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In 2021, tight end Zach Ertz was productive after he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals from the Philadelphia Eagles, catching 56 passes for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games with his new team. Things have not been quite as smooth for Ertz in training camp in 2022 as he gets ready to kick off his second season with the Cards.
Ertz missed almost the entire month of August with a calf strain and his status is up in the air for the Week 1 season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has been calling Ertz day-to-day but his availability will likely come down to a game-time decision.
Fantasy managers likely drafted Ertz to be their starting tight end in 2022, so an absence would leave a significant hole in starting lineups as the season kicks off. Let's dive into the situation and try to assess Ertz's status for Sunday.
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Is Zach Ertz Injured or Healthy for Week 1?
As mentioned above, Ertz has missed a large portion of training camp, having not practiced since August 4th. An additional component that is making reading into his status even trickier is the fact that the Cardinals don't have to release an official injury report until Wednesday. At this point of the preseason, many teams are extra cautious with their starters in hopes of going into the regular season as healthy as possible, so it is hard to get a gauge on just how severe Ertz's status is.
Big news for the Cardinals: TE @ZERTZ_86 was back at practice today. pic.twitter.com/6J6rICLoOk
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) September 7, 2022
The tweet above is from Wednesday and comes as good news as the Cardinals just got Ertz back on the practice field. Ertz was officially listed as limited, according to Wednesday's injury report. Despite the recent upgrade for Ertz, fantasy gamers will want to check back on his status on the final injury report of the week, which will be released on Friday.
Should I Start Zach Ertz in Fantasy Football If He's Active?
If Ertz is deemed healthy enough to play, fantasy gamers should feel safe starting him and slotting him in as a low-end TE1 for his Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs. It is unlikely that fantasy managers who drafted Ertz have a better option on their bench at tight end and Ertz should see plenty of targets with DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six games of the season.
As of Wednesday, Ertz is being considered a game-time decision for Sunday's 4:25 PM EST kickoff.
Markus Golden, Zach Ertz to be game-day decisions to play vs. Chiefs https://t.co/pvxx33eVth
— Jess Root (@senorjessroot) September 6, 2022
If Ertz does not play and you find yourself scrambling for a replacement there are a few options, but don't wait until Sunday morning to set up a contingency plan. Managers rostering Ertz should be placing waiver claims as soon as possible to get a backup tight end in place in case Ertz sits.
A possible option in 10-team leagues includes Irv Smith Jr. (55% percent rostered on Yahoo). In 12-team (or larger) leagues, some names to consider are Logan Thomas (7% rostered), Kyle Rudolph (2%), and Brevin Jordan (2%).
Either way, be sure to keep an eye on the news and Ertz's status on Sunday to see whether he is able to suit up.
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