Report: Titans' Will Levis to Get Majority of Reps vs. Falcons over Malik Willis

Rookie quarterback Will Levis is reportedly expected to start and play the majority of the snaps over Malik Willis for the Tennessee Titans against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

According to ESPN, Willis will have "heavy involvement" in the game plan and there will be special packages for him, but Levis will be the primary quarterback with veteran Ryan Tannehill out due to an ankle injury.

Sunday will mark the first regular-season game action of Levis' career since he operated as the third quarterback behind Tannehill and Willis over the team's first six games.

After starring collegiately at Kentucky, Levis was widely viewed as a likely first-round pick. Quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson all came off the board within the first four picks of the 2023 NFL draft, but Levis had to wait longer than expected.

Tennessee eventually took him with the No. 33 overall pick in the second round in hopes that he could develop into Tannehill's eventual successor.

Just one year earlier, the Titans used a third-round draft pick on Willis when he fell much further than expected in the 2022 draft.

As a rookie, the former Liberty standout appeared in eight games and made three starts, going 1-2. While he made plays with his legs, rushing for 123 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, he struggled as a passer, completing just 50.8 percent of his passes for 276 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions.

When Tannehill got injured during Tennessee's most recent game two weeks ago, Willis stepped in and looked solid, going 4-of-5 for 74 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, while also rushing for 17 yards on three carries in a 24-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Willis' athleticism and explosiveness could make him a dangerous player in short spurts, which is likely why the Titans are reportedly planning to get him involved Sunday even though he isn't starting.

The 6'4", 229-pound Levis is a prototypical quarterback with a huge arm, but if his college career is any indication, there may be some concern about him turning the ball over.

Levis threw a combined 23 interceptions in his two seasons at Kentucky, plus he took a lot of sacks, which is why he finished with -107 rushing yards in his senior year.

Per ESPN, head coach Mike Vrabel and the rest of the Titans coaching staff wants both Levis and Willis to limit the negative plays and "execute a clean operation."

In terms of scoring, the Falcons are 29th in the NFL this season with 16.4 points per game, while the Titans aren't much better in 25th place with 17.3 points per game.

That suggests Sunday's game could be a defensive stalemate, and if that is the case, then the team that makes fewer big mistakes on offense could be the one that comes out on top.