The Atlanta Falcons were a grounded offense that frustrated fantasy football managers in 2024, but a coaching change this offseason has sparked a series of moves to suggest that a new style awaits us in 2024. Darnell Mooney is the latest addition, providing this offense with an additional downfield threat.
Should you feel comfortable in counting on a strong season from the playmakers in Atlanta?
Darnell Mooney’s Fantasy Outlook in Atlanta
Mooney was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, with his 4.38 speed drawing the interest of scouts in a game that was trending in the favor of offenses. He averaged 16.7 yards per catch during his collegiate career at Tulane and we’ve seen flashes of that skill set at the professional level, but not on a consistent basis.
What could not have been predicted at the time of Mooney being drafted would be the increased focus on the short pass game.
NFL averages
- 2015-17: 8.3 average depth of target (aDOT)
- 2018-20: 8.1 aDOT
- 2021-23: 7.7 aDOT
This shift has been the result of defenses challenging offenses to exhibit patience and has hurt fantasy options in the Mooney mold.
That said, we are still talking about a receiver who is just 26 years of age and has plenty of support on this roster to attract attention.
Could he be what Jordan Addison was to newly acquired Kirk Cousins last season? That’s a bit optimistic, but there should be a handful of targets available as the WR2 in this upward-trending offense, and that is enough to at least keep Mooney on the roster radar as a bye-week filler that can make a single target worth your while.
The Impact of Mooney on Kirk Cousins
The move of Cousins to Atlanta puts him in the low-end QB1 discussion for redraft leagues, and this signing can only help.
Of course, Cousins’ week-to-week value will hinge on his ability to maximize the recent first-round picks at his disposal, but in terms of his upside, a player like Mooney does elevate him to a degree.
Entering 2024, Cousins ranks in the Jordan Love/Brock Purdy tier of signal-callers for me — QBs that rely on their arm to produce and have a strong set of pass catchers to rely upon.
MORE: NFL Free Agency Tracker 2024
Do I think he has an elite upside? I don’t, but stable production is something that Cousins has offered for years and that makes him an interesting answer at the end of drafts for managers that wait to address the position.
If you think highly of one of the rookies in this QB class, pairing their upside with the high floor of a veteran like Cousins is a sound strategy.
The Impact of Mooney on Bijan Robinson
The idea of Mooney helps Robinson. As a rookie, we saw Robinson thrive in the short pass game, a role he sustained in Year 2, and if Mooney demands respect vertically, that horizontal pass game should continue to thrive.
Of course, Mooney will need to prove himself worthy of that attention first, so his impact may not be felt initially. Robinson is a top 5 running back regardless, but the addition of a player like this is a net gain — he doesn’t eat up many targets and can impact how opponents gameplan.
The Impact of Mooney on Drake London and Kyle Pitts
We’ve yet to see Mooney earn targets at a consistent rate in the NFL, and I don’t see that changing. The elite target share for both of these pedigree players is safe and makes them weekly starters entering 2024 for me, though I do think that Mooney shaves a touch of the upside off Pitts.
Through three seasons, Pitts has been used downfield as often as any tight end in the game. As was the case in his scouting profile coming out of Florida, he’s essentially a receiver in a tight end’s body. If the few targets per game that Mooney does earn are 10+ yards down the field, Pitts’ per-target value could drop.
READ MORE: Kirk Cousins Fantasy Impact — Do Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts See a Value Bump?
That said, in comparison to his first three seasons, Pitts still owns more potential. The addition of Cousins returns Pitts to the top 10 discussions, and he could well come at a discount on draft day, given the underwhelming nature of his past two seasons.