Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up
Odds by

    Saleh blames WRs for Ward’s sloppy footwork

    Link copied to clipboard!

    TEN Quarterback #1
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Titans head coach Robert Saleh said Titans pass catchers and the team’s defense are to blame for Cam Ward’s sloppy footwork.

    Asked about Ward’s continuing footwork disaster, Saleh said the second-year quarterback “usually starts off good then fades into old habits.” Titans beat writer Terry McCormick then asked Saleh “why if his footwork gets worse as the game goes on, why the offense has had such slow starts. [Saleh] said it has been dropped passes vs. Giants and defense not getting off field vs. Eagles.” Saleh has made a point to shield Ward from all criticism throughout the preseason and through three horrific regular season outings. Ward ranks 20th in accuracy and 29th in EPA per drop back this season. He’s fresh off throwing a game-deciding end zone interception against the lowly Giants in Week 3. Mitchell Trubisky will probably get a couple starts this season if Ward can’t turn things around.
Looking back at the teams that didn’t draft Allen
Mike Florio and Chris Simms look back to the 2018 NFL draft, discussing the teams that passed on Josh Allen and explaining why the quarterback is a great fit with the Buffalo Bills.

Related Player News

  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Personalize your Rotoworld feed by favoriting players
    The Titans led off the day with a 58-yard field-goal drive that fell apart from a red zone first-and-5. They would not even flirt with crossing 30 yards in a drive for the rest of the game and crossed into Texans territory on only 11 more snaps all game, including just one inside the Houston 40. Ward took four sacks and avoided several others by turning Tyjae Spears into a PPR hero. The closest he came to actually putting points on the board was a double-covered bomb to Carnell Tate’s general area. It was, well, what you would have expected from both sides in the preseason. Ward remains a last gasp supeflex QB2 heading into Week 6’s game against the Colts.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Ward’s second pass of the game resulted in an interception, but he would settle in to put together his most productive outing of the season. Ward linked up with rookie first-rounder Carnell Tate on multiple long gains and ended the day with four completions of 20-plus yards. The two would connect on a 33-yard pass late in the fourth quarter on a fourth-and-10, and on the next play, Ward would find Wan’Dale Robinson for a three-yard score to cut the Ravens’ lead to 24-18. Ward did a good job at evading pressure in this one. Despite being pressured on 11 dropbacks, per PFF, only one of those resulted in a sack. Ward has been sacked just once over the last two weeks, but will have a tough challenge ahead of him next week when the Titans play host to the Texans. Ward projects as a low-end QB2 next week.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Ward’s gotten off to a slow start in 2026, completing 62.5 percent of his passes for a meager 504 yards and two touchdowns in three games. He has improved his sack rate quite a bit, cutting it from 9.2 percent in 2025 to 5.38 percent so far this year. The Titans backup is Mitch Trubisky. It is probably too soon to give up on Ward, but it doesn’t bode well for his future that Saleh is already being asked the question. Ward will be one of the bottom five quarterbacks in the Week 4 fantasy rankings against the Ravens.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    The Titans’ offense looked dead on arrival with 34 yards on their six first-half drives. They opened the game with four consecutive three-and-outs and didn’t get on the board until late in the fourth quarter, when Ward tossed a short touchdown to Wan’Dale Robinson. It looked like Ward was getting in rhythm late in the game, but he ended the contest with a ghastly interception directly into the hands of Jevon Holland, who was standing in the end zone waiting for the ball. Ward took care of the ball until the game-ending throw, but this was a one step forward, two steps back showing from the young passer. That has unfortunately been the case for the better part of the last three weeks. Ward is not on the fantasy radar for Week 4 against the Ravens, and his poor play is making all of the team’s fantasy options largely irrelevant.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Ward’s two scores on the ground doubled his previous career total, though he is now sitting on one passing touchdown through eight quarters. He is at least not turning the ball over, and has taken “just” five sacks. He has been so far unable to heat up his connections with offseason additions Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, but he found Elic Ayomanor for two critical gains vs. Philly. Cutting out the negative plays was an absolutely essential first step for Ward, but he has yet to supplement them with big gains or consistent chain-moving. That included botching a Hail Mary in the fourth quarter this afternoon. Ward won’t be much of a superflex option for next week’s road date with the Giants.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Ward also took three sacks for 13 yards. His touchdown was a too little, too late 11-yard strike to Elic Ayomanor with the Titans trailing 23-3 at the 2:42 mark of the fourth quarter. As was the case down the stretch last season, Ward did a good job of avoiding turnovers, but he struggled to generate positive plays of any kind. He was besieged by pressure, but he just wasn’t making anything happen. That could come in time — there’s a new experienced play-caller in Brian Daboll and several new weapons in the skill corps — but this was a highly discouraging start to the year at home vs. a not-exactly-amazing Jets defense. It was certainly confirmation that Ward is on the outside looking in of top-24 status in superflex leagues for the time being. The Eagles are a rough Week 2 matchup, even if the Titans are at home.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Cam Ward’s preseason has been as bad or even worse than his rookie campaign. Ward in last week’s preseason game against Seattle completed eight of his 12 attempts for 69 yards. His average depth of target on completed passes this preseason sits at a meager 1.2. Carnell Tate, meanwhile, has been targeted five times on his 23 preseason routes and does not have a reception to show for it. Daboll has been somewhat defensive this month when asked about Ward’s immense struggles after working on basic fundamentals with the second-year QB in the offseason. Ward, one of the most inaccurate passers in recent NFL history, is unlikely to support more than one fantasy-viable pass catcher in 2026.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Ward would have cleared 100 yards in the box score had TE Gunnar Helm not stepped out of bounds while hauling in a downfield pass during a scramble drill. Ward’s ability to make ridiculous throws off-script remains a plus and a minus. It wasn’t a great game for his connection with rookie Carnell Tate. The duo went 0-of-2 out of five total pass attempts from Ward on the first drive this evening against Seattle.
  • TEN Wide Receiver #4
    Davenport penned a lengthy piece detailing how OC Brian Daboll is focused on developing QB Cam Ward’s play on third down, in the red zone and in the two-minute drill. This is pretty straightforward. Those are all high-leverage situations, so harping on Ward’s performance there makes sense. Robinson played on all three drives in the Titans’ first preseason game while veteran Calvin Ridley was on the field for one. Rookie WR Carnell Tate was on the field for the first and third drives. A featured role on third downs could help Robinson return FLEX value — he’s certainly being paid like he is going to be featured.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
    Ward, who played three series, didn’t offer up many highlights, but he did help author a 95-yard touchdown drive on the Titans’ opening series vs. the 49ers’ backups. Learning a new offensive system as he breaks in a heavily revamped supporting cast, it’s not a surprise tonight was a “growing pains” effort even if it came against the second and third string. If Ward plays in the Titans’ second preseason game, it will be against the defending champion Seahawks.

