Malik Willis
#2 QB,
Titans
ACTUAL 2022
19 FPTS
RANK: 55
2023 SEASON
21 FPTS
RANK: 52
AGE
24 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
6'1'' / 219 lbs
COLLEGE
Liberty
| SEASON | GP | FPTS | RANK | PAATT | PACMP | PAYD | PATD | PAINT | COMP% | RUATT | RUYD | RUTD |
| 2023 | 2 | 21 | 52nd | 26 | 14 | 191 | 1 | 1 | 53.8 | 9 | 43 | 1 |
| 2022 | 8 | 19 | 55th | 61 | 31 | 276 | 0 | 3 | 50.8 | 27 | 123 | 1 |
| 3yr Ave | 0 | 0 | 130th | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Will serve as No. 2 QB
Published: 2023-09-10
Willis is active and will serve as the No. 2 quarterback behind Ryan Tannehill, Joe Rexrode of The Athletic reports.
Willis and rookie second-round pick Will Levis were competing for the top backup spot during preseason action, and it appears the former has won the job for now, as the latter is a healthy scratch for Week 1. Willis struggled in limited action last year but will be the first man up if Tannehill is sidelined again in 2023.
Fantasy Points by Week 2022
Weekly Stats 2022
| Fantasy Points | Betting | Passing Stats | Rushing Stats | Advanced Passing Stats | Targets | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| WEEK | STADIUM | GAME | RANK | SPREAD | O/U | ATT | CMP | YD | TD | INT | COMP% | RATING | ATT | YD | TD | AIR | CATCH | 20YD+ | PLAY | WR | RB | TE | |||||
| 2 @BUF | Outdoor 68° | -0.2 | 39th | 9.5 | 47.5 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 25.0 | 39.6 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 25% | 0% | 13% | 50% | 0% | 25% | |||||
| 7 IND | Outdoor 73° | 0.0 | 34th | -3.0 | 42.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 39.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |||||
| 8 @HOU | Dome 75° | 1.4 | 32nd | -1.5 | 40.5 | 10 | 6 | 55 | 0 | 1 | 60.0 | 35.4 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 60% | 0% | 39% | 30% | 20% | 30% | |||||
| 9 @KC | Outdoor 54° | 7.2 | 25th | - | 46.5 | 16 | 5 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 31.3 | 49.0 | 8 | 40 | 0 | 4 | 38% | 0% | 11% | 31% | 13% | 38% | |||||
| 10 DEN | Outdoor 36° | -2.4 | 34th | -2.5 | 39.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 39.6 | 1 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |||||
| 13 @PHI | Outdoor 60° | 1.4 | 33rd | 5.0 | 44.5 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 50.0 | 60.4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 100% | 0% | 0% | 75% | 25% | 0% | |||||
| 15 @LAC | Outdoor 66° | 1.6 | 33rd | 3.0 | 45.5 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 75.0 | 85.4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 75% | 0% | 20% | 50% | 0% | 50% | |||||
| 16 HOU | Outdoor 22° | 10.3 | 22nd | -3.0 | 35.5 | 23 | 14 | 99 | 0 | 2 | 60.9 | 34.5 | 7 | 43 | 1 | 4 | 65% | 0% | 12% | 44% | 17% | 26% | |||||
Performance Splits: 2020 to 2022
| Fantasy Points | Passing Averages | Rushing Averages | |||||||||||||||
| LOCATION | STADIUM | GP | GS | GM | RANK | YD | TD | INT | COMP% | RATING | AIR | CATCH | 20YD+ | YD | TD | ||
| Home | Outdoor | 3 | 1 | 2.6 | 71st | 33 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 60.9 | 34.5 | 65% | 0% | 4 | 13 | 0.3 | ||
| Away | Outdoor | 4 | 1 | 2.5 | 83rd | 31 | 0.0 | 0 | 39.3 | 53.0 | 50% | 0% | 5 | 18 | 0.0 | ||
| Away | Retractable Dome | 1 | 1 | 1.4 | 62nd | 55 | 0.0 | 1 | 60.0 | 35.4 | 60% | 0% | 2 | 12 | 0.0 | ||
Career Stats by Season: 2022 to 2022
| Fantasy Points | Passing Stats | Rushing Stats | Advanced Passing Stats | Targets | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | GP | GS | TOTAL | RANK | ATT | CMP | YD | TD | INT | CMP% | RATING | ATT | YD | TD | AIR | CATCH | 20YD+ | PLAY | WR | RB | TE | ||||
| 2022 | 23 | TEN | 8 | 3 | 19 | 55th | 61 | 31 | 276 | 0 | 3 | 50.8 | 42.8 | 27 | 123 | 1 | 4.1 | 57% | 0% | 16% | 41% | 15% | 30% | ||||
Mixed bag in extensive action
Published: 2023-08-25
Willis completed 15 of 20 passes for 211 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions in Friday's 23-7 preseason win over New England.
