Who Should I Start? DJ Moore or Mecole Hardman

Friday, September 12, 11:17 PM

Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore had an up-and-down season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, catching three of five targets for 68 yards while adding three carries for eight yards on the ground. Moore had chances for a bigger day, including a potential touchdown that Caleb Williams overthrew and a missed fourth-down conversion where Moore was open across the middle. What's more concerning is that Moore trailed second-year receiver Rome Odunze in snap count, target share, and route participation, a trend worth monitoring in the future. Still, Week 2 brings a favorable matchup against the Detroit Lions, who allowed the most receiving yards to wideouts in 2024. Moore has historically thrived against Detroit, posting at least six catches and 60 yards, along with scoring a touchdown in three of his last four meetings. Moore enters this NFC North showdown as a high-end WR3 with upside, especially if Williams can connect on the opportunities that slipped away in Week 1.

Tuesday, August 26, 1:11 PM

The Green Bay Packers are releasing wide receiver Mecole Hardman on Tuesday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Despite the Packers dealing with multiple injuries to their receiving corps in training camp, the Packers will move on from Hardman, who was looking to secure a depth role with the Packers after spending the first six years of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs. In his six NFL seasons, the 27-year-old pass-catcher has caught 178 of hi 258 targets for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns in 80 regular-season games (28 starts). Hardman also has plenty of special-teams experience and should be able to find work with another team for his versatility and speed during the 2025 season. Last year in 12 regular-season games (no starts) with KC, Hardman caught just 12 passe for 90 yards and no scores.