PAST PRODUCTION
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2020 | CHI | 16 | 61 | 631 | 10.3 | 4 |
After being selected 173rd overall in the fifth round of last year’s NFL Draft, Mooney emerged as one of the most productive wide receivers for the Chicago Bears QUICKLY. In the Bears’ Week 1 matchup against the Lions, he hauled in three receptions for 38 yards, but you could see the potential in him right away. From then on, he produced at least two receptions per game throughout his rookie season.
Mooney finished the 2020 campaign with 61 receptions for 631 yards and four touchdowns. His 10.3 yards per reception average didn’t showcase what he was capable of doing down the field. He continuously broke free in the secondary, but more times than not, his quarterback (Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles) would overthrow him. In fact, he finished the season with 1,016 air yards, which was 34th in the league amongst pass-catchers, compared to finishing 55th in total receiving yards (631).
2021 OUTLOOK
This season may look a bit similar to last season, as far as production goes for the second-year wideout. Allen Robinson is still going to lead the Bears in receiving numbers, but Chicago is set on rolling with Andy Dalton as their QB1 to start the season. Although Dalton “could” be an upgrade over Trubisky, he won’t dramatically affect the offense so much that Mooney’s numbers will skyrocket. Sure, rookie Justin Fields could take over as the starter eventually, but how likely would it be that Fields could produce two top-tier wide receivers in his first season?
The trade that saw Anthony Miller shipped to Houston created a positive fantasy impact for Mooney right away. This may not matter too much though. Although Chicago’s current pass-catchers don’t look exciting on paper, there are plenty that will see prominent roles. And outside of Robinson, they might all see similar receiving numbers as well. Marquise Goodwin, Damiere Byrd, Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet, and Montgomery will be heavily involved in the receiving game. And if Tarik Cohen recovers well from his torn ACL, he will also demand a ton of targets out of the backfield. For his 2021 outlook, Mooney should be considered as a fantasy team’s WR4/WR5. He’s worth having on your bench, and he may be a streaming option based on his matchup week to week.
2021 Prediction
Receiving: 68 receptions, 836 yards, five touchdowns
DYNASTY ANALYSIS
Although Mooney’s 2021 outlook may not be the most exciting topic, his dynasty value should be. Robinson may be out of Chicago after this season, and if so, the Bears’ top-two receivers from 2019 would no longer be on the team anymore (yes, I’m including Miller). The WR1 slot would be passed down to Mooney more than likely. On top of that, Fields has already proven that he can throw the ball deep, which could certainly play in Mooney’s favor. He’s only 23 years old, and his route-running skills are already above average for an NFL wide receiver. If Fields turns out to be great (rare for a Bears quarterback), Mooney’s fantasy value will go off the charts.
There’s no denying that the second-year pro has a lot to work on, but his opportunity creates a very enticing dynasty outlook for his future. As long as he can continue to stay healthy throughout his career, Mooney has a chance at becoming one of the most dangerous weapons in the league. That may be a bit overstated, but if you look at the opportunity at hand combined with the situation in Chicago, it’s far from impossible.
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