Darnell Mooney 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook: Future Unclear Amid Trade Rumors 1dLink copied!

Aug 25, 2026, 5:24 PM ET

New York Giants wide receiver Darnell Mooney could inherit a sizeable role in his first season in New York, but reports tying him to trade talk make his fantasy value less clear. The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with New York during the offseason, and he could beef up the receiving corps since Wan'Dale Robinson went to the Tennessee Titans and Malik Nabers (knee) is limited in practice just a few weeks ahead of the season opener. Mooney is looking to rebound from a down season where he caught just 44% of his targets for 443 yards and one touchdown for the Atlanta Falcons, and he could get a fresh start after reuniting with OC Matt Nagy from his days with the Chicago Bears. However, the Giants have reportedly fielded calls about Mooney ahead of their preseason finale against the Jets, making it harder to decipher what the receiver's workload (and fantasy output) will be in 2026. A change of scenery could provide Mooney with a much clearer path to targets, as it appears Nabers is trending toward suiting up in Week 1 (given that he shed his non-contact jersey), and rookie wideout Malachi Fields has seen his fantasy stock improve in the preseason. RotoBaller lists Mooney at WR94, and fantasy managers should keep an eye on whether he is on the move ahead of Week 1. For now, he projects to be a late-round bench option in deeper 14+ team formats if he were to remain in New York.--Chelena Goldman