Fantasy Outlook 2026: Darnell Mooney Lands With The Giants

Darnell Mooney may have an opportunity to have a major role in the Giants’ new offense under John Harbaugh this season. One major factor is the return of the Giants’ star receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers tore his ACL towards the end of October during the 2025 season. The Giants also lost wide receiver Wan’dale Robinson in free agency to the Tennessee Titans. Both of those receivers leave plenty of holes in the offense for the Giants and quarterback Jaxson Dart. However, Mooney is no stranger to being involved as a prime target for a quarterback.

Darnell Mooney’s 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Mooney finds himself as a prime target for fantasy managers looking for options in the later rounds of the draft. But why does Darnell Mooney fit the bill? Remember, during the outset, the two wide receivers who are now missing from the Giants’ roster. Malik Nabers and Wan’dale Robinson. With Nabers, it is unknown when he’ll be able to return to the team as he recovers from his injury that cut his season short last year. Nabers also needed to have mensicus surgery, which changes the timeline for his recovery. General Manager Joe Schien is hopeful that Nabers can be ready by training camp. But that remains to be seen.

Nabers is likely to miss the start of the 2026 season. If that should be the case, with Wan’Dale Robinson also off the roster, there should be a ton of work left over for Darnell Mooney to step in as the Giants’ top target. Robinson saw 140 targets last season as the Giants’ top target for Jaxson Dart. Robinson saw 140 targets on the season and averaged 8.8 targets per game. Nabers also averaged 8.8 targets per game over the five games he played before going down. If Nabers played the entire season at that average, he would have finished with nearly 150 targets. That is a combined 290 targets that are floating around in the target pool heading into the new season.

Even if Nabers returns sooner rather than later, Mooney’s role still looks solid playing as the WR2. Darius Slayton will likely get moved down the pecking order with Mooney as the new addition. Slayton saw 63 targets last season as the WR2 behind Robinson. Slayton may see a reduction in work as the new regime gets things going. That in turn could add more work to Mooney’s plate. Mooney is a wide receiver who will see a ton of snaps compared to other receivers, aside from Malik Nabers. During his final season with the Atlanta Falcons, he saw 51.9 snaps per game with a 71% snap share over 15 games.

Changing Quarterbacks

Mooney did not have the best of fantasy seasons with the Falcons last year. Mooney averaged just 5.5 fantasy points per game. Mooney’s targets were all over the place with Michael Penix under center. A change in quarterbacks between Michael Penix and Jaxson Dart may be the thing that Mooney needs to progress in 2026. Dart missed time because of injuries last season, but was able to complete nearly 64% of his passes during his rookie season. That was still better than the 60% Michael Penix had before the injury.

Mooney: A Late Round Gem

Mooney is not a player who you will have to reach for during your fantasy drafts. But he is a player who should be on your watch lists. The Malik Nabers news will be something to monitor as the offseason gets closer to training camp. Should Nabers be unable to start the season, Mooney’s fantasy value will take a dramatic jump as he would assume the WR1 role until Nabers returns. Even if it is just for a couple of weeks as the WR1, Mooney would become a steal for fantasy managers in redraft formats. But don’t let last season’s production keep you down on Mooney. Mooney in 2024 was a fantasy roster savior. During that season, Mooney averaged 12.1 fantasy points per game. Yeah, that number may not “wow” you, and that is understandable. But when looking at his season, Mooney went on a tear down the stretch of that season. From weeks 2-10, Mooney was a top 10 fantasy wide receiver, averaging  15.8 fantasy points per game.

Mooney brings speed and deep threat ability to the Giants’ offense this season. The one-year deal will allow Mooney to recoup his value after a down 2025 campaign, allowing him to move on to another team after the 2026 season. Mooney’s signing with the Giants gives him some sleeper appeal for fantasy football. Keep tabs on the Giants’ wide receiver situation during the offseason. We could be talking about Darnell Mooney a bit once training camp rolls around.