Fantasy football: Is Zach Ertz a must-have in Week 9?

Tight end Zach Ertz's trade from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Arizona Cardinals immediately had fantasy implications. Ertz's move to the Cardinals adds an immediate need to fill their starting tight end position since Maxx Williams went down with a season-ending injury. For the Eagles, this opens up more opportunities and targets for tight end Dallas Goedert.

While both players have not exactly smashed for fantasy despite more opportunities, their outlook for the rest of the season is promising as they should command more looks.

Zach Ertz, particularly with his new team, is averaging 4.5 targets, 3.5 receptions, 54 yards and 0.5 touchdowns in two games with the Arizona Cardinals. His first game with the Cardinals against the Houston Texans was a huge success as he had 3 receptions for 66 yards with a TD catch. Last Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers was less successful as Ertz only had 4 catches for 42 yards and no TDs. In a high-volume passing offense as the 3rd option at best, Ertz will not be a TE1 for the rest of the season and is heavily TD dependent.

Is Zach Ertz a priority start at TE for Fantasy Football Week 9?

Given the barren landscape of the tight end position for fantasy football and the lack of viable options, Zach Ertz is not simply a streaming option like he was before the trade. If he happens to be on your waiver wire or part of a trade, Ertz is a worthwhile addition to your roster.

As a trade target, Zach Ertz is worth giving up a WR3. Ertz is a high-end TE2 who is in the same tier as Tyler Higbee or Dalton Schultz. A trade for Ertz while giving up a WR3 like Jakobi Meyers or a flex running back like J.D. McKissic would be the most comparable.

Now, in a high passing volume offense that spreads the ball around, Ertz is a must start every week for redraft leagues and worth a look at DFS. If he continues to get four to five targets a week at a minimum, Ertz should return value.

Touchdowns are not a reliable fantasy stat, and since quarterback Kyler Murray spreads the ball around more this season, Ertz will have to compete for redzone looks. That being said, while wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins garners most of the TD looks from Murray, Zach Ertz is a big target and worth a roster spot and start.