Start Rashod Bateman or Darnell Mooney? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Rashod Bateman over Darnell Mooney in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Rashod Bateman at 4.7 points and Darnell Mooney at 4.3, a gap of 0.4. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 4.3 fantasy points for Darnell Mooney, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Darnell Mooney at 18.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 13% chance to score a touchdown (13, 11 and 13 market sources).

Player markets imply 4.7 fantasy points for Rashod Bateman, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Rashod Bateman at 19.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 18% chance to score a touchdown (10, 9 and 13 market sources).

That puts Rashod Bateman 0.4 points ahead of Darnell Mooney on the market projections.

Injury status

Darnell Mooney is not on the injury report.

Rashod Bateman is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Darnell Mooney played 57 percent of NYG snaps, drew 9 percent of the targets, earned 11 percent of the air yards and had 0 percent of the red zone chances.

Darnell Mooney, Week 1 against DAL: 39 of 69 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 27 yards.

Darnell Mooney, Week 2 against LAR: 42 of 58 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 48 yards.

Darnell Mooney, Week 3 against TEN: 28 of 64 snaps, 1 carry for 9 yards, 3 targets and 2 catches for 20 yards.

Darnell Mooney, Week 4 against ARI: 37 of 67 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Through Week 4, Rashod Bateman played 76 percent of BAL snaps, drew 15 percent of the targets, earned 21 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Rashod Bateman, Week 1 against IND: 53 of 68 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Rashod Bateman, Week 2 against NO: 54 of 58 snaps, 9 targets and 7 catches for 88 yards, 1 touchdown.

Rashod Bateman, Week 3 against DAL: 56 of 64 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 37 yards.

Rashod Bateman, Week 4 against TEN: 30 of 64 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 46 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Darnell Mooney played 15 games for ATL and scored 82.3 PPR points, 5.5 a game, finishing WR79.

He caught 32 of 72 targets for 443 yards and 1 touchdown, with 7 red zone targets and 370 air yards.

He was on the field for 82 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Rashod Bateman played 13 games for BAL and scored 55.4 PPR points, 4.3 a game, finishing WR102.

He caught 19 of 38 targets for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 8 red zone targets and 185 air yards.

He was on the field for 69 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Darnell Mooney over Calvin Ridley.
• Start Darnell Mooney over Elic Ayomanor.
• Start Jahan Dotson over Darnell Mooney.
• Start Brian Thomas Jr. over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Cooper Kupp over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Rashod Bateman over Elic Ayomanor.