Musesboy
Footballguy
I am a big fan of Chad Johnson. He is undoubtedly talented. He works hard to keep improving. Although he shoots his mouth off, it's done in a clever and funny way and there is no harm intended. In short, he is good for the game in every way. But, as much as I love the guy, I am starting to believe that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is the better fantasy pick.
That may sound a little crazy, but hear me out. There is no dispute that Johnson has been the more productive receiver. Using FBGs scoring, Johnson has finished 3rd, 9th, 4th, and 4th among WRs over the last four seasons. He hasn't missed a single game in that span. His targets have been consistent, ranging from 154 to 158 per season. His fantasy point totals were 196, 185, 201, and 181. So why am I down on him? The truth is, I am not. That's good production for a receiver, and worthy of a pick in the latter half of the second round. But last year showed a distinct shift.
Houshmandzadeh finished 31st in 2004 (104 targets), and 14th in 2005 (115 targets in 14 games). He didn't reach 1000 yards in either year, and managed a total of 11 TDs. That's not bad for a player that is not the leading receiver on his own team, but 2006 looked a lot different. Despite missing the first two games, Houshmandzadeh went over 1000 yards for the first time. In fact, he was targeted 133 times in his 14 games, and posted 1081 yards and 9 TDs. That's a significant increase, and one which has been largely ignored so far by most FF experts.
Let's take a detailed look at the 2006 production of Johnson and Houshmandzadeh over the 14 games in which they both played:
Week 03: Johnson 2 targets, 1 reception, 11 yards, 0 TDs - 1.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 10 targets, 9 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TDs - 21.4 fantasy points
Week 04: Johnson 14 targets, 6 receptions, 64 yards, 0 TDs - 6.4 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 7 targets, 4 receptions, 95 yards, 0 TDs - 9.5 fantasy points
Week 05: Bye
Week 06: Johnson 12 targets, 6 receptions, 99 yards, 0 TDs - 9.9 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 14 targets, 10 receptions, 102 yards, 1 TD - 16.2 fantasy points
Week 07: Johnson 12 targets, 6 receptions, 73 yards, 0 TDs - 7.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 13 targets, 7 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD - 12.1 fantasy points
Week 08: Johnson 13 targets, 6 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD - 13.8 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 7 targets, 6 receptions, 70 yards, 0 TDs - 7.6 fantasy points
Week 09: Johnson 7 targets, 4 receptions, 31 yards, 0 TDs - 3.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 8 targets, 3 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD - 12.6 fantasy points
Week 10: Johnson 12 targets, 11 receptions, 260 yards, 2 TDs - 38.0 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 10 targets, 7 receptions, 88 yards, 0 TDs - 8.8 fantasy points
Week 11: Johnson 10 targets, 6 receptions, 190 yards, 3 TDs - 37.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 5 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards, 0 TDs - 1.5 fantasy points
Week 12: Johnson 11 targets, 7 receptions, 123 yards, 0 TDs - 12.9 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 8 targets, 7 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD - 13.9 fantasy points
Week 13: Johnson 10 targets, 8 receptions, 91 yards, 0 TDs - 9.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 11 targets, 10 receptions, 106 yards, 1 TD - 16.6 fantasy points
Week 14: Johnson 9 targets, 5 receptions, 101 yards, 0 TDs - 10.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 10 targets, 8 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD - 17.8 fantasy points
Week 15: Johnson 8 targets, 3 receptions, 37 yards, 0 TDs - 3.8 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 6 targets, 4 receptions, 49 yards, 0 TDs - 4.9 fantasy points
Week 16: Johnson 9 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards, 0 TDs - 3.2 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 12 targets, 9 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD - 15.4 fantasy points
Week 17: Johnson 6 targets, 4 receptions, 53 yards, 0 TDs - 5.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 12 targets, 4 receptions, 44 yards, 0 TDs - 4.4 fantasy points
Totals for weeks 3 through 17:
Johnson 135 targets, 76 receptions, 1243 yards, 6 TDs - 161.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 133 targets, 90 receptions, 1081 yards, 9 TDs - 162.7 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh outscored Johnson 10 times in 14 starts. Ok, Johnson had two immense games and you probably won that week if you started him. But he wasn't exactly consistent. FF is all about churning out a good score in as many weeks as possible, not winning two games by 50 points and losing most of the others. Johnson reached double-digit fantasy points six times in 16 starts, while Houshmandzadeh managed the same feat eight times in 14 starts.
It's surprising isn't it? Is it an anomaly, or the start of a trend? That's for you to decide.
Here's another interesting statistic. Houshmandzadeh was targeted 22 times in the red zone last year, compared to Johnson's 11 targets. Houshmandzadeh hardly ever drops the ball, and he doesn't leave the field due to cramp.
Looking at the FBGs expert rankings, Chad Johnson is ranked fractionally behind Steve Smith as the second WR for redraft purposes. He is ranked 13th overall. His ADP is likely to be somewhere in the early part of the second round. Houshmandzadeh is ranked as WR16 and 42nd overall, so you can likely get him in the 4th round or later.
12 of the 17 current FBGs redraft expert rankings have Johnson as one of their top two receivers, while only four have Houshmandzadeh in the top 10. Yudkin actually has Houshmandzadeh ahead of Johnson. Is he right?
I am not saying that Houshmandzadeh is better than Chad Johnson. But which is the better value?
