Darnell

Mooney

It was a fitting end to a disastrous, injury-marred campaign for the 28-year-old after he flirted with 1,000 yards a season ago, his first in Atlanta. This time around, Mooney finishes with 443 yards in 15 games, and as one of the league’s least-efficient wideouts. He averaged under a yard per route, a ghastly number for a player on the field as much as Mooney. Mooney will blame his summer collarbone break and in-season soft-tissue issues, but it’s never a good sign when injuries are your alibi, especially at Mooney’s advancing age. Out of guaranteed money and due a preposterous $10.97 million in 2026, Mooney will either be released or restructured.

Even if he does play, Mooney’s form has been bad enough this year while fighting through injuries that he probably doesn’t need to be in fantasy lineups at this point. You can do better, especially with Drake London and Kyle Pitts also expected to play. Mooney hasn’t cracked 40 yards or scored since November 23.

He was a new addition to the injury report. The last thing Mooney needed was another ailment to battle through after his collarbone injury in the preseason has largely left him ineffective this season. He’ll be tough to trust even in a WR5/WR6 role against the Saints.

Mooney and the rest of the Atlanta pass-catchers simply weren’t needed in this one as running back Bijan Robinson amassed 229 yards of offense against one of the better run defenses in the league. It was actually fill-in receiver David Sills that led the team in receiving with 37 yards on three receptions, which tells the tale of how the game was won. Mooney finishes his regular season against the surging Saints in Week 18 after a disappointing campaign.

Mooney delivered one usable fantasy outing during WR Drake London’s knee-related absences in Weeks 12-15. The formerly effective field stretcher suffered a broken collarbone in training camp and has attempted to play through it, becoming a seldom-used member of the receiving corps whose primary role is to command the attention of opposing safeties. He should not be rostered in re-draft leagues.

Only five players for the Falcons received targets in Week 15, and one of them was something called a Charlie Woerner. Still, Mooney was ineffective again, and he hasn’t “taken advantage” of the absence of Drake London. Mooney shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups going forward, and that includes Week 16 against the Cardinals.

Falcons WR Darnell Mooney is, unfortunately, just a dart-throw FLEX option with London sidelined. Mooney has totaled 45-plus receiving yards just twice this season. Falcons TE Kyle Pitts will continue operating as the No. 1 pass catcher. He should be started as a high-end TE1.

Mooney nearly made an incredible touchdown grab late in the first half on a moon ball from Kirk Cousins. The play was eventually ruled an incomplete pass after replay showed Mooney stepping out of bounds. Mooney was arguably forced out of bounds by Seattle corner Josh Jobe. He re-established himself in bounds and sped ahead to corral the pass, but the refs didn’t see it that way. They said he stepped out on his own, making him an ineligible receiver. To add salt to the wound, Mooney dropped a low throw by Cousins in the end zone in the second half. Mooney can’t get anything going going this year and the absence of Drake London has changed nothing for him. He will be a WR6 when the Falcons take on the Bucs next week.

Dismal. This was Mooney’s worst game since Kirk Cousins replaced Michael Penix Jr. under center, but as fantasy managers know, his best game featured three receptions. Mooney is losing compiling looks to Kyle Pitts, and isn’t muscling out the journeymen wideouts behind him for looks in the receiver corps. That’s a tough way to make a WR4 living, especially for rough matchups like next week’s date with the Seahawks. Only the fact that four teams are on bye has Mooney in the top 48 mix for that one.

The Falcons seem intent on playing it safe with their superstar wideout during the final weeks of another lost season. It wouldn’t be a surprise if London doesn’t see the field again in 2025 after sustaining a knee injury in Week 11. Look for Darnell Mooney to continue functioning as the Falcons’ de factor WR1 with London sideline. Mooney had 71 yards and a touchdown on three targets last week against the Saints.