Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward Poised For 4,000-Yard Rookie Season

Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick by the Titans, brings strong arm talent and mobility to Tennessee with 4,000-yard upside and fantasy football sleeper appeal in 2025.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass during minicamp at Nissan Stadium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Cam Ward enters the NFL with an impressive collegiate resume, boasting over 11,000 passing yards and 87 touchdowns across stints at Washington State, Miami, and Incarnate Word. Now set to start for the Tennessee Titans as the No. 1 overall pick, Ward's dual-threat skill set and aggressive downfield mentality give him intriguing fantasy potential in Year 1.

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Over his three seasons in college, Ward played in 38 games between Washington State and the University of Miami. He completed 66.0% of his 1,436 pass attempts for 11,281 yards with 87 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His highlight year came in 2024 when he threw for 4,313 yards with 39 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. He gained an impressive 9.5 yards per pass attempt. 

As a runner, Ward made more significant plays last season (3.4 YPR), but he carried the ball only 60 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns. With Washington State, his opportunity to run was much higher (227/202/13) with minimal gains per carry (0.9 yards). Sacks (46 and 38) were more of an issue with the Cougars than with the Hurricanes (22). 

His college career started at the University of the Incarnate Word (Division I), where Ward made 19 starts over two seasons. His success in 2021, with a 10-3 record and completing 384 of his 590 passes for 4,648 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, led to his recruitment by Washington State. He gained only 67 yards rushing with three touchdowns over his 112 carries at UIW.

Ward plays with his eyes up pre- and post-snap. His goal is to get the ball out quickly and take home run swings when given one-on-one coverage downfield. His arm is NFL-ready, and he has a good sense of where he wants to throw the football before taking the snap. 

Pro defenses will force him to make more throws on the run, going to his left, where his accuracy will regress if Ward can’t square up and set his feet. He played out of the shotgun on most plays, showcasing the ability to extend the pocket either with his feet or by breaking through some tackles. 

His challenge at the next level will be a weaker offensive line and a downgrade in receiving personnel. Additionally, defensive coordinators will make him think more when reading coverages, and his passing windows will be significantly smaller in the pros.

Ward can move the chains with his feet, but he is a throw-first quarterback. The next step in his development is finishing drives with passing touchdowns in the red zone. 

Cam Ward Fantasy Football Outlook

As the first overall pick by the Titans in 2025, Ward should open the season as their starting quarterback. Tennessee ranked poorly in wide receiver catches (164) last season, but they did show a willingness to check down to their running backs and use their tight ends to move the chains. Ward brings a swag to his game, which some cockiness. With 17 starts, he has the tools to gain 4,000 combined yards with league-average touchdowns.