Chicago Bears WR Darnell Mooney was a fantasy football disappointment last season in a run-centric offense behind Justin Fields. That much we know. We also know that the one-play upside of Mooney is enticing and could be showcased more as Fields develops.
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Darnell Mooney’s Fantasy Outlook
The former fifth-round pick hasn’t taken a step forward from the home-run-hitting burner that he was out of Tulane, but there isn’t a ton of target competition in Chicago these days.
Yes, they traded for D.J. Moore this offseason, and maybe Cole Kmet can establish himself as a reliable set of hands … other than that? Chase Claypool and Equanimeous St. Brown are in the mix without much else.
Darnell Mooney beats Colts CB Tony Brown in a 1-on-1. pic.twitter.com/e6pohq05LI
— Sean Hammond (@sean_hammond)
This offense will count on a strong ground game to bleed the clock and keep the score close. That offensive structure isn’t optimal in 2023, but having a quarterback like Fields at least makes it possible. The trio of Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, and Roschon Johnson offer some nice upside in this offense and give Chicago a chance at their control-the-clock approach.
Is Mooney a Good Fantasy Pick?
The risk outweighs the reward, in my opinion. I like Mooney as a sneaky DFS sleeper in Week 1, but you’re throwing darts any time you decide to slide him into your starting lineup. And even if you’re looking for an all-or-nothing play, Mooney isn’t atop my list. Rostering players like this is fine but go with Donovan Peoples-Jones, Rashid Shaheed, or Marquez Valdes-Scantling instead.
- PFN Consensus Rank: 131st overall
- Current ADP: 136th overall
