Who Should I Start? Darnell Mooney or Ricky Pearsall

Wednesday, December 10, 5:32 PM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney was limited to just one catch on four targets for six yards this past week, his fifth one-catch performance of the season in 11 games played. The 28-year-old has had an opportunity to become the team's top receiver with Drake London (knee) missing the last three weeks due to injury, however, that role appears to have been occupied by tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. The 5-foot-11 wideout played on just 77 percent of the team's offensive snaps in Week 14, while David Sills V logged 94 percent and the aforementioned Pitts totaled 92 percent. The veteran will have another chance to carve out an expanded role in Week 15 versus the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, with London ruled out again and against a pass defense that is middle of the road in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers, but a unit that has yielded the sixth-most yards in the NFL through the air this season. For what it's worth, Mooney had a touchdown reception overturned last week because he stepped on the sideline before securing the pass, which could have been his second touchdown in the last three games despite the limited volume. Still, considering the situation at quarterback and Mooney's inability to garner sufficient targets, he falls outside the WR3 range this week, making him more of a boom/bust Flex play on TNF.

Monday, December 15, 5:40 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) aggravated his PCL injury in the Week 15 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and also sprained his ankle, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he's unsure if Pearsall will practice this week as the team prepares to face the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night in Week 16. The 25-year-old former first-rounder will have an extra day to recover this week, but based on the fact that he missed six games earlier this year after spraining his PCL initially in Week 4, it seems highly unlikely that Pearsall will be cleared to play on Monday. It's really bad timing for Pearsall and his fantasy managers, as he caught six of seven targets for 96 yards in the win over the Titans on Sunday while battling through his knee injury and a low-ankle sprain. If Pearsall misses additional time, Kendrick Bourne could be on the flex radar again in deeper fantasy leagues behind Jauan Jennings.