Commanders' Zach Ertz: Two grabs against Cleveland
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Ertz caught two of eight targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 34-13 win over the Browns.
Despite handling a season-low 57 percent offensive snap share Week 5, Ertz led all Washington tight ends in playing time while also recording a season-high target total. The veteran wasn't able to take advantage of his increased opportunities Sunday, as he was able to reel in just two passes in the contest, his lowest reception total in a game this season. Even with the Commanders leading the NFL in scoring (31.0 points per game) through five weeks, Ertz remains a low-ceiling fantasy option in an offense that has skewed run-heavy.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Three receptions in win
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Ertz hauled in all three of his targets for 22 receiving yards in Sunday's 42-14 win over the Cardinals.
Ertz was one of nine Commanders pass catchers to record a reception in the blowout win with quarterback Jayden Daniels spreading the ball around liberally. Though he's held steady at snap shares ranging between 65 and 70 percent through each of the Commanders' first four contests, Ertz has yet to score a touchdown and hasn't drawn more than five targets on any occasion. He was withheld from the Commanders' first Week 5 practice Wednesday due to rest purposes, but he should be ready to go for this Sunday's game against the Browns.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Sleeper TEs
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Gesicki remained relevant in Week 3 against Washington despite Tee Higgins making his 2024 debut with four catches for 47 yards on five targets. This week, he's facing a Carolina defense that is the only team to allow multiple touchdowns to tight ends this year. Gesicki should be considered a low-end starting option in all leagues.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Ertz has scored at least 8.8 PPR points in two games in a row, and hopefully he continues to be a factor for Jayden Daniels. In his past two games, Ertz has nine catches for 100 yards on nine targets. Ertz is a good streaming tight end in PPR for Week 4 at Arizona in a revenge game.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Five catches in upset win
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Ertz secured all five targets for 38 yards in the Commanders' 38-33 win over the Bengals on Monday night. He also committed a fumble recovered by Washington.
Ertz recorded a team-high number of receptions but was utilized primarily as a short-area target. The veteran tight end, who's posted a 12-128-0 line on 13 targets through three games, will next take aim at his old Cardinals teammates in a Week 4 road battle in the desert.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Week 3 Waiver Priority List
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Ertz has four targets in each of his first two games, but he did better with his opportunities in Week 2 against the Giants with four catches for 62 yards. In Week 1 at Tampa Bay, Ertz had three catches for 28 yards. He can be a low-end starter in PPR leagues, and Ertz is worth a flier heading into Week 3 at Cincinnati for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Leading receiver Sunday
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Ertz caught all four of his targets for 62 yards in Sunday's 21-18 win over the Giants.
The veteran tight end led the Commanders in receiving yards as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels often had to get rid of the ball quickly on an afternoon that saw him get sacked five times. Ertz's role as one of Daniels' primary safety valves should give him a solid target floor, but at 33 years old, he may not be able to do significant damage with those looks. Ertz will try to put together another productive effort in Week 3 against the Bengals.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Catches three passes
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Ertz caught three of four targets for 28 yards in a 37-20 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday, playing 70 percent of snaps on offense and running the second-most routes (21) on the team.
That route total don't count eight dropbacks on which rookie QB Jayden Daniels scrambled, which was one of the factors that made it difficult for any Washington pass catcher to compile a decent receiving line. Four players, including Ertz, tied for the team lead with four targets, and running backs Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson combined for 101 of the team's 184 receiving yards. Ertz's role hints that he could have some useful fantasy weeks ahead, although rookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott looms as a threat to eventually cut into the 33-year-old's snaps and routes. For now, Ertz figures to lead Washington tight ends in playing time in Week 2 against the Giants.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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Ertz had a quiet game in Week 1 at Tampa Bay with three catches for 28 yards on four targets, and more production should come as the season goes on. He's not going to have dominant games on a consistent basis, but Ertz could be No. 2 on the Commanders in targets until rookie tight end Ben Sinnott gets more comfortable in the offense. In deeper leagues, Ertz is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Eventually, we should see Ben Sinnott become the primary tight end for the Commanders, but that won't happen early in the year. For this week, Ertz has the chance to be a go-to target for Jayden Daniels, and this is a great matchup to use Ertz as a streamer at Tampa Bay. Last year, the Buccaneers were No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends and one of five teams to allow at least 100 receptions to the position. Hopefully, Daniels and Ertz can connect several times in their first real game together.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Won't play this Saturday
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Ertz won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Miami, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Ertz is away from the team for the birth of his child, so he'll likely miss a practice or two in addition to the preseason game. He ended up playing a few snaps in the preseason opener against New York, after pregame reports suggested he'd be held out. Ertz is expected to open the season as Washington's top pass catcher at tight end, but if he fails to produce early on he'll be looking over his shoulder at rookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Not slated to play Saturday
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Ertz is not in line to suit up in Washington's preseason opener against the Jets on Saturday.
It would be a bit surprising if the 33-year-old played much at all during the preseason, but Ertz is on a one-year, $3 million contract, so it's possible the veteran is on the roster bubble if rookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott continues to progress in his development.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Could lose snaps to rookie
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Ertz could be at risk of losing playing time at tight end to rookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports.
