in one of the highest octane offenses in the NFL, yet shed a lable of being inconsistent and unrealiable from a fantasy standpoint. The other is looking to bounce back after a season that failed to live up to his 05 career year due to injury. So which one can shed the questions and live up to the hype that surrounds them? These are some of the questions you will need to answer in today's "Close Call."

Give me Steve Smith. He might be considerably smaller, but he cannot be covered. He also doesn't have Housh on the otherside. Jake can't possibly struggle as bad this year. Both will be drafted out of my price range though. I bet Chad wins this poll.

The answer seems rather clear in last years stats!!!

I dont see how you claim this. CJ had the better stats last year, or depending on the scoring, at worst about equal to Smith. And yes I realize in PPG Smith was more, but you're playing with the injury risk when you take him.

I'm not sure who I take yet. I'll know in a couple days when I do my rankings there lol.

I'll take CJ here, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Chad put those numbers up despite playing an INCREDIBLY tough schedule last season. With a pretty softer schedule this season, there's no reason to think he won't improve on last year. Secondly, while Smith has still got the gift, he lost MeShaun and has a rookie slated to be opposite him at the moment, which means teams will be keying on him a little more this season.

I think the biggest difference here is the offensive schemes. If you can contain Smith and not let him get to you, the Panthers are pretty beatable. They've got good talent, but if Smith isn't tearing your secondary up, then they are very stoppable. However, if you take 85 out of the game, the Bengals' high octane offense is still capable of beating you many other ways, which means you just can't key on Chad like you can Smith as a defensive coordinator. I'd love to have either one of em (and in one of my 4 keeper PPR leagues i have BOTH), but if I needed to ditch one of em at the moment, I believe that CJ would command a little more market value than Smith for these reasons. (and not cause I'm a Bengals homer, either LOL)

I too am going to go with Ocho Cinco here.
The way I see it with an unproven rookie on the field with him, Smith will find himself in double coverage more often than not. If Houshmandzadeh is running routes as well as CJ the defence is going to have to be equally concerned with covering them both, leaving each reciever in single coverage.
Give me CJ in one on one coverage over Smith in double any day. Add the injury factor on top of that and I don't think there is much to question here.

4 less catches in two less games, while recovering from a preseason injury, and still getting 2 more touchdowns, while fighting constant double coverage, with a Qb that was struggling. If Delhomme stays in the funk, then I might agree, maybe. If he rebounds even moderately, Smith will exceed 100 catches and attain 12 td's. This is not about Chad's physical prowess or ability. It is simply the math involved in splitting redzone stuff with Housh and Rudi. I see the Bengals doing what Indy has been doing for the past 6 years. They feed Wayne heavily early in the season then go back to the man. Last year, Housh went nuts early, as they softened up the defenses, then started going to Chad. It is in the stats, and I am going from total recall, as you know I'm not a big numbers guy. Bites me in the butt often, but I'm too old to change. I would love either, will get neither, but will rank Smith higher.

I like alot of RC's reasoning here and Voted for Smith myself. I expect both of these Wr's to put up better numbers this year. Smith because he will be more the focal point this year at Wr. He will also get 2 more games to pile up more stats than last year. I saw tthe Tampa Bay game which was his first back from injury. It was a courageous performance as you could see he didn't have his speed going for him. The Bucs kept him out of the end zone but he did turn in a 7 catch 112 yard performance. I have to admit to being impressed.
Chad should improve also as there will be no Chris Henry for at least 8 games so he should start out of the chute a little better then last year. But the improvement of Carlson Palmer has impressed me also. Before he would strive to get the ball to to CJ come hell or high water. Last year Palmer showed alot of improvement in taking what the D gave him. If Chad was covered close he just settled (settled?) for Housh. rather than push the ball to CJ. He is becoming more Brady esquese in his ability to look for and use the open man. I expect this improvement to continue, which is good for the Bengals O. Palmer seems to be developing a Brady-like preception of the entire game and has much better Wrs available.

Both should improve their numbers this year, Smith just a little bit more. Very good close call.

I'm picking Johnson because of the consistency factor. If i was picking who i thought has the potential for better stats, i think it's Smith, but he's just not healthy enough for me to draft him over Johnson. Smith has more big play ability and a possibility to put up HUGE numbers like 2 years ago, but Johnson is nearly a sure thing to put up really good numbers every year and I like players i trust more. Plus I think Johnson will jump back up into the 10 TD range awith over 90 catches this year, which is top notch.

can i just vote for TO instead?

