Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darnell Mooney vs Deebo Samuel Sr.Who should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Deebo Samuel Sr. is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.5 PPG to Darnell Mooney's 7.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Deebo Samuel Sr. is the better fantasy play this season.

Deebo Samuel Sr. has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 2.0-PPG advantage is real (9.5 to 7.5), and Deebo Samuel Sr.'s 6 touchdowns show scoring upside. Darnell Mooney is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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WRAtlanta Falcons#99

Darnell Mooney

PPG

7.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

612

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 12

WRWashington Commanders#36PPG LEADER

Deebo Samuel Sr.

PPG

9.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

727

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 7

The Edge Chart

Darnell Mooney

Deebo Samuel Sr.

Head to Head

7.5 PPG9.5 PPG

15 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 12Bye: Week 7

Fantasy Tiers

Darnell Mooney: Tier 5 (Deep League) WR (ranked #99 at the position). Deebo Samuel Sr.: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) WR (ranked #36 at the position). Among the top 50 wide receivers this season, Darnell Mooney is producing at 34% of elite pace and Deebo Samuel Sr. at 43%. That ranking gap means Deebo Samuel Sr. carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darnell Mooney vs Deebo Samuel Sr.: The Full Breakdown

Darnell Mooney and Deebo Samuel Sr. are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Darnell Mooney averaged 7.5 PPG across 15 games with the Atlanta Falcons, while Deebo Samuel Sr. posted 9.5 PPG in 16 appearances for the Washington Commanders.

A 2.0-PPG gap gives Deebo Samuel Sr. the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Darnell Mooney turned 78 targets into 612 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Deebo Samuel Sr. converted 99 looks into 727 yards and 5 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.

Darnell Mooney has his bye in Week 12, and Deebo Samuel Sr. rests in Week 7. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at wide receiver for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Darnell Mooney (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value. Deebo Samuel Sr. (age 30) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Deebo Samuel Sr. outscored Darnell Mooney by a projected 34 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Deebo Samuel Sr. played 16 games in 2025 compared to Darnell Mooney's 15. That durability gap means Deebo Samuel Sr. contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Deebo Samuel Sr. scored 6 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.4 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at wide receiver.
•Deebo Samuel Sr. saw 99 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the wide receiver position.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darnell Mooney vs Deebo Samuel Sr.: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darnell Mooney	Deebo Samuel Sr.
PPG (Half-PPR)	7.5	9.5
Games Played	15	16
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	113	152
Receptions	48	72
Rec/Game	3.2	4.5
Receiving Yards	612	727
Rec Yds/Game	40.8	45.4
Receiving TDs	3	5
Targets	78	99
Target Share/Game	5.2	6.2
Age	-	30
Experience	-	6 yrs
Bye Week	Week 12	Week 7

Summary

Deebo Samuel Sr. outscored Darnell Mooney by 2.0 PPG in 2025 (9.5 to 7.5). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Darnell Mooney or Deebo Samuel Sr. in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Deebo Samuel Sr. has the edge at 9.5 PPG compared to Darnell Mooney's 7.5 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Darnell Mooney and Deebo Samuel Sr. average in 2025?▾

Darnell Mooney averaged 7.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 15 games in 2025. Deebo Samuel Sr. averaged 9.5 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 2.0 points per game.

When are Darnell Mooney and Deebo Samuel Sr.'s bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darnell Mooney (ATL) has a bye in Week 12, and Deebo Samuel Sr. (WAS) has a bye in Week 7. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darnell Mooney or Deebo Samuel Sr. a better fantasy wide receiver in 2026?▾

Deebo Samuel Sr. outscored Darnell Mooney by 2.0 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.