Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel or Darnell Mooney

Friday, April 26, 12:13 AM

The San Francisco 49ers are "more likely" to trade wide receiver Deebo Samuel than Brandon Aiyuk during this year's 2024 NFL draft, according to a source. Aiyuk's name has been mentioned in trade rumors all offseason, but now Samuel is the more likely pass-catcher to be dealt. Samuel, 28, is two years older than Aiyuk but has more versatility in the offense. However, Samuel also has a salary cap hit north of $20 million in 2025. Aiyuk is looking for a new long-term deal as he heads into the fifth and final contract of his rookie deal, but the Niners have been hesitant to give him a market deal given their other financial commitments. San Francisco took rookie pass-catcher Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick in the first round on Thursday night, potentially foreshadowing a trade of either Samuel or Aiyuk in the coming days.

Tuesday, March 12, 11:54 AM

Free-agent wide receiver Darnell Mooney is joining the Atlanta Falcons on a three-year $39 million deal, reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The 2020 fifth-round pick out of Tulane posted 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns with Andy Dalton and a rookie Justin Fields as his primary quarterbacks in 2021, but he has not matched the production since. In 2022 and 2023 combined, he totaled 71 receptions for 907 yards and three touchdowns. However, he's now set to play with the best quarterback of his career, as Atlanta secured Kirk Cousins on a four-year deal on Monday. Mooney figures to be behind Drake London and Kyle Pitts in the target pecking order, but Cousins has supported up to three, and sometimes four, fantasy-relevant pass-catchers in a single season. Mooney is now on the fantasy radar and could hold flex value in 2024.