Rotoworld

  • JAC Offensive Lineman #77
    Player Stats
    Personalize your Rotoworld feed by favoriting players
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Jaguars OL Anton Harrison will undergo knee surgery and will miss at least 3-5 weeks.

    Harrison, who sustained the injury in Week 5 against the Eagles, could miss the rest of the season once doctors determine the severity of his knee injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Harrison had protected Trevor Lawrence’s blindside before the injury. His absence could be a problem for a Jacksonville offensive line that has the league’s third worst pass blocking win rate.
  • LA Wide Receiver #17
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Davante Adams caught 5-of-7 targets for 51 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills.

    Adams cashed in on a corner fade from four yards out in the second quarter and ran a beautiful route on a double move slant from five yards out for his second score in the fourth quarter, proving that he remains an elite red zone weapon for an offense that has now attempted 51 or more passes in three straight games. Adams is back to modest target rates following the Week 4 return of Puka Nacua but remains a weekly WR2 due to his red zone acumen, which remains true ahead of a much more forgiving matchup against the Cardinals in Week 6.
  • Link copied to clipboard!

    Tyler Higbee caught 5-of-6 targets for 83 yards in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills.

    Higbee continued to operate as the primary pass-catching tight end against the Bills, something that must please fantasy managers considering Colby Parkinson returned from a one-game absence. Furthermore, the team carried only three tight ends on the active game-day roster after being at either four or five through the first month of the 2026 season. Higbee is a middling TE2 in fantasy circles ahead of a juicy matchup against the divisional rival Cardinals in Week 6.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Puka Nacua caught 17-of-24 targets for 138 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills, adding nine yards on two carries.