Ertz signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Commanders early in the offseason, getting about two-thirds of the money guaranteed. It's backup-level money, but with a good chance at a starting job given the lack of veteran competition in Washington. Sinnott looks like a real threat, however, coming in as a second-round pick after putting up a 49-676-6 receiving line his final season at Kansas State and then running a 4.68-second 40-yard dash time during the pre-draft process at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds. The rookie could steal enough playing time to make Ertz irrelevant for fantasy even if the 33-year-old gets most of the snaps in clear passing situations early on.
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Commanders' Zach Ertz: Gets one-year deal with Commanders
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Ertz and Washington agreed to terms Wednesday on a one-year contract worth up to $5 million, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Ertz replaces Logan Thomas as a capable veteran atop the Commanders' tight end depth chart. He arrives in Washington with existing familiarity with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's scheme from their time together in Arizona, where Kingsbury served as head coach from 2019 through 2022. As a result of ending last season on Detroit's practice squad, Ertz is eligible to ink a new contract before the start of the new league year March 13. Across seven games with the Cardinals last season before he was released in November, Ertz secured 27 of 43 targets for 187 yards and one touchdown. Depending on how Washington addresses its quarterback situation this offseason, Ertz could carry some fantasy value for the 2024 campaign as a volume play.
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Zach Ertz: Practice-squad deal expires
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Ertz's practice-squad contract with the Lions expired Monday, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reports.
Ertz's 2023 campaign effectively ended after Week 7, when he sustained a strained quadriceps that forced a stint on injured reserve. On Nov. 30, the Cardinals waived him so he could pursue another opportunity, and he eventually landed with Detroit's practice squad in the week leading up to the NFC Championship Game. The Lions' tight end group was incredibly banged up at the time, with Brock Wright (forearm) and James Mitchell (hand) landing on IR during the playoffs, but the team didn't elevate Ertz for the aforementioned contest. The ensuing 34-31 loss at San Francisco thus brought any chance of a return for Ertz this season to a close, and it remains to be seen if the 33-year-old garners any interest in free agency once the new league year kicks off March 13.
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Zach Ertz: Joining Lions' practice squad
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Ertz (quadriceps) is signing with Detroit's practice squad Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Ertz, who went unclaimed on waivers after being cut loose by Arizona in late November, will begin on the Lions' practice squad but could have a chance to get up to speed with the team in time to contribute during the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers. With Brock Wright (forearm) having suffered a fracture during Sunday's 31-23 win over the Buccaneers, Detroit currently only has Anthony Firkser available on the active roster behind rookie sensation Sam LaPorta.
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Zach Ertz: Unclaimed on waivers
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Ertz (quadriceps) passed through waivers unclaimed Friday and is now a free agent, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Ertz will look for the best fit among contending teams before deciding where to sign. The veteran tight end had 27 catches for 187 yards and one touchdown through seven games before suffering a quadriceps injury. Ertz was placed on IR and subsequently mutually agreed to part ways with the Cardinals, who waived him Thursday. At age 33, Ertz will probably work in more of a complementary role wherever he lands, though he will first have to show that his quadriceps has healed.
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Zach Ertz: Cut loose by Arizona
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Arizona officially waived Ertz (quadricep) on Thursday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Shortly after Ertz's former Cardinals teammate, retired defensive end J.J. Watt, announced via social media that Arizona and the tight end were parting ways, the team confirmed the transaction. The decision makes sense for both parties, as the 2-10 Cardinals are seemingly invested in second-year player Trey McBride as their tight end of the present and future, while the 33-year-old Ertz was eager to join a playoff-contending team that could have a role available for him. Before landing on injured reserve Oct. 24 with a strained quad and missing each of Arizona's last five games, Ertz compiled a 27-187-1 receiving line on 43 targets in seven appearances. Ertz is in the second season of a three-year, $31.65 million contract, so the expectation is that he'll clear waivers before signing elsewhere on a more team-friendly one-year deal.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Set to part ways with Arizona
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The Cardinals and Ertz (quadricep) agreed Thursday to mutually part ways, and the team is soon expected to formally waive him, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The news of Ertz requesting a departure from Arizona was first announced via social media by the tight end's former Cardinals teammate, retired defensive end J.J. Watt. With the Cardinals electing to move forward with second-year player Trey McBride as their top tight end, Ertz will be given the chance to find work with a playoff-contending club down the stretch. After making a rapid recovery from the torn ACL and MCL he suffered last November, Ertz recorded 27 receptions for 187 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets in Arizona's first seven games before landing on injured reserve Oct. 24 with a strained quad. The 33-year-old is presumably close to full health now following a five-week absence, so he could be ready to contribute right away once he finds a new landing spot. Because he's in the second season of a three-year, $31.65 million deal, Ertz will most likely clear waivers before signing with a club at a more affordable rate.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Moving to IR
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The Cardinals are placing Ertz on injured reserve due to a strained quadriceps that he sustained during Sunday's 20-10 loss at Seattle, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
After logging at least 60 percent of the offensive snaps from Weeks 1-5, Ertz's workload was scaled back the last two games while second-year pro Trey McBride saw increased run. Ertz and McBride both handled 35 of 66 snaps Week 7, but the former notched less than 25 receiving yards (19 on three catches) for a third straight game. Ertz will miss at least the next four contests, which should allow McBride to take on a majority share of the TE reps in the Cardinals offense.
