I have to admit, although I currently rank Chad Johnson as the #1 wide receiver this year, I keep considering dropping him down a few notches thinking T.J. Housmandzadeh could very possibly overtake CJ as the #1 receiver in Cincinnati this season.

I am not going to go out and make a wild statement saying it "will happen", but the thought of it happening keeps coming up in my mind.

There was some discussion with Housh last season, where he was asked about being the #2 receiver in Cincinnati, and if he was happy in that role, or if he seen himself as a #1 somewhere else in the future. Housh was quick to say that he didn't see himself as the #2 in Cincy.

Am I crazy in thinking CJ may be playing 2nd fiddle to Housh this season?

YOUR CRAZY!

OK, let me first say I love Housh! And none of this is a knock on him. But I will say, he's quickly becoming a little over-rated in the fantasy rhelm. He's one of the best #2's in the game, but he's also one fo the best #2's b/c Chad Johnson is lining up on the opposite side. Take Chad out and make TJ face the #1 CB and the double teams and TJ quickly is controlled. He moves to a new team, and he would find that out, that is why he took less to stay in Cincy a couple years ago, he knew he was in a great situation where he was.

TJ runs nice routes, has great hands, but he also lacks true break away speed that he woudl need to be a true #1. I expect very similar numbers from TJ as he put up last year. 1000 yds & 8 YD's is about right, also expect him to miss couple games due to injury, happens every year it seems. Chad will once again be the man, and I expect a HUGE year from him.

cj is just flat out far more talented. housh is the wayne to cj's harrison. housh will start the year out well every year while teams try to shut down cj, and eventually cj will get his too. they'll finish with similar numbers but more yardage from cj. housh will be a great 4th round pickup though, where hes normally being drafted. i prefer his adp to cj's.

I agree 100% with this.

Mike is not crazy. He is thinking based on what happened last year - TJ was a more consistent producer at wr than CJ. I have no real CJ bias, in fact he is one of my favorite players at wr in the entire league.

Is he a more talented player than TJ Who'sYourMamma? Yes. But which will be the more reliable fantasy player? That may actually be a pick-em. Cincinnati loves throwing the ball to Housh and will continue doing so until the wheels come off. Johnson could easily end up being the superior fantasy player but you know what you are getting with Housh and after a lot of players got burnt by Chad's inconsistent production last year I can't totally blame them for wondering why not to draft TJ.

Really, I am posting this as there was discussion on the big networks last year about this, and a little during this offseason as well.

I have CJ ranked as the #1 receiver, even after putting thought into this, but I just have this little voice in my head telling me that Housh could be a good reason to knock CJ down a few spots.

Actually, I can see a decline this year for both....if Tab Perry doesn't step up. Like him or not....Chris Henry made it very, very easy for those guys to get open. If you go back and look, in games he did not play...both Chad and Housh had so so games. If Tab can take up Henry's slack...then should be no issues.

This is a nice observation.

Nice observation here Phicinfan. Henry was important to opening up the O last year. It also makes you have to look at Palmers development closely. It used to be to byline was get the ball to CJ come hell or high water as he is as Da_Bomb pointed out he is the best wr. But as DB also said last year Palmer started out differently, he used Housh first taking what the D offered instead of CJ. Palmer also took advantage of Henry as well and elevated Housh and CJ at the same time. Palmer really took a step forward as a QB, reading D's and spreading the ball around toward the path of least resistance. He was taking on a Bradyesque air about him. If Palmers development continues all his wr's will have to earn the grabs.

Palmer's development could take the edge off of CJ. Does the Bengal wr corp stay more like Indy's with a couple of big targets having a slightly different fantasy style. Or does the Bengal wr corp look more like New Englands, all wr's producing with a new hero every week?

NE may have had a hero every week but I find it hard to think that will continue with "I Want The Ball" Moss in the mix, but that is not the question. They have the speed to match up with anyone and a nice depth to thier recieving corps as well. To be honest the Bengals have the ability to to go either way. The speed to match Indy and the weapons that can stand up in any given week.

This is an interesting observation, Roid. This year the Pats WR corps may have a different dynamic. Previous years it has been Wrs who were role players. The guy wo gets seperation early in a route, the guy who gets seperation late in a route. Givens was the fast one, get a couple of long balls, put together an entire game now and then.
Now with Givens and Moss, Brady could have a double long ball threat at his fingertips at every snap. When he does look underneath those guys may have some huge seperation working for them.

Put it like this... Alvin Harper could not exist without Michael Irvin, John Taylor would've never existed without Jerry Rice, Pippen w/o Michael, Reggie Wayne w/o Marvin Harrison, Stallworth w/o Swann, Clayton w/o Duper. And, definitely Housh without 'Ocho Cinco'

There is always a debate somewhere but most great #2's are #2's for a reason. They will not exist without a great #1.

I have no clue where people have come up with the idea that Brady spread the ball around because of a balanced receiving corp. He spread the ball around because he has never had a definitive #1 WR. Period! That has been a sportswriters way of saying Brady is great. He is, but that's not why. The Bengals have too good of wr's to take on that role.

Normally there's a reason why different wr's produce and there is new hero every week. 1. The QB is good 2. Their wr's have stunk 3. Their wr's have stunk

CJ and Housh do not fall into that category.

First of all, I understand the opening statement, but I think you worded the question improperly.

This is the correct question:

Would you rather draft CJ at say 1.04(#16) or TJ Housh at 4.06(#42)?

depending on how the draft goes, i would prefer to get Housh's stability at 42, but it does depend upon how the draft has gone and who is available at 16.