Fantasy Upside
Darnell Mooney showed promise in 2021 when he had a 1,000-yard season on 81 receptions. He also started to come along in 2022 after a slow start. The Bears’ passing attack struggled overall through the first three games, but in the remaining eight games Mooney was healthy he averaged 4.5 receptions for 58.3 yards and 0.3 touchdowns. It’s not insane, but those are pretty good numbers for a receiver on an offense that averaged just 130 pass yards per game. Mooney has history with Fields and should once again be a focal point of the offense in 2023.
Fantasy Downside
The overall numbers for Mooney last season weren’t great. In 12 games he finished with 40 receptions for 493 yards and just two touchdowns. He dropped over 20 receiving yards per game from the season prior. He’s also recovering from a broken ankle, which kept him out of the Bears’ final five games of the season. Chicago also brought in another wide receiver in D.J. Moore, who will likely be WR1 in this offense. Targets were already difficult to come by considering this run-heavy offense, so Moore’s presence will surely make an impact on Mooney.
2023 Bottom Line
Mooney was a strong sleeper candidate heading into the 2022 season, but he’s not really in that range anymore. He’s not a strong touchdown threat, his targets will be reduced with Moore’s arrival and he’s returning from a fairly serious injury. If Moore suffers an injury, then Mooney suddenly becomes more appealing. But coming into the season, he’s not much more than a late-round flier.
