Who Should I Start? Darnell Mooney or J.J. McCarthy

Friday, September 5, 2:31 PM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) has been listed as questionable on Friday's injury report and will be a game-time decision, according to head coach Raheem Morris. Mooney missed almost all of training camp after injuring his shoulder making a diving catch during the first practice of the summer. Mooney told reporters on Thursday that he feels good, but a decision on his status won't be made until 90 minutes before kickoff. When healthy, Mooney figures to feature prominently in Zac Robinson's aggressive, downfield passing attack, but even if he does play on Sunday, the expectation should be that he will be on a pitch count of sorts after so much missed time. Fantasy managers should look for better flex options in Week 1 until they've seen a full allotment of snaps from Mooney.

Friday, August 29, 10:41 AM

Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes that the Minnesota Vikings' offense "has been scaled down with quarterback J.J. McCarthy taking over." Howe also notes that there's "measured optimism" in league circles around McCarthy's future, but that a "seamless transition" should not be expected. The 22-year-old is taking over for the departed Sam Darnold under center in Minnesota after Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record in 2024. McCarthy has drawn favorable reviews for his play in training camp and the preseason, but there's always a level of unknown for a player who has not seen the field in an actual NFL game. McCarthy profiles as a high-end QB2 in redraft fantasy leagues.