MalikWillis

News: 3 days agoWillis completed 15 of 27 passes for 200 yards with no touchdowns and one interception while adding six carries for 39 yards and a touchdown in the Dolphins' 27-13 loss to the Raiders on Sunday. He also committed a fumble recovered by Miami.

Spin: Willis' regular-season Dolphins debut did have its share of positives, including a pair of 30-yard completions to his top two receivers Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington, as well as a 25-yard strike to Chris Bell. However, Willis' third-quarter interception on a deep pass intended for Douglas led to a Raiders field goal, and with Miami down by 14 throughout the fourth quarter, the fifth-year signal-caller led the Dolphins to just 49 net yards over the final five drives. Willis seemingly faces a season-long uphill battle given his inexperienced pass-catching corps, but his mobility -- which enabled his 14-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter -- and arm strength will keep him in consideration as a deep-league option and occasional DFS dart throw. Willis and the Dolphins draw an unenviable Week 2 assignment, however, as they'll travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers next Sunday.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Willis signed with Miami during the offseason and is set to start after two successful seasons backing up Jordan Love in Green Bay. Willis, a 2022 third-round pick, has very little experience (155 career pass attempts), but he was outstanding in limited work the past two seasons, completing 70 of 89 passes for 972 yards, six TDs and zero INTs (12.1 yards per attempt, 86% completion rate), while also adding major value with his legs (42-261-3) during the span. Willis played at least 80% of the snaps in three games with Green Bay and averaged 23.3 fantasy points in those outings. Willis' inexperience makes him risky and the Miami supporting cast is perhaps the worst in the NFL, but his dual-threat ability makes him a very fascinating late-round flier.