Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney has been sidlined as he deals with a shoulder injury sustained during the team’s first training camp practice.
After a standout 2024 season in Atlanta, where Mooney established himself as the Falcons’ reliable No. 2 receiving option, this injury raises concerns for the team and fans eager to see the veteran wideout back on the field.
Details on Darnell Mooney’s Injury
During an early practice, Mooney went down while diving for a deep pass from quarterback Michael Penix Jr. during 11-on-11 drills.
According to ESPN reports, the wide receiver stayed down briefly before walking off the field with a trainer, helmet in hand, but did not return to practice. The injury appeared to be related to his shoulder, which sidelined him for the foreseeable future.
Mooney was expected to miss several weeks, which impacted the Falcons’ receiving depth early in the preseason and potentially into the regular season. However, the 27-year-old wideout is back in practice ahead of Week 1.
Mooney’s world loading.
Darnell Mooney back at practice. pic.twitter.com/kraGLRClI0— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) August 28, 2025
Penix hinted that Mooney could be back for the regular-season opener, telling reporters that he “should be back Week 1.”
Mooney is now all but certain to play in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mooney’s Impact on the Atlanta Falcons in 2024
Mooney signed with the Falcons in the 2024 offseason after a productive tenure with the Chicago Bears. In his first season with Atlanta, Mooney emerged as the team’s second-best receiver behind Drake London.
He ended the 2024 campaign with impressive stats: 64 receptions for 992 yards, averaging 15.5 yards per catch, and scoring a career-high five touchdowns. His ability to stretch the field and make clutch plays has made him a valuable weapon in the Falcons’ offense.
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Although Mooney is back, the Falcons will still need other receivers to step up to help out Penix as the quarterback gears up for his sophomore season in the NFL.
Mason LeBeau’s Fantasy Outlook for Mooney
PFSN’s Mason LeBeau had this to say about Mooney’s fantasy outlook for the upcoming season: I am getting a LOT of Darnell Mooney shares in Best Ball. Yes, it’s fair to be a tad worried about the injury he suffered in camp, so he’ll be slightly riskier in redraft if he misses a week or two early on. But, for his value, I think he’s a fantastic addition.
That said, I am betting on the Falcons’ offense to be quite good this year. That hinges a lot on QB Michael Penix Jr, but my rationale is that even if he isn’t great, he’ll at very least be able to open up the field and pepper his top targets. After Drake London, Mooney is clearly next in order.
Mooney also has the upside of being a consistent fantasy WR2. Last year was the second time in his five-year career that he went over 100 targets, and was just shy of 1,000 receiving yards.
That came with a rookie Justin Fields and Andy Dalton, and then a washed Kirk Cousins and rookie Michael Penix. He has the opportunity to scale with his QB play if it improves, or at very least get a baseline of production if it doesn’t.
In your standard redraft leagues, I think you can target slightly higher upside receiving in this range, like Jayden Higgins, but if you need a reliable WR at this point of your draft, I believe Mooney can absolutely be that and possibly more.