    Nacua operated as the primary option through the air for a Rams team that attempted more than 50 passes for the third straight game. The veteran alpha was mostly confined to short-area work, something that could be attributed to the groin injury that continues to have his name on the injury report in practice, but that would not keep Nacua from returning another elite WR1 performance. Nacua was also inches away from padding his stat line further after failing to come down with what would have been a 51-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the first half. Nacua and the Rams fall to 2-3 ahead of a Week 6 divisional showdown against the Cardinals, where he will remain one of the top fantasy assets in the league.
  • LA Running Back #24
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Blake Corum rushed five times for 19 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills, adding 53 yards on three receptions.

    Corum provided a much needed spark in relief of lead back Kyren Williams, contributing three clutch receptions that kept drives alive in addition to a third quarter touchdown. That said, his modest volume continued while Williams turned in a third straight game with 20 or more opportunities, including 28 total targets in that stretch. Corum remains a top fantasy handcuff but is unlikely to return useful fantasy weeks for as long as Williams is healthy.
  • LA Running Back #23
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Kyren Williams rushed 16 times for 49 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Bills, adding 27 yards on six receptions.

    Williams has yet to see more than the 16 carries he saw against the Bills this season but the team’s recent pass-heavy nature has left the veteran lead back with six or more receptions in three straight games, including 27 total targets in that span. The elite-level aerial volume made it three consecutive games with 20 or more opportunities for Williams, who continues to return RB1 fantasy weeks while playing in one of the league’s top offenses. Williams remains a middling RB1 ahead of a Week 6 divisional showdown against the Cardinals at home.
  • Link copied to clipboard!

    Matthew Stafford completed 40-of-54 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns in the Rams’ 37-34, Week 5 loss to the Bills.

    It was the third consecutive game in which Stafford attempted 51 passes or more in what has become the most voluminous passing offense in the league. The two powerhouses felt each other out throughout the first half as only 20 combined points per scored before the break. Things would get aggressive for the final 30 minutes as seven combined touchdowns were scored on nine second half possessions, four of which were accounted for by the Rams. Stafford directed a whopping 24 targets toward alpha wide receiver Puka Nacua, who set a career high with 17 receptions in a short-area role. The reigning MVP returned an instant classic performance against the 2024 MVP, ultimately coming up short in overtime following a blocked field goal attempt from Harrison Mevis. The Rams fall to 2-3 ahead of a home matchup against the more forgiving Cardinals in Week 6. Stafford is once again a fantasy QB1 in that matchup.
  • Link copied to clipboard!

    Dalton Kincaid caught 1-of-2 targets for seven yards in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

    The Bills clearly came into this one intent on establishing the run, attempting 37 rushes to just 19 Josh Allen pass attempts in a game played without both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer. Kincaid has now seen three or fewer targets in each of his last three games after erupting for 225 yards through the air in the first two weeks. The ceiling was never in question, but fantasy managers have to be reeling after three consecutive down performances for the enigmatic tight end. Kincaid remains an upside TE1 ahead of a Week 6 meeting with the Raiders.
  • BUF Wide Receiver #0
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Keon Coleman caught 1-of-2 targets for seven yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

    Coleman was largely erased by the lockdown corner play of the Rams but had a receiving line also heavily influenced by a ground-heavy game plan from a Bills team that attempted only 19 passes in almost 70 minutes of football. It was quite the letdown fantasy performance for managers looking to take advantage of the absences of both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer. Coleman is a borderline FLEX play in Week 6 against the Raiders, pending the status of Moore.
  • BUF Wide Receiver #10
    Player Stats
    Link copied to clipboard!

    Khalil Shakir caught all three targets for 80 yards in the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams.

    Shakir’s modest target total was primarily a product of a ground-heavy approach from the Bills, who were playing without both DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer. His quiet fantasy outing was quickly remedied through a 57-yard, catch-and-run reception on the team’s second possession of overtime to set up the game-winning, Tyler Bass field goal. Shakir remains a shaky fantasy bet ahead of a Week 6 meeting with the Raiders.