This Chicago Bears receiver brings major fantasy value

Reflecting back three months ago, I wrote a piece here titled “Chicago Bears Fantasy Football: Darnell Mooney preview and outlook” where I previewed the sophomore WR before the fantasy football season got underway.

Within this article I discussed Darnell Mooney as a value based on his ADP (average draft position for fantasy football drafts), meaning he could produce to a better quality than the WR50 overall mark he was being drafted at. Through 12 weeks of football, this was a valid claim as Mooney is currently the WR25 overall, meaning if you drafted him he is producing 25 spots better than where he went in drafts.

I predicted him to be better than WR50, somewhere in the WR34-40 range, which too was low. Let’s take a look at what he’s done and what is to come.

Darnell Mooney, WR – Chicago Bears: Best fantasy games of 2021

• Week 4 vs. DET: 5 catches for 125 receiving yards. 18.5 fantasy points. WR15 that week.
• Week 6 vs. GB: 5 catches for 45 yards and a TD. 15.5 fantasy points. WR21 that week.
• Week 9 vs. PIT: 3 catches for 41 yards and a TD. One carry for 15 yards and a rushing TD. 20.6 fantasy points. WR5 that week.
• Week 11 vs. BAL: 5 catches for 121 yards and a TD. 23.1 fantasy points. Tied for WR4 that week.
• Week 12 vs. DET: 5 catches for 123 yards. 17.5 fantasy points. Tied fr WR15 that week.

Darnell Mooney, WR – Chicago Bears: Statistics

• 84 targets – 19th for the WR position
• 27.5% of Team’s Targets – 5th for the WR position
• 694 receiving ards – 21st for the WR position
• 27 rushing yards – 22nd for the WR position
• 7/11 games played with seven or more targets
• Three games over 120 receiving yards (back-to-back weeks)

Upcoming Schedule vs. WR’s in Fantasy Football

• AZ: 33.2 PPG (fantasy points per game) to WR’s – 26th most
• GB: 34.5 PPG to WR’s – 17th most
• MIN: 41.9 PPG to WR’s – 2nd most
• SEA: 34.1 PPG to WR’s – 19th most
• NYG: 35.3 PPG to WR’s – 15th most

Darnell Mooney, WR: Rest of season fantasy football outlook

Seeing solid recent performances with both Justin Fields (20.6 fantasy points Week 9) and Andy Dalton (17.5 fantasy points Week 12) is a great sign for the rest of the year. Expected Bears’ WR1, Allen Robinson has not played since Week 9, but even when playing it is Darnell Mooney who has been the better fantasy start.

Seeing as though Darnell Mooney has averaged the fourth-most fantasy PPG from Weeks 9-12 (20.4), this is a major indicator that he is a weekly starter in your fantasy lineups until something changes.

Mooney is an excellent FLEX position-play for lineups, with the upside being the high yardage days and potential to score. The upcoming fantasy matchups have some tough games, but in the fantasy football world I am all for riding the combination of players on fire and consistency, so Darnell Mooney is worth the play.

As predicted before the season, Mooney has most definitely been a fantasy football value when comparing where he was drafted vs. how he has produced so far. Good luck this week with your fantasy matchups and go Bears!