Mooney couldn't quite hang in there as the Bears' No. 1 receiver. He won't have to be that anymore after the team acquired D.J. Moore this offseason. It means Mooney will likely take a back seat to Moore in targets, but he could still get around five per game. Mooney has averaged more than that over the balance of his career and it hasn't helped him ever -- his career-high Fantasy point average is 12.3 in 2021, when he was Chicago's top receiver. Stuck behind Moore in an offense that won't be pass-heavy, Mooney feels destined for Fantasy benches with only occasional big-time games. At best he's a late-round pick who you might part ways with after a month.
Mooney failed to catch his lone target in the Bears' 41-10 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.
After leaving last week's game with a bruised knee, Mooney was seventh on the team with one target. Unless his role increases and the Bears' passing attack improves, Mooney may not have the upside he showed earlier in his career.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Reps capped again Thursday
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Mooney (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
For the second day in a row, Mooney had his reps managed in practice while he tends to a knee issue. The Bears haven't expressed any major concern with Mooney's health, so if he's able to bump up to full participation in Friday's session, he'll likely approach Sunday's game in Kansas City without an injury designation. Through the Bears' first two games, Mooney has hauled in four of seven targets for 53 yards and a touchdown.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Limited practice Wednesday
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Mooney (knee) practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday.
Mooney departed this past Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay due to a knee injury, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported after the game that the issue isn't considered to be severe. By kicking off Week 3 prep with a capped session, Mooney may be trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's visit to the Chiefs. His activity will need to be monitored in practice the next two days to get a sense of his potential to play in that contest.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Knee injury isn't serious
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The knee injury Mooney suffered in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Buccaneers isn't considered serious, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Mooney left the game early in the second half, but he isn't expected to miss much, if any, additional time. He had 53 yards and a touchdown in Chicago's season opener but finished without a target in Week 2. Mooney's next chance to take the field will be in Week 3 against Kansas City.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Suffers knee injury Sunday
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Mooney exited Sunday's game at Tampa Bay due to a knee injury, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.
Mooney made his way to the sideline after the first play of the Bears' second possession of the second half. If he's unable to return, he'll emerge from Week 2 without a target. Chicago's other active wide receivers Sunday are DJ Moore, Chase Claypool, Tyler Scott, Trent Taylor and Velus Jones.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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D.J. Moore will have better days with the Bears, but he struggled in his debut against the Packers with two catches for 25 yards on two targets. Mooney, meanwhile, had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, which tied for the team lead, and he should remain a go-to option for Justin Fields. Mooney is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB, and he's a potential starter in three-receiver leagues in Week 2 at Tampa Bay.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Week 16 Waiver Priority List
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D.J. Moore will have better days with the Bears, but he struggled in his debut against the Packers with two catches for 25 yards on two targets. Mooney, meanwhile, had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, which tied for the team lead, and he should remain a go-to option for Justin Fields. Mooney is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB, and he's a potential starter in three-receiver leagues in Week 2 at Tampa Bay.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Scores in defeat
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Mooney caught four of seven targets for 53 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 38-20 loss to the Packers.
Mooney tied with two others for Chicago's team lead in targets, but his total was significantly higher than top wideout DJ Moore's two. In fact, Mooney led the Bears in receiving yards, with a 20-yard touchdown to end the third quarter to boot. After a disappointing, injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Mooney was one of the few bright spots for the Bears while returning to action Sunday.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Week 1 Waiver Priority List
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I'm excited to see the Bears passing attack improve this season with a better Justin Fields thanks to the addition of D.J. Moore. That should open up the field for Mooney as the No. 2 receiver, and hopefully he can stay healthy after dealing with an ankle injury last year. Prior to missing the final six games, Mooney had scored at least 12 PPR points in five of his previous eight outings. He could be a surprise No. 3 Fantasy receiver with a late-round pick, and he's worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Targeted twice
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Mooney finished without a catch on two targets in Saturday's preseason game against Buffalo.
DJ Moore had his second big play of the preseason on one of Justin Fields' two completions. Mooney got two of the six targets from Fields, including one into the end zone, in his first game since suffering a broken ankle last November. He'll presumably be the Bears' No. 2 receiver, behind Moore, when they open the season with a Week 1 home game against Green Bay.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Not in line to play Saturday
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Mooney isn't expected to play in Saturday's preseason game at Indianapolis, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Along with Mooney, DJ Moore, Chase Claypool (hamstring), Tyler Scott and Velus Jones (undisclosed) won't be available in the Bears' second exhibition. Mooney was cleared to practice at the start of training camp after spending the entire offseason in recovery mode from the ankle injury that ended his 2022 campaign after Week 12. With the offseason addition of Moore, Mooney now is the No. 2 receiving option, at best, for quarterback Justin Fields in the Bears offense.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Eased into camp
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Mooney is easing into practice this summer after rehabbing from ankle surgery during the offseason, Collen Kane of The Chicago Tribune reports.
It sounds like Mooney is off to a good start, already doing 7-on-7s and individual drills during the first week of training camp. He mentioned that he'd been planning to have offseason ankle surgery even before suffering a season-ending ankle fracture in late November, though it presumably would've been a lesser procedure with a shorter recovery timeline had he not sustained the major injury. Mooney is no longer Chicago's No. 1 receiver as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, but there's a chance he stays fantasy-relevant as second fiddle to DJ Moore if the Bears' passing attack takes a big step forward in Luke Getsy's second year as offensive coordinator and Justin Fields' third season as the starting QB.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Says he's ready for camp
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Mooney (ankle) said Sunday that he's "feeling good" and is "ready to roll" for training camp, WGN's Kaitlin Sharkey and Rick Tarsitano report.
