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QB Malik Willis, TEN (1 Viewer)

Tannehill declared out and not traveling with team. Willis set to make his first start.

What do we expect other than him putting the ball in Henry’s gut 30-35 times?
 
What do we expect
The kind of death defying high flying offense only the Tennessee Titans can provide
True that although Willis probably has some floor with his rushing. Guessing he runs the ball around 10-15 times with the same number of passes. Mariota light perhaps.
I have Mahomes on a bye. I picked up Tannehill last week for it. I dropped Tannehill and picked up Willis. His rushing should give a decent floor and maybe he throws a TD.
 

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports Malik Willis is expected to start for the Titans in Week 8 against the Texans.​

Starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill started the week with a missed practice due to an ankle injury before missing Friday's practice and Saturday's walkthrough with an illness, placing his availability for Sunday's Week 8 game against the Texans into question. Third-round rookie quarterback Malik Willis would be in line to start after taking starter repetitions throughout the week in practice. While it is unlikely we see a pass-heavy game plan against the Texans, Willis' dual threat ability could open up running lanes for running back Derrick Henry. Willis can be left on the waiver wire outside of superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
SOURCE: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Oct 29, 2022, 2:23 PM ET
 

Malik Willis completed 5-of-16 passes for 80 yards in the Titans' 20-17, Week 9 overtime loss to the Chiefs, adding 40 yards on eight carries.​

Willis opened the game with a 48-yard catch-and-run pass to Chigoziem Okonkwo on the team's first offensive play from scrimmage but floundered for the remainder of the game on his way to just 32 additional pass yards. The Titans' game plan was clear from the jump, as they confined Mahomes to short-yardage gains through the air and controlled the game flow through over three quarters with Derrick Henry. Ryan Tannehill was reportedly close to playing in Week 9 but ultimately sat out his second consecutive game with an ankle injury, whose return would send Willis back to the bench for the 5-3 Titans. Next up for Tennessee is a home game against the Broncos, where Tannehill should regain his starting duties.
Nov 7, 2022, 12:51 AM ET
 

Malik Willis will start Tennessee's Week 16 game against the Texans.​

Ryan Tannehill re-injured his ankle in Week 15 and was formally ruled out on Thursday. Longtime Titans beat reporter Paul Kuharsky has reported Tannehill will not return this season, likely making Willis the starter for the final three games as the Titans cling to their AFC South odds. Willis has not appeared ready as a passer, to put it mildly, but he will hopefully get to put his dual-threat to use against the Texans' No. 32 run defense. He's worth a desperation superflex gander.
Dec 22, 2022, 2:15 PM ET
 
I really don't understand the rationale behind this move. Tanny is out for the foreseable future and they have a must win game in week 18. Unless you have absolutely no faith in Willis as your QB of the future there is no reason to start Dobbs here. Put Willis in to get more game reps and ready for next week. You get the added bonus of getting real game film for Willis to help you decide if he is the QB of the future. Benching him does nothing for you are him and probably is a negative to his development for the future. The only way you do this is if you are cutting Willis because you have already decided he can't be an NFL QB (which could be the case but I think I would still see what he can do). I mean you aren't going to win the Super Bowl this year so let Willis see what he can do.
 
I really don't understand the rationale behind this move. Tanny is out for the foreseable future and they have a must win game in week 18. Unless you have absolutely no faith in Willis as your QB of the future there is no reason to start Dobbs here. Put Willis in to get more game reps and ready for next week. You get the added bonus of getting real game film for Willis to help you decide if he is the QB of the future. Benching him does nothing for you are him and probably is a negative to his development for the future. The only way you do this is if you are cutting Willis because you have already decided he can't be an NFL QB (which could be the case but I think I would still see what he can do). I mean you aren't going to win the Super Bowl this year so let Willis see what he can do.
Probably don’t want Willis to get sacked 30 times. 🤷
 
Maybe it's because Willis looks completely lost out there, and Vrabel wants to see if Dobbs is the better option for a must-win game next week?
Sure but they aren't going to go to the SB (let alone win it) this year so why not see what your QB of the future can do while getting him actual meaningful game action..........Unless you have already written him off.
 
