Who Should I Start? Darnell Mooney or Xavier Hutchinson

Sunday, August 9, 8:12 AM

The New York Giants need at least one more wide receiver to step up this year, even if Malik Nabers (knee) is ready for the start of the regular season, and Alex House of Sports Illustrated writes that it could be veteran Darnell Mooney. The 28-year-old never was able to get on track in 2025 in his second year with the Atlanta Falcons after he suffered a shoulder injury in training camp, and he finished with a 32-443-1 line in 15 starts after catching 64 passes for 992 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 16 games in 2024. The speedster could become a fine downfield threat for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart in 2026, and he already has a built-in rapport with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy from their time together in Chicago, where Mooney had his lone 1,000-yard season in 2021. Mooney has a 12.3 average depth of target in his career and can be effective on intermediate throws. House believes that if Mooney can get on the same page with Dart, he'll have a chance to become the Giants' second-leading target behind Nabers. The biggest obstacle for Mooney achieving that will be new tight end Isaiah Likely, who has been one of Dart's favorite targets in training camp. Mooney is currently ranked as the No. 85 fantasy WR at RotoBaller, making him worth considering as a late-round flier in deeper fantasy leagues.