One other thing to consider is that Carson Palmer was not 100% healthy at the start of last year, so both players may have room for improvement.
I hope I have given you something to think about. Let me know your thoughts on this
That may sound a little crazy, but hear me out. There is no dispute that Johnson has been the more productive receiver. Using FBGs scoring, Johnson has finished 3rd, 9th, 4th, and 4th among WRs over the last four seasons. He hasn't missed a single game in that span. His targets have been consistent, ranging from 154 to 158 per season. His fantasy point totals were 196, 185, 201, and 181. So why am I down on him? The truth is, I am not. That's good production for a receiver, and worthy of a pick in the latter half of the second round. But last year showed a distinct shift.
Houshmandzadeh finished 31st in 2004 (104 targets), and 14th in 2005 (115 targets in 14 games). He didn't reach 1000 yards in either year, and managed a total of 11 TDs. That's not bad for a player that is not the leading receiver on his own team, but 2006 looked a lot different. Despite missing the first two games, Houshmandzadeh went over 1000 yards for the first time. In fact, he was targeted 133 times in his 14 games, and posted 1081 yards and 9 TDs. That's a significant increase, and one which has been largely ignored so far by most FF experts.
Let's take a detailed look at the 2006 production of Johnson and Houshmandzadeh over the 14 games in which they both played:
Week 03: Johnson 2 targets, 1 reception, 11 yards, 0 TDs - 1.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 10 targets, 9 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TDs - 21.4 fantasy points
Week 04: Johnson 14 targets, 6 receptions, 64 yards, 0 TDs - 6.4 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 7 targets, 4 receptions, 95 yards, 0 TDs - 9.5 fantasy points
Week 05: Bye
Week 06: Johnson 12 targets, 6 receptions, 99 yards, 0 TDs - 9.9 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 14 targets, 10 receptions, 102 yards, 1 TD - 16.2 fantasy points
Week 07: Johnson 12 targets, 6 receptions, 73 yards, 0 TDs - 7.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 13 targets, 7 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD - 12.1 fantasy points
Week 08: Johnson 13 targets, 6 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD - 13.8 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 7 targets, 6 receptions, 70 yards, 0 TDs - 7.6 fantasy points
Week 09: Johnson 7 targets, 4 receptions, 31 yards, 0 TDs - 3.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 8 targets, 3 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD - 12.6 fantasy points
Week 10: Johnson 12 targets, 11 receptions, 260 yards, 2 TDs - 38.0 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 10 targets, 7 receptions, 88 yards, 0 TDs - 8.8 fantasy points
Week 11: Johnson 10 targets, 6 receptions, 190 yards, 3 TDs - 37.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 5 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards, 0 TDs - 1.5 fantasy points
Week 12: Johnson 11 targets, 7 receptions, 123 yards, 0 TDs - 12.9 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 8 targets, 7 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD - 13.9 fantasy points
Week 13: Johnson 10 targets, 8 receptions, 91 yards, 0 TDs - 9.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 11 targets, 10 receptions, 106 yards, 1 TD - 16.6 fantasy points
Week 14: Johnson 9 targets, 5 receptions, 101 yards, 0 TDs - 10.1 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 10 targets, 8 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD - 17.8 fantasy points
Week 15: Johnson 8 targets, 3 receptions, 37 yards, 0 TDs - 3.8 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 6 targets, 4 receptions, 49 yards, 0 TDs - 4.9 fantasy points
Week 16: Johnson 9 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards, 0 TDs - 3.2 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 12 targets, 9 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD - 15.4 fantasy points
Week 17: Johnson 6 targets, 4 receptions, 53 yards, 0 TDs - 5.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 12 targets, 4 receptions, 44 yards, 0 TDs - 4.4 fantasy points
Totals for weeks 3 through 17:
Johnson 135 targets, 76 receptions, 1243 yards, 6 TDs - 161.3 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh 133 targets, 90 receptions, 1081 yards, 9 TDs - 162.7 fantasy points
Houshmandzadeh outscored Johnson 10 times in 14 starts. Ok, Johnson had two immense games and you probably won that week if you started him. But he wasn't exactly consistent. FF is all about churning out a good score in as many weeks as possible, not winning two games by 50 points and losing most of the others. Johnson reached double-digit fantasy points six times in 16 starts, while Houshmandzadeh managed the same feat eight times in 14 starts.
It's surprising isn't it? Is it an anomaly, or the start of a trend? That's for you to decide.
Here's another interesting statistic. Houshmandzadeh was targeted 22 times in the red zone last year, compared to Johnson's 11 targets. Houshmandzadeh hardly ever drops the ball, and he doesn't leave the field due to cramp.
Looking at the FBGs expert rankings, Chad Johnson is ranked fractionally behind Steve Smith as the second WR for redraft purposes. He is ranked 13th overall. His ADP is likely to be somewhere in the early part of the second round. Houshmandzadeh is ranked as WR16 and 42nd overall, so you can likely get him in the 4th round or later.
12 of the 17 current FBGs redraft expert rankings have Johnson as one of their top two receivers, while only four have Houshmandzadeh in the top 10. Yudkin actually has Houshmandzadeh ahead of Johnson. Is he right?
I am not saying that Houshmandzadeh is better than Chad Johnson. But which is the better value?
One other thing to consider is that Carson Palmer was not 100% healthy at the start of last year, so both players may have room for improvement.
I hope I have given you something to think about. Let me know your thoughts on this

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