Start Malik Willis or Cam Ward? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Cam Ward over Malik Willis in Week 1.

De-vigged player props project Cam Ward at 13.6 points and Malik Willis at 7.4, a gap of 6.2. Drafters take Cam Ward at ADP 209 and Malik Willis at 192.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 7.4 fantasy points for Malik Willis, with 45 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

Player prop markets imply 13.6 fantasy points for Cam Ward, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

That puts Cam Ward 6.2 points ahead of Malik Willis on the books.

Week 1 matchups

Malik Willis and MIA visit LV on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

LV allowed 17.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 13th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 220 yards and no touchdowns against LV, with an interception.

Cam Ward and TEN host NYJ on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYJ allowed 11.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 7th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 140 yards and a touchdown against NYJ, with no interceptions.

By points allowed to the position, Malik Willis has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Malik Willis was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Cam Ward was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Malik Willis played 4 games for GB and scored 51.2 PPR points, 12.8 a game, finishing QB45.

He completed 30 of 35 passes for 422 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, and ran 22 times for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 10 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Malik Willis, Week 17 of 2025 against BAL: 39 of 47 snaps, 18 of 21 passes for 288 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 9 carries for 60 yards, 31.5 PPR points.

Malik Willis, Week 16 of 2025 against CHI: 46 of 72 snaps, 9 of 11 passes for 121 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 10 carries for 44 yards, 13.2 PPR points.

In 2025, Cam Ward played 17 games for TEN and scored 193.7 PPR points, 11.4 a game, finishing QB22.

He completed 323 of 540 passes for 3169 yards, 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and ran 39 times for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 100 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Cam Ward, Week 18 of 2025 against JAX: 3 of 3 passes for 52 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 11 yards, 9.2 PPR points.

Cam Ward, Week 17 of 2025 against NO: 74 of 74 snaps, 21 of 40 passes for 251 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 10 yards, 17.0 PPR points.

Cam Ward, Week 16 of 2025 against KC: 73 of 73 snaps, 21 of 28 passes for 228 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 9 yards, 18.0 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Cam Ward scored 11.7 PPR points and Malik Willis scored 17.7.

The call was wrong: Malik Willis outscored Cam Ward by 6.0.

Cam Ward finished 1.9 points below the 13.6 the props implied.

Cam Ward, Week 1 against NYJ: 50 of 50 snaps, 19 of 32 passes for 140 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 21 yards, 11.7 PPR points.

Cam Ward finished as the week's QB26 in PPR scoring.

Malik Willis finished 10.3 points above the 7.4 the props implied.

Malik Willis, Week 1 against LV: 56 of 56 snaps, 15 of 27 passes for 220 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, 6 carries for 39 yards, 17.7 PPR points.

Malik Willis finished as the week's QB13 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Bryce Young over Malik Willis.
• Start Malik Willis over C.J. Stroud.
• Start Daniel Jones over Malik Willis.
• Start Cam Ward over Aaron Rodgers.
• Start Cam Ward over Bryce Young.
• Start C.J. Stroud over Cam Ward.