Maybe it's because Willis looks completely lost out there, and Vrabel wants to see if Dobbs is the better option for a must-win game next week?
Sure but they aren't going to go to the SB (let alone win it) this year so why not see what your QB of the future can do while getting him actual meaningful game action..........Unless you have already written him off.

Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
 
Maybe it's because Willis looks completely lost out there, and Vrabel wants to see if Dobbs is the better option for a must-win game next week?
Sure but they aren't going to go to the SB (let alone win it) this year so why not see what your QB of the future can do while getting him actual meaningful game action..........Unless you have already written him off.

Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
I like your optimism.
 
Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
By saying they have no chance at a SB is not meant to say they should throw in the towel. My point is starting Dobbs isn't getting them any closer to a Super Bowl so why do it? He is a journeyman that has already shown he isn't a starting caliber QB. Willis is supposed to be the QB of the future. He needs experience, work, reps, etc and there is no better way of getting that than actually playing. By sitting him you are saying he can't do it so no sense in even giving him a chance. It just seems like bad management to me.
 
So he's inaccurate (ranked 31st in this QB class) and amassed rushing yards against arm tackles from the likes of Campbell, Troy, Middle Tenn, UL Monroe, North Texas and Mass. And he couldn't beat out Jarret Stidham who though highly rated before he was hurt, was able to complete all of 24 passes in the NFL.

I really do wish Willis well. Sounds like he's a decent kid. I just don't see latching my #1 pick to an inaccurate passer.
Yeah, pretty sure this will hold up for a minimum of 3 more years. He really wasn't that good at Liberty if you watched their games.
 
Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
By saying they have no chance at a SB is not meant to say they should throw in the towel. My point is starting Dobbs isn't getting them any closer to a Super Bowl so why do it? He is a journeyman that has already shown he isn't a starting caliber QB. Willis is supposed to be the QB of the future. He needs experience, work, reps, etc and there is no better way of getting that than actually playing. By sitting him you are saying he can't do it so no sense in even giving him a chance. It just seems like bad management to me.

It may be bad drafting more than management (meaning Willis may not be NFL caliber)...there may be another reason we find out later but if the reason is because they don't believe in him after almost a full year of practice and games than this is the right move...they still are in the playoff hunt, and they may feel Dobbs gives them a better chance than Willis (which is not a good thing by the way because we are talking Josh Dobbs here) and due to that he needs the reps to get ready for next week...I will go back to the fact this is Vrabel making the call and he is an HC I trust...if he and the team had faith in Willis my guess is he would absolutely be out there...hell, they may even be worried that if he implodes the next two games and costs them the playoffs they could hinder his development as well although from what I have seen he doesn't look like an NFL starter any time soon if ever.
 
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Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
By saying they have no chance at a SB is not meant to say they should throw in the towel. My point is starting Dobbs isn't getting them any closer to a Super Bowl so why do it? He is a journeyman that has already shown he isn't a starting caliber QB. Willis is supposed to be the QB of the future. He needs experience, work, reps, etc and there is no better way of getting that than actually playing. By sitting him you are saying he can't do it so no sense in even giving him a chance. It just seems like bad management to me.

It may be bad drafting more than management (meaning Willis may not be NFL caliber)...there may be another reason we find out later but if the reason is because they don't believe in him after almost a full year of practice and games than this is the right move...they still are in the playoff hunt, and they may feel Dobbs gives them a better chance than Willis (which is not a good thing by the way because we are talking Josh Dobbs here) and due to that he needs the reps to get ready for next week...I will go back to the fact this is Vrabel making the call and he is an HC I trust...if he and the team had faith in Willis my guess is he would absolutely be out there...hell, they may even be worried that if he implodes the next two games and costs them the playoffs they could hinder his development as well although from what I have seen he doesn't look like an NFL starter any time soon if ever.
I don't know if its bad drafting yet. If they took him in the first, then sure. With a 3rd round pick? That's either backup level or QB that needs to sit for a year or two. If teams thought Willis was a year one starter, they'd have drafted him higher. Dobbs was only drafted one round later (so pretty similar potential) with more years to be on NFL teams and observe.

