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

Wednesday, April 23, 12:27 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) said that his back injury from the 2024 season is in the past and he didn't require surgery on his back. He said he was cleared to play last month and thinks he's done the work necessary to get past the fractured back that he played through last year. In addition to shaky quarterback play and Anthony Richardson eventually being benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco, Pittman battled a busted back to finish with only 69 receptions, 808 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 16 games, which were all the lowest marks of his five-year NFL career since his rookie campaign in 2020 in which he played in only 13 games. The 27-year-old might be better off from a fantasy perspective if Daniel Jones wins the quarterback competition over Anthony Richardson this offseason, but either way, fantasy managers are going to be more skeptical of Pittman as a WR2 in 2025.

Wednesday, May 28, 11:50 AM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) participated during the first day of OTAs, according to Terrin Waack of the team's official website. It appears that Mooney is healthy and has fully recovered from the shoulder injury that sidelined him in Week 18 last year. In his first season as a Falcon, Mooney played in 16 games, catching 64 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns. He was the overall WR31 in PPR leagues despite missing the season's final contest. The 27-year-old should continue to make a significant impact in 2025, as he projects to operate as the No. 2 receiver behind Drake London once again. In fact, he's only trending up now that the Falcons have a steady, dependable quarterback option in Michael Penix, who will operate as the starting quarterback for the full duration of training camp (unlike last year when he opened as the backup).