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Five Best Fantasy Football Landing Spots For Malik Willis in 2026

These teams are based on need, available opportunity, and the current talent on each offense, not on the salary cap or his affordability.  
Malik Willis is considered the best free-agent quarterback heading into the 2026 NFL offseason.
Malik Willis is considered the best free-agent quarterback heading into the 2026 NFL offseason. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Malik Willis is one of the hottest names on the NFL’s free-agent market. Reports suggest he could command as much as $30 million per year! That’s a lot of cheddar for a quarterback who has just a couple of impressive starts at the NFL level. However, his skills as a runner make him interesting in the fantasy world. 

So, let’s take a look at the five best landing spots for his fantasy value. These teams are based on need, available opportunity, and the current talent on each offense, not on the salary cap or Willis’s affordability.  

Best Landing Spots for Malik Willis in Fantasy Football

Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa is expected to be released or traded, so the Dolphins will have a huge void to fill at quarterback. They have been the team that’s most tied to Willis, as their new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, and new head coach, Jeff Hafley, are both former members of the Packers' staff. This would be a nice landing spot for Willis due to his locked-in starter’s role, not to mention his dual-threat skill set. In this particular case, he would become a potential sleeper in fantasy leagues. 

Arizona Cardinals

The expected departure of Kyler Murray creates a void in the Cardinals' offense that Willis could fill. While Jacoby Brissett is still under contract, Arizona is looking for a more mobile option who has potential as a deep-ball thrower. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort also knows of Willis from their time together with the Titans, so there’s clearly a connection. Much like in Miami, Willis would come in (based on the projection money) as the clear-cut starter with sleeper appeal in 2026 fantasy drafts. 

Cleveland Browns

The Browns drafted two quarterbacks (Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders) last year and still have Deshaun Watson under contract, but that doesn’t mean they won’t explore all options at the position. While we have seen recent reports that the Browns are unlikely to pursue him, Willis would still be a good fantasy fit as a mobile quarterback in new head coach Todd Monken’s offense. Remember, Monken coached Lamar Jackson over the past few seasons in Baltimore. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have 12 draft picks and money to spend under the salary cap, so adding Willis and offensive firepower is certainly possible this offseason. That would seem to depend on whether Aaron Rodgers wants to return to play for his former head coach in Green Bay, Mike McCarthy. Willis would be a different sort of quarterback compared to other quarterbacks McCarthy has coached in the past, but he would also fit a run-first mentality when you consider Pittsburgh’s lack of weapons in the pass attack. 

New York Jets

Quarterbacks who have gone to New York have historically failed (most recently, Rodgers and Justin Fields), so Willis going to Gang Green is a scary possibility. However, the Jets do have a huge need at quarterback, 11 draft picks and plenty of money to spend on offensive talent. Willis would also have no competition for the starting job, which secures his fantasy value to a degree. But again, it's the Jets. 


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Michael Fabiano
MICHAEL FABIANO

Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. He is also the co-host of the Fantasy Dirt Podcast on SI. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.

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