It's certainly possible (even probable) that Willis won't ever be a NFL starter, but QB's taken in the 3rd round rarely are. It was a low risk/high reward pick. Granted they probably should have gone to the Howie Roseman school of drafting and taken an OL whenever possible, but a QB that they wanted to sit behind Tannehill for a year or two to learn and see if they could make into something isn't a bad shot.
 
Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
By saying they have no chance at a SB is not meant to say they should throw in the towel. My point is starting Dobbs isn't getting them any closer to a Super Bowl so why do it? He is a journeyman that has already shown he isn't a starting caliber QB. Willis is supposed to be the QB of the future. He needs experience, work, reps, etc and there is no better way of getting that than actually playing. By sitting him you are saying he can't do it so no sense in even giving him a chance. It just seems like bad management to me.

It may be bad drafting more than management (meaning Willis may not be NFL caliber)...there may be another reason we find out later but if the reason is because they don't believe in him after almost a full year of practice and games than this is the right move...they still are in the playoff hunt, and they may feel Dobbs gives them a better chance than Willis (which is not a good thing by the way because we are talking Josh Dobbs here) and due to that he needs the reps to get ready for next week...I will go back to the fact this is Vrabel making the call and he is an HC I trust...if he and the team had faith in Willis my guess is he would absolutely be out there...hell, they may even be worried that if he implodes the next two games and costs them the playoffs they could hinder his development as well although from what I have seen he doesn't look like an NFL starter any time soon if ever.
I don't know if its bad drafting yet. If they took him in the first, then sure. With a 3rd round pick? That's either backup level or QB that needs to sit for a year or two. If teams thought Willis was a year one starter, they'd have drafted him higher. Dobbs was only drafted one round later (so pretty similar potential) with more years to be on NFL teams and observe.

It's certainly possible (even probable) that Willis won't ever be a NFL starter, but QB's taken in the 3rd round rarely are. It was a low risk/high reward pick. Granted they probably should have gone to the Howie Roseman school of drafting and taken an OL whenever possible, but a QB that they wanted to sit behind Tannehill for a year or two to learn and see if they could make into something isn't a bad shot.
Right. I have no problem gambling a few dollars on a lottery ticket. Which is basically what they did with a 3rd and Willis. Many of us were saying well before the draft that taking him as high as he was projected was a mistake. But in the 3rd? They basically passed on Jaron Tolbert to take him. I’m okay with that.
 
Unless there is an injury we don't know about you may be answering your question...also, while we may not see them going far, I am sure the locker-room thinks they can make some noise if they can get to the playoffs so there is no way they are throwing in the towel, that is not the culture you want to build...Vrabel is a very savvy coach and I just don't see him doing this on a whim.
By saying they have no chance at a SB is not meant to say they should throw in the towel. My point is starting Dobbs isn't getting them any closer to a Super Bowl so why do it? He is a journeyman that has already shown he isn't a starting caliber QB. Willis is supposed to be the QB of the future. He needs experience, work, reps, etc and there is no better way of getting that than actually playing. By sitting him you are saying he can't do it so no sense in even giving him a chance. It just seems like bad management to me.

It may be bad drafting more than management (meaning Willis may not be NFL caliber)...there may be another reason we find out later but if the reason is because they don't believe in him after almost a full year of practice and games than this is the right move...they still are in the playoff hunt, and they may feel Dobbs gives them a better chance than Willis (which is not a good thing by the way because we are talking Josh Dobbs here) and due to that he needs the reps to get ready for next week...I will go back to the fact this is Vrabel making the call and he is an HC I trust...if he and the team had faith in Willis my guess is he would absolutely be out there...hell, they may even be worried that if he implodes the next two games and costs them the playoffs they could hinder his development as well although from what I have seen he doesn't look like an NFL starter any time soon if ever.
I don't know if its bad drafting yet. If they took him in the first, then sure. With a 3rd round pick? That's either backup level or QB that needs to sit for a year or two. If teams thought Willis was a year one starter, they'd have drafted him higher. Dobbs was only drafted one round later (so pretty similar potential) with more years to be on NFL teams and observe.

