Malik Willis is given a new life in Green Bay

After just two years in Tennessee, former third-round pick Malik Willis will have a new home in Green Bay. The dual-threat quarterback is expected to back up Jordan Love, potentially increasing his value in dynasty leagues.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the trade on Aug. 26, noting that Willis was exchanged for a 2025 seventh-round pick. Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur hinted at a potential quarterback trade near the end of the preseason, alluding to the team being dissatisfied with their current backups.

Willis was immediately listed as second on the depth chart behind Love and ahead of Green Bay's 2023 backup Sean Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt.

With the trade, Willis is given a brighter outlook in Green Bay than he had with the team that drafted him. In his two years in Tennessee, Willis started just three games and has never thrown a touchdown with a career completion percentage of just 53 percent. After underwhelming as a rookie, the Titans took Will Levis in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, burying Willis on the depth chart.

After the 2023 season, Tennessee let previous starter Ryan Tannehill walk in free agency and brought in Mason Rudolph to backup Levis, shifting Willis down to the third string. However, in Green Bay, he will move up in the pecking order as the immediate backup to Love.

Malik Willis' 2024 fantasy outlook and dynasty league value

Still a backup, Willis is not any more valuable in Green Bay than he was in Tennessee in season-long fantasy formats, making the trade irrelevant for such managers. However, in dynasty leagues, his outlook as a potential low-risk, high-reward stash increased with the move.

Under the new coaching staff, Willis no longer fit into Tennessee's offensive system. Both Brian Callahan and Nick Holz build their offenses around pocket passers, a play style that has never been Willis' strong suit. He is not the type of player coach has been known to work with, as evidenced by the team bringing in Rudolph in the offseason.

In Green Bay, Willis is a better scheme fit, potentially even more than he was with the Titans' previous management and coaching staff that drafted him. Known for his previous work as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before accepting the Green Bay head coaching position, LaFleur successfully coached players such as Robert Griffin III and Marcus Mariota in the NFL along with Everett Golson at Notre Dame in an offense built around their mobility.

Traditionally a pocket passer, Love does not present that same skill set, but that does not mean Willis is any threat to his job. Obviously, an NFL quarterback still needs to be able to manage a huddle and read the field as a passer, an area that Willis has struggled to develop. He has clear work to do, but his potential is much higher in Green Bay should he get an opportunity.

From what he has shown so far, Willis is not an NFL-level starting quarterback. Sometimes that does not matter in fantasy, as Justin Fields averaged the 12th most fantasy points for a quarterback in 2023. If the right pieces fall into place, Willis can be an asset for managers who exercise patience. He is still not worth draft consideration but is a name to keep an eye on should anything happen to Love.