Coach Matt Eberflus was similarly optimistic back in early June, noting that Mooney was on track for the start of training camp after having season-ending ankle surgery in November. The speedy wideout's decreased fantasy standing relative to this time last summer is partially a product of his disappointing, injury-shortened 2022 campaign, but Chicago's offseason trade for DJ Moore might be an even bigger factor. The former Panther brings tough competition for targets in an offense that figures to rank near the top of the league in rush attempts so long as dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields stays healthy. While the Bears should be more aggressive throwing the ball on early downs with Fields another year older and Moore now on the roster, they also have two other players (tight end Cole Kmet and wideout Chase Claypool) in the mix to earn significant target shares.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Should be cleared for training camp
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Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said Wednesday that Mooney (ankle) will be ready for training camp, barring a setback, Adam Hoge of AllCHGO.com reports.
Mooney hasn't been available for any of the Bears' offseason workouts while rehabbing from the season-ending ankle surgery he underwent last November. Eberflus has maintained a positive outlook on the wideout's recovery, and Mooney appears to be on track to be 100 percent by Week 1. The 2020 fifth-round pick's target share is expected to take a hit in 2023 after the addition of DJ Moore, but Mooney should still operate as Chicago's top deep threat. Meanwhile, Moore, Chase Claypool and Cole Kmet are expected to draw most of the short and intermediate looks from quarterback Justin Fields.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Recovery going well
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Mooney was recently spotted running during spring workouts and appears to be recovering well from his season-ending ankle injury, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Chicago's top receiver suffered an ankle injury in Week 12 of last season that kept him out for the remainder of the year, but his recovery seems to be going well. Before the injury, the now fourth-year wide receiver was leading the team with 493 yards, 61 targets and 40 receptions in what was a down year compared to his previous season, when he had 1,055 yards, 140 targets and 81 receptions. In the ensuing months, Chicago acquired wide receivers Chase Claypool and DJ Moore and addressed its poor offensive line play, drafting tackle Darnell Wright 10th overall and signing guard Nate Davis in an effort to assist starting quarterback Justin Fields. While Mooney won't be the target hog he used to be due with Chicago's new and improved weapons, he could be more potent on a per-play basis.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Role change likely
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Mooney (ankle) should now be the Bears' No. 2 receiver after the Bears acquired DJ Moore on Friday.
Mooney proved to be an excellent receiver when he posted 1,055 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2021. But last year, the Bears' passing offense struggled to start the year. Then in Week 12, Mooney fractured his ankle, and he ended the year with 493 yards. Expected to be back on the field in some capacity this spring while he recovers from the injury, he should be a much better fit as a No. 2 receiver, with Moore now expected to slot in as the top option. Mooney has shown the ability to get open at all levels of the field. Even though it's unlikely he reaches the 140 targets he saw in 2021, the quality of targets could increase with defenses focusing on Moore. After 40 wide receivers are off the board, Mooney is a player to consider in fantasy drafts for those who believe Chicago will try to open up its passing attack.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Should be back for OTAs
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Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday that Mooney (ankle) should be back on the field in some capacity this spring, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.
Mooney is working his way back from the season-ending surgery he underwent to repair a fractured left ankle, an injury he sustained in the Bears' Week 12 loss to the Jets. Before getting hurt, the third-year wideout was the top target for Justin Fields, hauling in 40 passes for 493 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games. The Bears are likely to address their receiving group this offseason, but Mooney should be locked into a starting role regardless of what additions Chicago makes.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Ends season on injured reserve
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Mooney ended the season with 40 receptions for 493 yards and two touchdowns over 12 games.
After breaking out with 1,055 yards and four touchdowns in 2021, it was a disappointing season for Mooney. Early in the season, he was limited by an offense that used Justin Fields as a drop-back passer behind a porous offensive line. As the Bears began to use Fields' legs more often, Mooney became more productive. Unless the Bears make adding wide receiver talent an offseason priority, Mooney could remain the team's top option in the passing game. He's under contract with the team through the 2023 season.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Goes on IR
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Chicago placed Mooney (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday, Larry Mayer of the Bears' official site reports.
The move comes as little surprise after Bears head coach Matt Eberflus revealed Monday that Mooney would require season-ending surgery to address the right ankle injury he sustained in Sunday's loss to the Jets. The third-year player finishes the season with 40 receptions for 493 yards and two touchdowns across 61 targets in 10 games. The Bears are left with Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown, Dante Pettis, Byron Pringle, Velus Jones and N'Keal Harry as their healthy options at receiver.
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Bears' Darnell Mooney: Ruled out for season
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Coach Matt Eberflus said Monday that Mooney (ankle) is likely headed to injured reserve and will need ankle surgery, which will end his season, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
As expected, Mooney's season is over after suffering an ankle injury on a run play during Sunday's loss to the Jets. He'll end the campaign with 40 receptions on 61 targets for 493 yards and two touchdowns. It'll wind up being a disappointing third season for the wideout, who totaled a career-high 1,055 receiving yards last year.
