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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 1,456 yards in 2024, the third most in the NFL. Drake London had 1,271 receiving yards in 2024, the fourth most in the NFL. NFL Network’s Steve Wyche thinks that wide receiver Darnell Mooney is the next Falcons’ player ready for a breakout season.
“You know a lot of the conversation has been about his connection with wide receiver Drake London, but it is Darnell Mooney who is on the verge of a breakout. He’s someone they are using in a lot more different ways. He is a player that Penix has struck up something with who could really have a big season this year.” Wyche said recently on NFL Network.
One could argue that Mooney has already broken out. In 2024, Mooney registered 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns. More yards and touchdowns than his previous two seasons combined.
Mooney thrives as a deep threat wide receiver, able to take the top off defenses with his speed.
Obviously, Mooney’s ability to have a career season rests in large part on the strong left arm of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Wyche was beaming as he spoke about the Falcons’ second-year quarterback.
"Bijan could have a lot more room to run the ball if they get the passing game going,” Wyche said of another beneficiary of a vertical passing game. “Of course, Michael Penix is now the starter. He started three games at the end of last season, went 1-2, completed less than 60% of his passes.
“But in speaking with someone with the team this week, they say 'everything we've heard positively about him this offseason, the way he's throwing the ball, the way he's learning things, it's understated,'" Wyche finished that last word emphatically.
"You heard the way Raheem Morris is talking about Bijan Robinson, that's the way they're feeling about Michael Penix as well: throwing the ball, leading the team in the classroom."
Every Michael Penix Jr. passing attempt of 20+ yards. pic.twitter.com/QjrAljSQ55
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) June 13, 2025
Falcons fans should be excited to hear that Zac Robinson is looking to use Mooney in different ways. Could this mean more usage of play-action in the offense? Kirk Cousins is credited with just 65 attempts at play-action passes last season. This was good for 30th in the NFL.
The Atlanta Falcons should look to change this with Michael Penix Jr now under center. Play action can help not only open up the offense, but also free Mooney down the field, allowing him to create more explosive plays.
In the two games, both Mooney and London played with Penix; London had 12 targets to Mooney’s 11. For all the talk about the chemistry between London and Penix, that same chemistry exists between Mooney and Penix.
If Mooney can stay healthy for 17 games, he should easily 1,000 yards for the first time since 2021 and the second time in his career.
More must-reads:
- Week 9 fantasy football takeaways: Rico Dowdle makes a statement
- Jaxson Dart's postgame comments highlight pressure Brian Daboll is under
- The 'NFL Passing YPG leaders' quiz
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Chiefs have a no-brainer trade target after loss vs. Bills
The last time the Kansas City Chiefs lost four games in a season, they went on to make the Super Bowl and beat the San Francisco 49ers. Six years have passed since, and Andy Reid's team will have to make some adjustments to replicate that fortune. That's especially evident after another heartbreaking regular-season loss to the Buffalo Bills, which exposed what might be the Chiefs' biggest flaw on offense: a lack of an explosive running game. That's why they need to pick up the phone and reach out to the New York Jets to trade for Breece Hall. Chiefs need to trade for Breece Hall According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Jets are more than open to trading Hall, who's in the final year of his contract. "The Jets have been getting calls on RB Breece Hall for a while, and while there is interest, New York is looking for at least a third-round pick in return," wrote Russini. Hall is just 24 years old, and while he had a major injury as a rookie, he's been pretty durable since. This season, he's up to 117 carries for 581 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He also has 21 receptions on 30 targets for 178 receiving yards. The Chiefs average 121.2 rushing yards per game, the 12th most in the NFL. That's with Patrick Mahomes accounting for one-third of their rushing yards, though. Neither Isiah Pacheco — who's currently out with an injury — nor Kareem Hunt has been efficient, and rookie Brashard Smith might not be ready to take on a bigger role. The Chiefs ran for just 79 yards against a Bills defense that gives up the fourth-most rushing yards per game (141.4), and Hall could certainly fix those woes.
Packers have two trade options to replace Tucker Kraft
The Green Bay Packers lost much more than a game on Sunday afternoon. Star tight end Tucker Kraft, who had blossomed as one of the biggest threats for their passing game, suffered a potential season-ending knee injury. Kraft's production was quite valuable for Matt LaFleur's team, hauling in 32 passes on 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns. Now, with Kraft potentially out of the picture and the trade deadline just hours away, the Packers have two candidates to consider as his replacement. Packers should trade for David Njoku or Chig Okonkwo Jordan Love is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in intermediate throws and using the middle of the field. The Packers need to exploit that with another playmaking tight end. With the Cleveland Browns sitting on a 2-6 record and David Njoku still waiting to get a contract extension, he'd be a solid and reliable addition at a reasonable price. He's up to 27 receptions for 260 yards and two scores this season. While he's been vocal about his desire to stay in Cleveland, Browns rookie TE Harold Fannin Jr. is already the No. 1 option. If the Browns are reluctant to give Njoku up, the Packers can always reach out to the Tennessee Titans, who, at 1-8, are already going through a panic sale of their own. Cam Ward hasn't developed much chemistry with Chigoziem Okonkwo. Given that Okonkwo is in the final year of his rookie contract, he's also a no-brainer trade candidate. Despite the limited opportunities and inconsistent playing time, Okonkwo has turned 29 catches into 281 yards. He may only need a change of scenery to break out.
