If ever there was a player that Fantasy managers would like to see traded, it is Ertz. As of now, he stands in the way of a potential Trey McBride breakout at a position that is desperate for a young breakout. But that also might be an unfair way to frame things for Ertz. While he is 32 years old and he did miss seven games last season, he also averaged 12.6 FPPG the first nine weeks of last season. That's top-five production at the tight end position. We're ranking Ertz as a low-end No.2 tight end that we'd rather not draft in most leagues, but if he maintains his role and stays healthy, he is very likely to end up at the top of the streamers list early in the year.
Ertz gathered in both of his targets for six yards during Sunday's 28-16 win against the Cowboys.
Through two contests to begin the season, Ertz was pacing the Cardinals in targets with 18 on his way to 12 catches for 77 yards and no touchdowns. In Week 3, though, quarterback Josh Dobbs' focus was on his top two wide receivers Marquise Brown (seven targets) and Rondale Moore (six). There figures to be some ebb and flow from game to game among the team's skill-position players in terms of usage, and Ertz still led Arizona tight ends in snap share (59 percent) ahead of Geoff Swaim (52 percent) and Trey McBride (49 percent). Ertz may have a tough time getting back on track this coming Sunday on the road against the 49ers.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Ertz has done a nice job in PPR in the first two games of the season, and it's great to see him being productive after last year's torn ACL. In two matchups against Washington and the Giants, Ertz has 12 catches for 77 yards on 18 targets, and it's clear Joshua Dobbs will continue to lean on him. He has a tough matchup in Week 3 against Dallas, and I would try to bench Ertz in the majority of leagues, especially PPR. The Cowboys did allow Tyler Conklin to score 10.0 PPR points in Week 2 with five catches for 50 yards on six targets, but they also held Darren Waller to 6.6 PPR points in Week 1 with three catches for 36 yards on five targets. In non-PPR leagues, Ertz is a definite sit since he's yet to top 56 receiving yards in any game and hasn't scored a touchdown.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Week 3 Waiver Priority List
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Ertz has done a nice job in PPR in the first two games of the season, and it's nice to see him being productive after last year's torn ACL. In matchups against Washington and the Giants, Ertz has 12 catches for 77 yards on 18 targets, and it's clear Joshua Dobbs will continue to lean on him. He has a tough matchup in Week 3 against Dallas, but Ertz can be considered a low-end starter in PPR given his 9.0 targets per game to start the season. He's worth adding in PPR for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Busy again in Week 2 loss
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Ertz caught six of eight targets for 56 yards in Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Giants.
The veteran tight end was once again one of Joshua Dobbs' most reliable options, tying Marquise Brown for the Cardinals' lead in receptions and tying rookie Michael Wilson for the team lead in receiving yards. While it's very early in the 2023 season, Ertz is on pace for his second career 100-catch campaign heading into a Week 3 clash with a Cowboys defense that just allowed the Jets' Tyler Conklin to post a 5-50-0 line on six targets.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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It was great to see Ertz back on the field following last year's torn ACL, and he was a go-to option for Josh Dobbs in Week 1 at Washington with six catches for 21 yards on 10 targets. The yards definitely need to improve before Fantasy managers can trust Ertz again, but we love the targets and catches. In deep PPR leagues, Ertz is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Week 16 Waiver Priority List
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It was great to see Ertz back on the field following last year's torn ACL, and he was a go-to option for Josh Dobbs in Week 1 at Washington with six catches for 21 yards on 10 targets. The yards definitely need to improve before Fantasy managers can trust Ertz again, but we love the targets and catches. In deep PPR leagues, Ertz is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Six catches Sunday
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Ertz caught six of 10 passes for 21 yards in Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Commanders.
The veteran tight end's numbers summed up the tepid performance of the Arizona offense as a whole, as Ertz led the team in catches but saw his longest gain go for only six yards. Trey McBride caught two passes for 23 yards, and the younger TE could cut into Ertz's production as the season wears on -- assuming Ertz doesn't get traded as part of the team's rebuilding efforts. He'll take on a familiar foe in Week 2 as the Cardinals host the Giants, a team Ertz has an active five-game TD streak against dating back to his days with the Eagles, although the last time he faced them was in 2019.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Back in action Sunday
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Ertz (knee) is active for Sunday's game at Washington, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Ertz has made a speedy recovery from the ACL and MCL injuries that he suffered Week 10 last season. Making an appearance Week 1 of the current campaign was the goal all along, which was made possible by him coming off the active/PUP list Aug. 15 and logging limited practices Wednesday through Friday this week. The potential exists for Ertz to be eased into action, especially due to the presence of second-year tight end Trey McBride. Since joining the Cardinals in October 2021, Ertz has gathered in 103 of 150 targets for 980 yards and seven touchdowns in 21 contests.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Should be available Week 1
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Ertz (knee), who is listed as questionable, is expected to suit up for Sunday's regular-season opener at Washington, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Ertz wasn't a safe bet to make it back for Week 1 after suffering ACL and MCL damage in his left knee last November, but the veteran tight end looks as though he's shown enough improvement to begin the season on the field. Assuming Ertz is indeed left off the Cardinals' inactive list -- which will be released 90 minutes ahead of Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff -- he will be in line to share reps at tight end with second-year pro Trey McBride. Top wideout Marquise Brown (hamstring) is also expected to play Week 1.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Questionable to face Washington
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Ertz (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Washington, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
Coach Jonathan Gannon suggested Friday morning that he wasn't sure about Ertz's availability, potentially setting up a game-time decision ahead of the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. If he's active, Ertz likely will share snaps and targets with 2022 second-round pick Trey McBride, whose fantasy value partially depends on how his 32-year-old teammate performs after suffering an ACL tear last year.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Practicing again Friday
