Who Should I Start? Darnell Mooney or Zay Flowers

Tuesday, November 4, 4:53 PM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney was a non-factor again in Week 9's 24-23 loss to the Patriots, earning just two targets, which resulted in one catch for 15 yards. It was the second straight game with one reception and the third time this season. The 28-year-old played every single offensive snap on Sunday, so his lack of production is all the more glaring. So far this season, the veteran receiver has registered 0.15 targets per route run, putting him in a range with the likes of Matthew Golden and Rashod Bateman. Aside from an 11-target, four-catch performance in Week 3, the 5-foot-11 wideout has tallied a total of eight catches on 16 targets for 129 yards and no scores in the five other contests in which he played. Whether it is his injury history piling up or Michael Penix Jr. simply sticking to shorter routes -- or a combination of both -- Mooney doesn't look startable in fantasy leagues right now. A favorable matchup on paper awaits Mooney in Week 10 against a beatable Colts pass defense, but Tuesday's addition of Sauce Gardner from the Jets should enhance their ability to defend the pass.

Thursday, October 30, 9:56 AM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers gets his starting quarterback back on the field for the Thursday night contest with the Miami Dolphins. While he posted a low-level WR2 performance in Week 8, his best games came during Weeks 1, 2, and 4. One of the reasons why Flowers isn't projected as a WR1 is that the Dolphins are the number-one ranked unit against opposing receivers in fantasy football this year. They allow 25.84 points to opposing receiver groups on average, and when Jackson is on the field, he tends to spread the ball around to his pass-catchers a lot more than any of their backups. So, even with the firepower returning to the offense, Flowers projects to be around WR16 this week.