Ryan Tannehill played three snaps without throwing a pass attempt, while Will Levis (thigh) was held out entirely despite saying Wednesday that he expected to be ready. Willis surprisingly ran for only 17 yards despite playing the entire night after the first drive, instead providing an entertaining mix of good and bad plays with his right arm. He and Levis have been competing for the No. 2 QB job this summer, and the winner heading into Week 1 won't necessarily retain the spot throughout the season.
Showcases rushing ability
Published: 2023-08-19
Willis completed 10 of 17 passes for 85 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Saturday's 24-16 preseason win over the Vikings. He added 11 rushes for 91 yards.
Willis was the only Titans quarterback to take the field, and he got a lot of valuable reps in the process. His results were inconsistent as he missed a couple open receivers and also threw a pick, though he also showed more poise in the pocket and delivered a number of accurate passes down the field. Willis also showcased his rushing ability, providing multiple paths to big plays. He is battling Will Levis (lower body) for the backup quarterback job and has taken a step forward as he heads into his second professional season.
Expects big workload Saturday
Published: 2023-08-19
Willis is expected to be under center for the Titans for the entirety of Saturday's exhibition game against the Vikings, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com reports.
Willis' big workload comes at the expense of Will Levis (lower body). As a result, the second-year signal caller will get an opportunity to showcase his talents for a full game. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 189 yards and one interception in Tennessee's opening preseason contest against the Bears, while adding 22 yards and one touchdown across three carries on the ground. Willis alternated possetions with Levis in that contest.
Rotates with Levis
Published: 2023-08-12
Willis completed 16 of 25 pass attempts for 189 yards and one interception in Tennessee's preseason game against Chicago on Saturday, adding 22 yards and one touchdown on three carries.
Willis started but then rotated series with second-round pick rookie Will Levis, who finished 9-of-14 for 85 yards and an interception. Both quarterbacks struggled to handle the pass rush, as each was sacked four times. It's not clear what this game means for the competition between Willis and Levis behind starter Ryan Tannehill, but it seems safe to say that Willis had the better production in this game. Levis only had a six-yard carry as a runner, and he incurred four sacks on just 14 attempts, which looks worse than Willis' four sacks versus 25 attempts. The competition figures to be ongoing.
Expected to start, rotate series
Published: 2023-08-12
Willis is expected to start Saturday's preseason game versus the Bears, but he'll likely rotate series with Will Levis, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
Ryan Tannehill is still viewed as the Titans' starting quarterback, so he'll take a seat for the team's first exhibition contest. In his stead, Willis, a 2022 third-round pick, will take the field first, but he's slated to split work with Levis, a rookie second-round pick. Willis has a high upside, but he struggled in limited action last year, completing just 51 percent of his passes while throwing three picks and zero touchdowns.
Remains backup for now
Published: 2023-05-01
Willis remains the No. 2 quarterback in the immediate aftermath of the draft, but he will have to earn the role moving forward, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The Titans selected Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, so to call his future with the team into question appears drastic on the surface. However, after he struggled immensely in limited action as a rookie, Tennessee opted to spend an early second-round selection on Will Levis in this year's draft. Ryan Tannehill remains the clear starter for the time being, though coach Mike Vrabel said that he will let the players' performances dictate their spot on the depth chart as the season draws closer. As a result, Willis is heading into a pivotal time for his pro career, even though he's entering only his second season.
Will be backup QB on Saturday
Published: 2023-01-02
Willis will operate as the backup quarterback behind Joshua Dobbs for Saturday's regular-season finale against Jacksonville, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
With Ryan Tannehill (ankle) on injured reserve, Willis drew the start Week 16, but he threw two interceptions and was benched for Week 17. While the Titans lost to Dallas last Thursday, Vrabel said he was encouraged by the way Dobbs played and is confident in the veteran's ability. Willis is a rookie third-round pick and figures to have a future in Tennessee, but barring an injury, it appears like he'll be relegated to bench duties for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.
Candidate to start finale
Published: 2022-12-30
Coach Mike Vrabel is still deciding whether Willis or Joshua Dobbs will start the regular season finale against the Jaguars, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
The Titans went with Dobbs against Dallas on Thursday, and the 27-year-old quarterback threw for a respectable 232 yards with one touchdown and two turnovers in the 27-13 loss. Willis is more capable of making plays with his legs, but the rookie third-round pick out of Liberty failed to break triple digits in passing yards in any of his first three NFL starts. Needing a Week 18 win to make the postseason, the Titans will prioritize winning now over any future development, which could give Dobbs the inside track given Willis' struggles as a passer to date.