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Ertz (knee) is practicing Friday, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Coming off ACL surgery, Ertz has been limited in practice all week, and it remains unclear if the Cardinals are going to clear him to play Week 1 against the Commanders after he sat out most of training camp and the entire preseason. Trey McBride would benefit if Ertz sits and likely be close to an every-down player.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Still limited Thursday
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Ertz (knee) was limited at Thursday's practice, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
Ertz continues to work his way back from the ACL and MCL damage that ended his 2022 campaign in Week 10, operating with a cap on his reps during the first two official sessions of Week 1 prep. It's unclear if he'll need to log a full practice in order to be available Sunday at Washington, but Friday's injury report could be telling for his availability in the season opener. If Ertz is limited or sidelined, Trey McBride would be the Cardinals' unquestioned No. 1 tight end, with Geoff Swaim and undrafted rookie Elijah Higgins acting as the team's other options at the position.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Logs limited practice Wednesday
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Ertz (knee) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Ertz's 2022 season came to an early end in Week 10, when he sustained damage to the ACL and MCL in his left knee and ultimately required surgery last November. He always expressed a clear goal to be ready for Week 1 of the coming campaign, and after spending the first two and a half weeks of training camp on the active/PUP list, he was cleared to practice Aug. 14. Ertz has yet to achieve that ever elusive full participation in practice, but he'll have two more opportunities to do so before Sunday's road matchup with the Commanders.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: No lock to play Week 1
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Ertz (knee) expressed uncertainty about his availability for the start of the season asked Wednesday about his chances of playing in Arizona's Week 1 game at Washington, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Ertz came off the active/PUP list Aug. 15 but didn't manage to suit up for any of Arizona's preseason matchups. The veteran tight end suffered ACL and MCL tears in his left knee Week 10 last season, so it wouldn't be surprising if he gets off to a slow start when the regular season kicks off. If the Cardinals expect him to miss up to a month, the team could consider placing him on injured reserve to start the season. Second-year pro Trey McBride stands to handle an increased role until Ertz is ready to handle a normal workload.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Not expected to play Saturday
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Ertz (knee) isn't slated to play in Saturday's preseason game versus the Chiefs, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
This comes as no surprise less than a week removed from the Cardinals activating Ertz from the active/PUP list. He kicked off training camp on that list due to his recovery from ACL and MCL tears in his left knee that occurred Week 10 of last season. In the end, Arizona may be aiming for Ertz to be ready to go for a Week 1 road matchup with the Commanders, meaning exhibition action may not be in the cards.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Coming off PUP list this week
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Coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday that Ertz (knee) will be activated from the active/PUP list this week, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Ertz isn't yet ready to officially come off the active/PUP list, but such a transaction should come soon. The veteran tight end is working his way back from left ACL and MCL tears from Week 10 of last season, so once he's back at practice he likely will be eased back in. Once Ertz is back to full health, he and second-year pro Trey McBride figure to divvy up snaps atop the depth chart. The Cardinals invested a second-round pick in McBride and have incentive to develop him as a future starter at the tight end position, so it's possible the 32-year-old Ertz could see his role decline slightly even when he returns to form.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Cleared for practice
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Ertz (knee) has been cleared to practice and is expected to be ready for Week 1, ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss reports.
Ertz is still on the active/PUP list and hasn't resumed practicing, but the Cardinals apparently expect him to be ready for the start of the regular season after suffering ACL and MCL tears Week 10 of last year. Once he's ready, the team will need to figure out how to divide TE reps between the 32-year-old and his 23-year-old teammate Trey McBride, who was drafted in the second round in 2022 and averaged 4.0 catches for 43.8 yards per game over the final five weeks of the season.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Not cleared for practice yet
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The Cardinals placed Ertz (knee) on the active/PUP list Wednesday.
The 32-year-old tight end is coming back from late-November surgery to repair the ACL and MCL in his left knee. Even if Ertz makes it back for the start of the season, he may end up in a smaller role than what he's accustomed to, as the Cardinals presumably want to give 2022 second-round pick Trey McBride at least a decent chunk of snaps and targets at tight end. Ertz can be activated from the PUP list to practice at any time this summer, and he can still attend meetings and work out at the team facility while he's ineligible for practice.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: No return timeline yet
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Coach Jonathan Gannon recently declined to elaborate on when Ertz (knee) might return, only saying that the tight end is "chomping at the bit" and will play once he's "physically and mentally" ready, Yahoo's Jess Root reports.
Gannon essentially said the same thing about QB Kyler Murray, who is also rehabbing from a season-ending ACL tear. Murray, of course, will take all the snaps once he's healthy, while Ertz faces competition at tight end from 2022 second-round pick Trey McBride. The Cardinals have incentive to keep both tight ends involved in the offense, given McBride's draft capital and the $8.5 million in guaranteed compensation they're paying Ertz this year. Ertz had surgery in late November to repair ACL and MCL damage in his left knee.
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Cardinals' Zach Ertz: Aiming to be available Week 1
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Ertz (knee) said Thursday that "the goal is always to be there Week 1" of next season, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Ertz spoke to the media after new coach Jonathan Gannon's introductory news conference, telling those assembled that he'll be three months removed from surgery to repair damage to the ACL and MCL in his left knee as of Saturday. While Ertz added that he won't "go out there early, put the team at risk when I'm 80 percent," he said his goal is an "adaptable" one. The Cardinals aren't slated to report for training camp until late July -- i.e. more than five months in the future -- but considering the leaps made in medical technology, he has a legitimate chance to be available for the season opener in early September.