Jaxson Dart's postgame comments highlight pressure Brian Daboll is under
The poor play and management of the New York Giants is suffocating the spark that rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has given the team. Still, Dart continues to provide hope, both on and off the field, that brighter days are ahead for Big Blue. However, those days might not include head coach Brian Daboll. Jaxson Dart addresses the consequences of losing Facing the New York media after losing to the San Francisco 49ers, 34-24, the Giants' third straight loss, Dart was asked if he feels the pressure to win more as Daboll's seat gets hotter with each new loss. "I understand the question, but I'm going to give the answer that I truly feel that I can only control what I can control," Dart replied in a news conference. "I don't want to look at things that way. I just want to live in the moment that I have. I want to take advantage of the opportunities that I have. As a team, we should be thinking the same way." As a team, the Giants are 2-7 with Daboll leading the team for a fourth year. The Giants haven't had a winning record since 2022 and are now 5-21 across the last two seasons. The team is without its top skill players, running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers, due to brutal season-ending injuries. Even so, through six starts, Dart has thrown 10 touchdown passes and rushed for five more. But the Giants' offense is only averaging 21.9 points per game. Still, that's better than the team's entire 2024 offensive output, as the Giants averaged just 16.1 points per game last season. With Dart under center, the Giants' offense has shown life, but as the thin depth of the roster continues to get exploited, there's only so much a rookie signal caller can do. "We have a chance to win every game that we have on our schedule. That's how I feel," Dart continued. "We've got to find a way as players, the guys who are out there on the field, to make enough plays to win the game. That's kind of how I view things. "The coaches call the plays, but a play can technically go against any defense, any coverage, whatever it is. Same thing goes for the defensive side. As players, we've got to be better. [The coaches] aren't the ones out there on the field. We are. I think us as a team need to be better that way." Daboll has needed Dart to play well to save his job and show that he drafted the kid whom the franchise can rely on as a leader for a decade or more. Giving measured but honest answers at 22 has proven that Daboll at least found a leader with the right temperament. After all, surviving the New York market is just as important as thriving in it. But winning is still everything, and wins and losses ultimately fall on the head coach. Throughout his tenure, Daboll is 20-38-1 in the regular season with one postseason win and one postseason loss. He may have found the answer to the quarterback position, but he has yet to find an answer for winning.
Packers’ top trade targets to replace Tucker Kraft after TE tears ACL
The Packers‘ offense was dealt a crushing blow when emerging star tight end Tucker Kraft tore his ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers. Kraft departs as the Packers’ leading receiver, with 32 catches for 489 yards and six catches, creating a major void in quarterback Jordan Love’s target hierarchy and head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. How Packers’ Brian Gutekunst can replace Tucker Kraft via trade While the Packers will likely turn to Luke Musgrave as a ‘next-man-up’ to replace Kraft, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the opportunity to mine the trade market to add a tight end to either add depth or a playmaker capable of making a significant impact in an offense in desperate need of it in Kraft’s absence. Here’s a look at some potential trade targets the Packers could pursue to replace Kraft: Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders – The Commanders’ blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks Sunday night, combined with Jayden Daniels’ season likely coming to an end with a dislocated elbow, likely closes to books on Washington’s chances of making the playoffs this season. Ertz, 34, is a steady veteran presence with a Super Bowl ring on his finger who has been in the midst of one of the most dominant stretches of his career over the past two seasons. At Ertz’s age, and given the trajectory of the Commanders’ season, the chance to chase a ring could be one he finds alluring for the Packers. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons – Pitts has yet to live up to his billing as a former first-round draft choice, and the Falcons could look to move on ahead of the deadline, in favor of adding some draft capital. A freakish athlete who has been wildly inconsistent throughout his career, Pitts has caught 239 passes for 3,033 yards and 11 touchdowns. A duo of Pitts and Musgrave could be a formidable one. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens – If the Ravens make Mark Andrews available, he could be the prize of the tight end market, ahead of the trade deadline. Andrews is as steadily and reliable as they come, and has long been a pillar of the Raven’s offense and quarterback Lamar Jackson’s supporting cast. However, Isaiah Likely is beginning to emerge as a reliable playmaker. The fact that Andrews is in the final year of his contract makes him likely to be traded, and he would be a prototypical fit for Love’s arsenal and LaFleur’s scheme.
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