Malik Willis’ 4 Best Dynasty Fantasy Fits

With the NFL Draft just over a month away, I’ve been breaking down top prospects and their ideal fits for Dynasty fantasy football. If you need a refresher on Dynasty, I wrote about how fun it can be in my previous articles. Here are the prospects I’ve covered so far:

• Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
• Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
• David Bell, WR, Purdue 
• Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
• Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
• Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
• Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
• George Pickens, WR, Georgia
• John Metchie III, WR, Alabama

Lucio Vainesman also broke down the best landing spots for these prospects, too:

• Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
• Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
• Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
• Drake London, WR, USC
• Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
• Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State

Today we’re talking about Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. To some, Willis is the crown jewel of an otherwise weak quarterback class with MVP-level upside. To others, Willis is too inconsistent to be considered anything more than a long-term project. Guess what? Both can be true.

Kyle Crabbs agrees Willis is a polarizing prospect.

“In all, Willis has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in this year’s class and in the right environment, I could easily see him becoming a Pro Bowl-caliber player,” wrote Crabbs. “But his variance of outcomes will very much be dependent on where he lands and the wrong environment may yield ugly results.”

That’s why Willis’ best dynasty landing spots involve him sitting for a year. He shouldn’t be forced into a starting job right away. Teams like the Panthers or Seahawks may want Willis to start Week 1 but the best chance Willis has of becoming a great long-term fantasy quarterback is if he takes time to develop. I believe these teams afford him the best opportunity to do so.

DETROIT LIONS

I will admit, I wavered on including the Lions for a bit. It really came down to them, the Commanders or the Seahawks. So I guess by including Detroit, I’m saying Jared Goff could be a better long-term quarterback than Carson Wentz and Drew Lock, right? In all seriousness, Goff may not be the long-term answer, but he can still be a serviceable option until the Lions find their quarterback of the future. Even though Goff has three years left on his contract, Detroit can move on from him after this season for just a $10 million dead cap hit. Ideally, the Lions let Goff ride out 2022 before switching to Willis in 2023. As for what 2023 could look like for Detroit, they certainly have assets to build around. They have three picks in the top 34 this draft, and two first-round picks in the 2023 draft. The Lions also have Taylor Decker manning a promising young offensive line. On top of it all, you can’t say the Lions didn’t buy into coach Head CDan Campbell last season. I really think Detroit is heading in the right direction for once, which makes me think a young quarterback like Willis may prosper there in the future.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

This is arguably my favorite destination for Willis and really all rookie quarterbacks. Keep in mind, Indianapolis was one game away from making the playoffs last season and they have a good roster that can sustain a not-so-good quarterback. Luckily, Willis wouldn’t need to be thrust in immediately. With quarterbackMatt Ryan under contract for two more seasons, Willis can take his time to develop into the All-Pro passer some people think he can be. Again, as I’ve said multiple times in my dynasty series, we have no clue what this offense will look like in two years. Betting on Willis in Indianapolis is betting on Willis’ upside in a situation where he can develop. Besides, I somewhat trust Frank Reich to get it right. This team is 37-28 in Reich’s four years as head coach with just one losing season. I don’t expect them to fall off anytime soon, so Willis could still step into a great situation when he takes over the starting job in the future.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Are you noticing a theme here? Not only did the Saints just sign quarterback Jameis Winston back to a two-year contract, but they also added Andy Dalton. If New Orleans drafts Willis, they won’t need to play him right away. Had Sean Payton not retired, New Orleans may have been an even better destination for Willis but alas, Payton is gone and Dennis Allen was promoted to head coach. While that may change absolutely nothing, there is still the possibility the team regresses without Payton.

Nonetheless, the Saints have been a relatively sound franchise over the last decade or so. After all, they’re a year removed from four-straight division titles. And while they never really had a chance to develop a quarterback, I’d have more faith in Willis developing nicely here, unlike in Carolina or Washington. Losing Terron Armstead hurts, but in the long run, Alvin Kamara and a Ryan Ramczyzk-led offensive line look pretty good when healthy. The Saints have also proven capable of adapting their scheme to their personnel – especially their quarterbacks. Willis could thrive in New Orleans, and therefore, fantasy football.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Shocker: Willis doesn’t need to start Week 1 for the Steelers, either. That’s why they brought in Mitchell Trubisky on a two-year contract. Could Trubisky revive his career in Pittsburgh? Sure. Do we know for sure that will happen? Heck no. Besides, it’s no secret the Steelers are infatuated with Willis. Bringing him to Pittsburgh could allow him to let Trubisky work behind the Steelers’ uninspiring offensive line for a season or two. The reason I like Willis’ fit here is similar to the reason I like Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder here, too.

“The Steelers could also have a friendly offense toward fantasy quarterbacks. They threw the ball at the third-highest rate in the league in 2021. Another factor that helps passers produce in fantasy is a solid supporting cast. It’s even better when two of those teammates—Najee Harris and Diontae Johnson—are young, proven pass-catchers.”

This may be my favorite dynasty spot for Willis.