CamWard

News: 1 day agoWard and other starters are scheduled to play in Thursday's preseason opener against San Francisco, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports.

Spin: The combination of a young QB and a new coaching staff could lead to more playing time than usual this preseason. Still, there's no guarantee of Ward playing more than a series or two Thursday night.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Ward is eyeing a Year 2 leap following an underwhelming rookie campaign, albeit under tough circumstances. The 2025 No. 1 draft pick was plenty busy as a rookie (eighth in the league in dropbacks and pass attempts), but he struggled to 5.9 yards per attempt and took a league-high 55 sacks. Ward was rarely a factor with his legs (more than 12 yards three times) and produced one weekly fantasy finish better than 12th. The good news is that a tough rookie year isn't overly damning for a quarterback's career trajectory, and he'll be in a better spot in 2026 with new playcaller Brian Daboll and an improved supporting cast (Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson join a now-healthy Calvin Ridley). Ward will need to run more to become an elite fantasy option, but Year 2 is the breakout season for many quarterbacks, so he's well worth a late flier.