You're truly speaking of Marvin here. Again, this is from memory, but check out CJ's first 6 games last sesaon. If I remember right they were abysmal. They were even bugging him in the post game pressers about when he would get involved. Huh?? This does pump up what he did for the rest of the season. I better shut up before i change my mind.

I do envy the fact that you can roll the dice. I just can't go with TO, as I'm afraid the minute I did, he'd throw Romo under the team bus and be doing situps in his driveway. I do like Glenn's value mid draft. The sentiments I stated above, do hold my teams back, as they err on the conservative side usually.

My points would work for Marvin as well, and so would yours. He had a few lousy games to start last season as well. I was speaking of the season's worth of stats and how Johnson is more consistent than Steve Smith.

CJ had only 2 td's in the first eight games. Then he positively lit up the Chargers D in an incredable performance.

I am going with CJ over Smith..but it is damn close. Both are explosive, both can take over a game. The advantages for Johnson though:
1) Qb, I will take a wr in a high powered offense with a awesome Qb, over a high powered passing game with a challenged Qb anyday.
2) Offense...I see Carolina pushing the run more...smith will still get his..but not as much as last few years.
3)Health risk. Smith is more injury prone.

Put it all together..and I go with CJ.

C.Johnson-S.Smith-C.Johnson-S.Smith-C.Johnson-S.Smith. Both are elusive. Both have break-away speed. Both have Super-Glue hands. Both can break open a game. But only 1 has a solid QB(C.Palmer) the other QB(J.Delahomme) could rebound. Operative word "could". Only 1 has a solid #2 reciever(Houshmandzadeh) to take away the double team. The other has an unproven Rookie(D.Jarrett) with little to no depth. Both #1 Recievers would anchor any fantasy team, but when you add up the +'s and -'s the scale tips towards C.Johnson. That is not to say that S.Smith could'nt rise above his adverse situation since he has had to do it each and every year he has been in the NFL. But until Jarrett can prove himself and Delahomme get's back on track, Chad Johnson has to top the list.

My vote went to CJ. Many of my reasons have been brought up already, but the I see this as a career year for CJ. I think he EXPLODES!!! Defenses have Housh to worry about more every year, Palmer has had a FULL offseason to work on his timing with CJ and the other WR's instead of rehabbing. With no Henry for 8 games, more redzone looks will go to CJ. And most importantly, the brutal schedule from a year ago is much softer this season.

This is no knock on Smith, he's a STUD! But given them being as close as they are I give the nod to the better overall situation ,and that is CJ.

Will be interesting to see how this evolves over the summer, CJ has a slim 8-6 lead early.

My reasons have already been mentioned. The lack of Keyshawn in Carolina, the presence of Housh, and most of all Palmer. I like Carolina, and I'm interested to see if Delhomme can get out of his slump, but I agree with MT that CJ is poised to have a huge year

I am just looking at the numbers, and I can't believe that either of these guys is supposed to be the #1 WR in fantasy football.

Chad Johnson had only four games with 100 yards last year, and he also had only four games where he had a TD. That's incredible inconsistency. If you take away that huge pair of back to back games, that leaves 70 catches for 919 yards and 2 TDs on the season. That means that if you had CJ on your roster, he won two games for you on his own and then had a measly 7 ppg the rest of the season. I know you can't just throw those two games away, but it's still eye opening numbers. The guy scored double digit fantasy points just 6 times last year.

Steve Smith was over 100 yards five times in his 14 games. He had a TD in eight of the games. He was in double digit fantasy points 9 of the 14 games. And all of that was with two fewer games than CJ, a worse offense around him, and a QB struggling mightily.

I'm still not convinced that Smith is the #1 fantasy WR, but that is a very good fantasy start almost 2/3 of the time for Smith. I checked Harrison, and he was double digits 9 of 16 times. TO is the only one I found with more, at 10 times.

I realize there are pluses for Johnson. Palmer is healthy to start the year now, and he ought to get more looks with Chris Henry gone. But the two should have similar enough stats in the end that I will have to surprise myself and favor Steve Smith here. He is far more consistent with as much big game potential as anyone in the league. I'd have to take the injury risk and go with it.

For all the reason's above, I'll take CJ.