Who Should I Start? Michael Pittman Jr. or Darnell Mooney

Tuesday, July 29, 1:24 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (groin) tweaked his groin at training camp practice on Tuesday and had an ice pack on it while still in pads, according to Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star. Until we know more about Pittman's injury, we will consider him day-to-day. While Pittman will remain a key contributor in the passing attack for the Colts in 2025 if he's healthy, we saw last year that the emergence of Josh Downs definitely hurt his ceiling. The 27-year-old former second-rounder caught 69 of 111 targets for 808 yards and only three touchdowns in 16 games (14 starts). The less-than-stellar quarterback play from Anthony Richardson Sr. and Joe Flacco didn't help matters. Pittman also played through a back injury for much of the year. Better health would certainly help Pittman, but it's no secret that his fantasy stock has taken a hit as more of a WR4/flex heading into the 2025 season.

Tuesday, July 29, 2:50 PM

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris "kept things a bit open-ended" about the availability of wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) for the start of the regular season, according to Tori McElhaney of Fox 5 Sports. Mooney exited the team's practice on Friday with a shoulder injury he suffered while attempting a diving catch and is expected to be re-evaluated in a few weeks. It's worrying news for the 27-year-old, who was highly productive in his first season with the Falcons in 2024. Mooney played 16 games last season, recording 64 receptions for 992 yards and four touchdowns. Atlanta is thin at wide receiver behind Mooney and Drake London, with Ray-Ray McCloud III, KhaDarel Hodge, and newly-signed DJ Chark the top candidates to get more playing time in Mooney's absence. Tight end Kyle Pitts could also be a beneficiary, as he lost targets last season due to Mooney's emergence.