It's certainly possible (even probable) that Willis won't ever be a NFL starter, but QB's taken in the 3rd round rarely are. It was a low risk/high reward pick. Granted they probably should have gone to the Howie Roseman school of drafting and taken an OL whenever possible, but a QB that they wanted to sit behind Tannehill for a year or two to learn and see if they could make into something isn't a bad shot.

i don’t disagree from a big picture standpoint at all…drafting him there was not seen as a bad pick at the time…but now that we have seen him it doesn’t look like the pick they had hoped for but that is definitely with the benefit of hindsight and still very early and subject to change and since he was a project it probably would have made sense to have another functional backup QB to go with him (apologies if they did and he got hurt and I don’t remember).
 
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It's certainly possible (even probable) that Willis won't ever be a NFL starter, but QB's taken in the 3rd round rarely are. It was a low risk/high reward pick.
Well, we do have Purdy and Ridder starting this year alone. Remains to be seen whether they will be long-term.

I think it’s too early to write Willis off. Everyone knew he was a project. Based on Vrabel benching him, it seems like it’s sub-optimal for the organization or for Willis to put it on his shoulders to get the team into the playoffs. Seems like Willis needs a QB whisperer in the offseason.
 
I don’t see how this is anything but a pure benching in that Vrabel thinks Willis is too far away from helping the team win.
Could just be benching the "starter" in a totally meaningless game as well.
It’s possible, but why not give Willis reps when he clearly needs them? Vrabel may want to see what he has in Dobbs in case he gives them a better chance than Willis at beating the Jags next week.

Or maybe both play tonight? :shrug:
 
Maybe it's because Willis looks completely lost out there, and Vrabel wants to see if Dobbs is the better option for a must-win game next week?

Agreed. NFL QB seems so far away from this dude... STILL.

We've seen this story many times before... "Once upon a time, there was a coaching staff that thought they could teach anyone who could run fast to play QB in the NFL... " The end.
 
I don’t see how this is anything but a pure benching in that Vrabel thinks Willis is too far away from helping the team win.
Could just be benching the "starter" in a totally meaningless game as well.

Definitely could be the case but you would think a raw rookie like Willis could use the reps…will be interesting to hear Vrabel’s thought process on this.
 
Not necessarily saying it's the right move, but they may want Doubs to get some reps for week 18 in case that's the way the want to go.
 
I don’t see how this is anything but a pure benching in that Vrabel thinks Willis is too far away from helping the team win.
Could just be benching the "starter" in a totally meaningless game as well.

Definitely could be the case but you would think a raw rookie like Willis could use the reps…will be interesting to hear Vrabel’s thought process on this.
Dobbs only had 17 pass attempts in the NFL before tonight.
If he outshines Willis this much, I think we all see the reasoning
 
I don’t see how this is anything but a pure benching in that Vrabel thinks Willis is too far away from helping the team win.
Could just be benching the "starter" in a totally meaningless game as well.
That was my interpetation of this as well. Note that Henry is sitting too (likely would’ve played if this was a must win). Will be interesting to see what Vrabel decides next week though if Dobbs leads them to victory today against a tough Dallas team that is trying to stay in the division title picture.
 
Dobbs is showing poise, and that the speed of the game is not too much for him.
He’s a 6-year NFL journeyman so I’d hope he’d be more prepared for the speed of the game than a rookie like Willis.
He hasn't played though, is facing a legit front 7, and just joined the team.

Willis simply isn't ready yet, especially in a must-win next week.
Yeah there’s no getting around that Willis has looked out of his depth when given the chance to show something. When Dobbs comes in on short notice and looks better than a guy who has been practicing with the team all year, it’s not a great look for the other guy. The Titans didn’t invest a lot in Willis (3rd round which the hit rate for those guys isn’t great) so I wouldn’t be surprised if they look elsewhere next year.
 
Dobbs no question should start next week. Willis has shown zero.

I don't think Willis will be long for the NFL on gameday rosters. I'm sure he could bounce around the league on practice squads as a developmental talent. I'd be surprised personally if Willis made the 53 next year for the Titans (whether it's Vrabel or not)
 
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